I teach calculus at Berkeley. Some of my students can't do middle school math

altairprime

The midterm grade spread in my Precalculus I course this summer was median 70% +/- 30% across all students, with four retakes allowed penalty-free. It was show your work with pencil and paper. The teacher noted that it’s the first time since Covid that no students were caught cheating by Proctorio. I warned (in a fashion) the head of a college district last year that the “two-year degree” was not long for this world. They were not convinced. Least enjoyable ‘told you so’ ever.

bell-cot

At some point, folks who object to epic incompetence in government need to focus on where the buck stops: > The University of California is governed by a twenty-six member Board of Regents, eighteen of whom are appointed by the Governor of California to 12-year terms. The board also has seven ex officio members, a student regent, and a non-voting student regent-designate.[87] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California%2C_Be... - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_California_gubernatorial_... - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor_of_California#Recall_...

ticulatedspline

Normally I would expect this to be self-rectifying, that students without the background for the curriculum would cause graduation rates to drop enough to be a problem. And maybe that's the case but needs more time. More likely (as the article hints) the school will bend it's teaching to get these students through the program, which is short-sighted as it will erode the brand when mediocre graduates enter the workforce.

beardyw

Not being in the US, what is the qualification for admissions supposed to be. Maybe I missed it. If it's not testing, what is it?

somewhatrandom9

If this article is accurate, I hope it leads to an intervention.