A plan by Pima Community College to revamp remedial classes has stirred strong reaction from Tucson's K-12 education leaders.
PCC leaders want to move the most underprepared students - those reading, writing or doing math below grade level 7 - to a non-credit program beginning in March.
The Pathways to Pima program would cost those students about $33 for 10 weeks. Students would get help addressing their individual deficiencies and the college would cut remedial classes with low success rates. Once up to speed, the students could take the placement test to enroll in regular classes.
PCC also may require students to have a high school diploma or GED.
A public meeting about the plans is being held this morning in Marana.
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The Pima County Superintendents Collaborative and the Sunnyside Unified School District Governing Board are critics of the plan.
They oppose mandatory placement tests and said a high school diploma and passing grade on the AIMS test should be enough for admission to PCC, the superintendents said in a letter to the college last week.
Sunnyside's board plans to send a letter to the college saying it opposes the plan and wants more public meetings about the data PCC used.
The proposed changes would exclude portions of the Sunnyside community, including a significant Hispanic population, Board President Louie Gonzales said. "I feel we need to reject it (the proposed changes) in its entirety," Gonzales said.
Meanwhile at a meeting across town, PCC provost Suzanne Miles said no one will be turned away from the college.
During a special study session, Sunnyside administrators said the proposed changes would affect high school dropouts and high school graduates who postponed higher education. It also would affect students who completed all their credits to graduate from high school but did not pass AIMS.
Meanwhile, Sunnyside administrators will work with English and math teachers this fall to come up with a plan to prepare seniors to do well in PCC's placement exam. Workshops to prepare for the exam will be offered to students in the spring.
Principals support plan
Among the school leaders who support the plan are Santa Rita High School principal Chris Bonn and Tucson High Magnet School principal Abel Morado.
Bonn commended the college for raising expectations and using data to identify and help struggling students.
Santa Rita began testing juniors and seniors last year using PCC's placement test. Students who perform well are steered toward rigorous college preparatory classes and students who perform poorly get extra help to get up to speed before graduation.
Tucson High is giving seniors study guides for preparing for the PCC placement test.
Tucson High also will start a summer bridge program to help high school seniors meet the new PCC requirements to enter college-level classes without remediation.
Public hearings PLANNED
The Pima Community College governing board has held two hearings on the changes to remedial education and admissions requirements. Two more are planned.
• 10 a.m. today at the Marana High School auditorium, 12000 W. Emigh Road
• 10 a.m. Sept. 17 at the PCC West campus, 2202 W. Anklam Road
GAINING admission to PCC
All students take a placement test at Pima Community College. Here's what would happen to various students under proposed new admissions rules.
If you have a diploma or GED and score above grade level 7
You place into PCC's regular for-credit classes, which could include remedial classes.
If you have a diploma or GED and score below grade level 7
You would be referred to Pathways to Pima, where you would get help correcting skill deficiencies. You could take up to five classes at PCC while at Pathways. After Pathways, you would try again to pass PCC's placement test. Placement could include more remedial classes.
If you have no diploma or GED and score below grade level 7
You would be referred to Pathways to Pima and also to PCC's adult basic education classes, which help you get ready to take the GED test.
Once you have a GED and after Pathways, you would try again to pass PCC's placement test. Placement could include more remedial classes.
If you score below grade level 4
You would be referred to Pathways to Pima and also to external literacy programs.
If you are an English-language learner
You would be referred to English as a Second Language classes at PCC or at an outside agency
If you are a displaced worker and score below grade level 7
You would be referred to job training at PCC's Center for Training and Development or the Pima County One Stop.
Exceptions
• You are in a dual enrollment program at your high school.
• You are not seeking a degree, but you want to take up to five classes with no financial aid.
• You are in a job-training contract program.
SOURCE: Pima Community College
Contact reporter Becky Pallack at bpallack@azstarnet.com or 807-8012.
