CUNY Master Plan 2012-2016

MISSION PART THREE
Developmental Education and Remediation
In addition to there being an increase at CUNY of the numbers of students with excellent preparation,
there has also been an increase in the numbers of students with very weak preparation. Approximately
80 percent of the students who enter community colleges require remediation in at least one subject, and
there are significant numbers (19 percent of all first-time freshmen at the community colleges in fall
2011) of “triple-remedial” students (students who need remediation in all three areas of reading, writing,
and mathematics).
There is no question that the high numbers of students needing remediation is tied to CUNY’s, and
other urban community colleges’ low graduation rates. Just one-quarter of CUNY community college students
who need at least one remedial course graduate with any sort of a college degree within six years.
Less than 10% of triple remedial students do so. Too often students become mired in what a recent report
of Complete College America called the “Bermuda Triangle” of higher education, that is, remedial classes.
Percentage of First-time Freshmen Entering Community College with a Remedial Need
80%
60%
40%
59% 58%
63% 62% 61% 60%
in Math
64%
61%
64%
74%
20%
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011*
80%
60%
in Reading
40%
38%
33%
29% 28%
35% 34%
39%
35% 35%
29%
20%
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011*
80%
60%
40%
69% 70%
68% 65% 63%
in Writing
60% 61%
53% 52%
39%
20%
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011*
* In Fall 2011, the minimum math score needed to avoid remediation was increased.
Fall 2011 data is preliminary
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