Learning Curve: Many Texas college students start classes unprepared. Here’s how they do once on campus.
Getting into college can already be tough, but for new undergraduates who aren't ready for college-level English and math classes, staying in school can be even harder.
Tens of thousands of Texas students enter college without the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in entry-level English and math, putting them at a disadvantage when it comes to graduating with a degree, state data shows.
About 40 percent of students entering the state's colleges, universities and community colleges don't meet the Texas Success Initiative standards for college readiness, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Students generally met the standards by scoring well on the ACT, SAT, Texas Success Initiative Assessment or other exams.
For those students who fall short of the Texas Success Initiative standards, they're generally required under a state law passed in 2017 to enroll in "corequisite" courses. While each college uses corequisite courses differently, they often involve students taking a more remedial class at the same time as their college-level class.
Needing a little help: In recent years, about 20 percent of Texas freshmen enrolling at a university fell short of at least one college readiness standard, while roughly two-thirds of students enrolling in community college for the first time weren't fully ready for higher education, according to state data.
Data for students enrolling in 2022, 2023 and 2024 isn't yet available.
Path to graduation: Texas political leaders have argued corequisite classes are a proven way to boost graduation rates for students who enter college less likely to graduate, though it's not proven to be a perfect solution.
Students who enrolled in college in the fall of 2015 and took remedial classes similar to corequisite courses ultimately graduated at a lower rate than students who didn't enroll in the classes. The gap was particularly wide at four-year colleges and universities.
Data isn't yet available for students who enrolled in college after the fall of 2016, so it's not yet possible to track the impact of the 2017 law on graduation rates.
The local scene: Historically, there have been gaps between colleges when it comes to getting students needing remedial courses to graduate.
For students who enrolled in a Texas four-year institution in the fall of 2015 and needed remedial classes, graduation rates ultimately ranged from about 20 percent to nearly 70 percent, with the University of Texas at Austin ranking as the most successful in the state.
Among Houston-area two-year colleges, graduation rates for students needing remedial courses ranged from 13 percent (Houston Community College) to 45 percent (Lee College in Baytown).