More Public High School Graduates Enter College, But Many Are Still Not Prepared

According to a recent study conducted by the Department of Education, nearly 54 percent of the students who graduate from public high schools enrolled in a two-year or four-year college the following fall, which is an increase from the 50 percent posted in 2010.  However, this number is still significantly lower than the national average of 62 percent and the state's goal of 71 percent by 2018.  The only two public high schools that have already reached the state's goal are Kalani High School (78 percent) and Mililani High School (71 percent).  Roosevelt High came very close at 70 percent.

Of those students who entered the University of Hawaii system (either a community college or a four year school), approximately a third of them had to take remedial courses. Thirty-two percent had to take a remedial math course, while 31 percent had to take a remedial English course. Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Ronn Nozoe praised these numbers, since they were down from a few years ago.  Nozoe stated, "The college-going rate is stable, which is good, but the real story within this is the reduction in the percent of kids who need to take remedial courses when they go to the university. It's one thing to send a certain number of kids there, but then find out that they have to take remedial courses because they can't take college-level courses. It tells us that we're sending more kids prepared for college to college."

Critics of the Department of Education, believe that if a third of public school graduates who enter the University of Hawaii system are unable to take even basic math and English classes, something is still fundamentally flawed.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 5-8-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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