As Common Core Educational Standards take effect around the state, Mississippi lawmakers say colleges can look forward to seeing more students college ready by the time they graduate form high school.
State Representative John Moore is the Chair of the House Education committee. He believes the amount of money Mississippi's colleges are spending on remedial courses is too high.
"There's a high percentage of the monies that are actually for students that are making it, they're graduating with a diploma from our public schools, and then they're going straight across the street to a community college or an I.H.L. and they can't do the first year college work." said Moore. "It's a very serious problem."
According to reports, nearly a quarter of incoming freshmen to Mississippi's public universities - and half the freshmen entering community colleges -- take remedial courses. The large number of students taking developmental classes ends up costing the state more than $35 million.
However, state lawmakers believe they may have found a way to bolster the number of college-ready students. Senator Briggs Hopson is a member of both the appropriations and the universities and colleges committees. He said Mississippi's new common core standards will eliminate the need for remedial courses.
"If we can focus our dollars on advanced level courses and not a remedial course it would be a great cost-savings." said Hopson. "It would also allow our universities to expand their horizons. Maybe they'd be able to reach more students, and get them some more expertise in their fields of practice.
Jim Borsig is the President of Mississippi University for Women. He said decreasing the number of remedial course is a good idea.
"It's a goal that I think is in the best interest of the state." said Borsig. "In the meantime, I think we've got to meet students where they are and help as many of that are college able to get the college degree."
Common Core is currently being taught in schools statewide, but the success of the program cannot be judged until standardized testing is completed next school year.
