Currently, my step daughter is having difficulty in enrollment into a local community college. She has been in a special program during her high school years. After graduating a year ago she now wants to start college. Many of her friends are going and she wants to increase her abilities and prepare for her future.
The problem is that this is the first year at the “Montgomery College where they require testing and identifying level of education. They tested our child twice and now reguire her to follow a strict schedule. The name for this special learning program is “Pathways”. They say if she cannot pass the entrance examine next semester after taking this computer based study course (basically study to pass this examine) she will never be able to attend this college ever. We tried to enroll her into an Art and Health class. We did it via the on-line enrollment where she was able to enroll in these two classes. However, once the counciler found out she called the instructors and had her dropped. Last year this would not have been a problem but this is the first year where they are directing the learning disabled (in our case reading) only to apply to take this pathways course. We could not even enroll her into a non credit course. They said it was not available for her since she tested into the pathways.
We are wondering if this is discrimination and are other community college requiring their students to test at a certain level even to take non credit courses?
The school has not been any help. They even told us that they disenrolled her from the health and art class. They explained that we should have used the computer to enroll her (even though her test stats and personnel info was in the computer). We are confused about this since the computer would not allow her into certain english courses.
We would like find out if anyone in the Montgomery County, Maryland area is having similar problems, and if so, what other alternative are out there to try?
We just want our daughter to have the proper tools to succeed in life! The college isn’t helping us to build her esteem.
Re: Entrance into a Community College
I’d be furious… and when I calmed down, I’d work up the administrative chain and talk to peoples’ bosses and try to find somebody who cares more about the students than about a one-size-fits-all program. I’d also do my homework and figure out why she would be more likely to pass the health and art classes than she would be able to pass the Pathways course — it sounds like you think she’ll have trouble with it.
Cross the county line if you have to… forget this “never go to college ever” stuff.
Re: Entrance into a Community College
Bill,
Your daughter is entitled to the same type of accomodations in college, legally, as she had in high school. This could translate to a scribe for notetaking if she is not able to take notes and focus at the same time, books on tape, transcription services, etc. Furthermore, if you daughter’s low test scores in reading are due to LD she most probably won’t be able to do the “computer remedial”. Get an advocate to help your daughter get the courses she wants and accomodations she needs.
Good luck to you and your daughter.
Jeanette
Re: Entrance into a Community College
In reading Jeannette’s reply, she is basically correct, but the stipulation is “if” she is accepted to the college according to the admissions standards in place for all students. The accommodations would then be what are made available by the college for their student population.
What is required is that each college receiving federal funding must have a Section 504 coordinator on staff. Check with this person about your student’s status and about what is required by law. Good luck! Gary
Re: Entrance into a Community College
Oddly enough, I used to teach part-time at Montgomery College.
First, some practical advice. Your daughter is registered under the wrong status. If she is registered as a degree-seeking student, the college is quite right in trying to be sure she has the skills needed to do real college-level work. On the other hand, she can register as a non-degree student taking classes for personal interest only. Go to the registrar and have her status changed. Usually the only requirements for non-degree students are to be of age (usually 18) and to pay the fees. She won’t get academic credentials out of this, and she won’t be able to take classes with an academic prerequisite, but there are many interesting and valuable things she can do.
As a teacher and tutor, I am pulled both ways by this question. Of course I want to help anyone who asks, and of course I don’t want to discriminate against anyone who is willing to try. But the reason I am no longer teaching at Montgomery is that I simply could not deal any more with the stress of attempting to teach classes where people came in without the most basic of skills, academic or social or personal. I was attempting to teach college math and the skills needed to succeed in a professional technical job, and several people told me point-blank that they had paid their money and I had to give them the credit. They don’t have the credit, but I don’t have the job any more, which tells you which way the college was falling two or three years ago. I believe this new entrance standard is an attempt to maintain something like college-level standards against this kind of pressure.
It is a question whether a computer-based program is the most appropriate teaching method; but then again, a computer-based program can’t be pressured by threats to go to the head of department and have it fired.
Bill, yes this sounds discriminatory. I would guess that your state’s higher education office might like to hear about this. I am not familiar with protocol so specifically, but any schools that are partially funded by any public dollars, this type of thing should not be going on.
Secondly, the more important issue is that your daughter find her way in an educational path, especially if she is so motivated. Call some state or county community colleges. They most assuredly would be better equipped to help your daughter. Most schools have an office that deals with disability issues.
\Bert