A new law in Wisconsin requires the state to examine high schools that send to its public universities more than six students who don’t quality for credit-bearing coursework.
Assembly Bill 56, authored by Republican Rep. John Jagler, was signed by Gov. Scott Walker on Wednesday. It requires the University of Wisconsin to create a report that informs the state legislature and state department of education which high schools send more than a half-dozen students who must take remedial math or English courses.
The original bill required the university system to report on any high school that sent a student who couldn’t pass placement tests for credit-bearing coursework. But an amendment revised that to high schools sending six or more students who must take remedial classes.
According to the bill, the reports will be created through information gathered as incoming students take placement tests at University of Wisconsin campuses.
The board shall require each student who is a graduate of a high school in this state to identify the high school, and the city, village, or town in which the high school is located, when taking any English or mathematics placement test that is required upon the student's admission to the system.
Rep. Jagler has said his aim is to raise questions about why students at those high schools aren’t ready for college, according to local news media reports. Data from the university’s board of regents show that 1 in 5 students must take remedial courses, according to the Courier.
The new law doesn’t specify what actions will be taken once the legislature and state board receive notice of which high schools send more than six students to the university in need of remediation.