Remedial education proposal revised

The California State University Board of Trustees made several changes Tuesday in a proposal designed to eliminate most remedial education classes.

The major change to the proposal is that the five-year phasein time line has been extended to 10 years, said Colleen BentleyAdler, CSU media-spokeswoman.

Remedial education has been the subject of sometimes intense public debate since a proposal designed to eliminate most remedial education requirements and restrict enrollment for those students not prepared to take college level English and math was introduced by the sub-committee on remedial education in July.

The revised proposal includes a recommendation that a system-wide advisory committee be set up to strengthen the English and math skills of college-bound high-school students, said Bentley-Adler said.

"Some very big changes have been made," said Eric Mitchell, university affairs director for the California State Student Association, which has opposed the proposal since it was introduced.

"In 10 years remedial education will still be available to students who need it. Everything we strongly opposed has been removed."

However, CSSA has not formally endorsed the proposal, Mitchell said.

The revised proposal will be voted on by the trustees January.