College Remediation: What It Is, What It Costs, What’s at Stake

By: Ronald Phipps

Offering course work below college-level in higher education institutions has been put under the spotlight across the country. Too little information is available to provide definitive answers to key questions, such as what remediation is, how it works, and how much it costs. As a result, conjecture and criticism have filled the void. This report, sponsored by the Ford Foundation, provides an accessible, straightforward review of what is known—and not known—about college remediation. It includes an analysis of the functions and purposes of remediation; a discussion of the types of remediation, who participates, and how well it serves them; an examination of the financial costs of remediation; an appraisal of the economic and social consequences of not providing remedial education; and a proposed set of strategies designed to reduce the need for remediation in higher education while also enhancing its effectiveness. Download document in PDF format Date: December 1998 Publication Type: Policy Reports Subject: Remediation Project: New Millennium,Ford Foundation (other than New Millennium Project)