Alabama education officials say more than a third of college freshman from the state needed remedial coursework last fall.
Deputy Superintendent of Education, Sherrill Parris, says the amount of students who graduated high school and needed remedial coursework factored into Plan 2020 — a statewide initiative to improve education over the next seven years.
Parris and executive director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, Gregory Fitch, say standards requiring students to enroll in remedial courses varies between the state's public colleges and universities.
Florence Schools Superintendent, Janet Womack, says students passing the Alabama High School Graduation exam to get their diplomas may contribute to a false sense of accomplishment. Womack says students passing the exam doesn't necessarily mean they're ready for college-level courses.