Florida Matters: The End Of Remedial College Classes

Sarah Gonzalez / StateImpact Florida

Students in a remedial math class at Miami-Dade College.

Half of Florida students who take the state’s college placement exam end up failing at least one section. In the past, those students would have brush up in remedial reading, writing or math courses before starting their college degree.

But a new Florida law will allow most recent high school graduates to skip those remedial classes, also called developmental or prep courses. Advocates say ending remedial requirements will help more people finish their studies. But colleges say taking the classes might still be a good idea for some students.

This week, WUSF’s Florida Matters took a look at what the changes mean. The guests were Jim Wysong, dean of science and math at Hillsborough College’s Dale Mabry campus, Randy Hanna, chancellor of the Florida College System, and Bruce Vandal, vice president of research and advocacy group Complete College America.

For more on remedial education in Florida, check out our 13th Grade series from 2012.