A new Harvard University Center for Education Policy Research (CEPR) study on Tennessee’s Seamless Alignment and Integrated Learning Support (SAILS) math remediation program is raising questions on the benefits of remediation for college students.
Although the SAILS program places math remediation back into high schools and increased student perceptions on the usefulness and enjoyment of math, the study found that the program did not increase students’ math achievement or increase their likelihood of passing college-level math courses.
“That is the most frightening” finding of the study, said Dr. Thomas J. Kane, the Walter H. Gale Professor of Education and Economics and faculty director of CEPR. “We need to identify a more effective model of remediation. We cannot simply assume that it’s benefiting [students].”
Kane added that higher education leaders have an “obligation” to ensure that remediation courses are not just another obstacle, but are helping students succeed in college-level coursework and degree attainment.
Research shows that more than a third of students entering community colleges nationally are required to take remedial courses. A National Center for Education Statistics study found that only 34 percent of community college students in remediation completed a degree or credential within six years.
Tennessee launched SAILS in 2012 with a goal to shift remediation back to high school, allowing students to enroll in college-level math courses earlier upon their arrival at a community college.
Tennessee students’ remediation status is dependent on their junior year ACT score. If a student scored below the cut-off threshold of 19 on the ACT math, they have the option to fulfill remediation requirements by participating in SAILS their senior year.
