Madison-AB 56, authored by Rep. Jagler (R-Watertown) was approved by the Assembly today. The bill directs the UW-System Administration to issue an annual report to the legislature and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) identifying the high schools of students who were required to take remedial math and English classes in the preceding twelve months. According to data provided by the UW Board of Regents, one in five students enrolling within the UW System is required to take remedial classes in order to be fully prepared for the rigors of college.
Rep. Jagler issued the following comments on AB 56:
“Students are required to pay for these classes, but they don’t receive credit in return for completing them. The time needed to complete these classes adds extra costs and time to a student’s pursuit of a higher degree. Professors and academic staff must spend valuable resources and time teaching these classes that could be better utilized in other areas of instruction. Reducing the need for remedial classes will benefit both the student and the UW-System.”
“This bill will provide the public, DPI, and the UW-System valuable data that can be used to help address this issue. Additional information will help empower parents to make decisions that are best for their child, whether that means additional tutoring, alternative course loads, or different educational paths.”
“The intent of this bill is to have data provided that can be used to help our schools, not punish them. My hope is this report will start a dialogue on how to best address this problem.”
