BALTIMORE (AP) Only about a quarter of students nationally who take developmental or remedial college classes ever graduate. The problem is so profound that the advocacy group Complete College America dubs remedial classes the “bridge to nowhere.'' Even as billions are spent annually on remedial classes, many of these students run out of financial aid before they can complete their credit requirements, get discouraged by non-credit classes or flunk out.
The Baltimore City Community College is one of several places around the country looking to improve the odds. It has combined some non-credit developmental classes, so students spend less time in them. It also has increased tutorial and other student supports and is re-thinking how classes are taught.
The next challenge for higher education is finding what works.
