Ensuring students are ready for college
College-bound high school students with modest skill gaps in math or English can bridge those gaps through college readiness coursework, available from Lake Area Technical College and Northern State University. Students who successfully complete college readiness coursework can avoid remedial coursework at the postsecondary level, saving the student both time and money.
If you have a student who fits this description, check out these opportunities and engage with the student and his or her family to discuss the advantages of such a program. Information about college readiness coursework programs is laid out in detail on the Department of Education’s College Readiness Coursework webpage.
Two courses are available for high school seniors to improve their skills at Lake Area Technical College: Intermediate Algebra (MATH 101) and English Language Arts, Practical Writing (EN 100). Both courses are fully online and asynchronous. After completing the coursework, students who earn a qualifying score on the Accuplacer assessment can be placed directly into credit-bearing math or ELA coursework at any South Dakota public university or technical college. There is a cost up-front for the course, with reimbursement after successful completion. (The Department of Education covers the cost of 80 students per year.)
NSU’s E-Learning Center is offering Mathematics for College Readiness in the spring 2024 semester for high school juniors and seniors. This course is free; textbooks are paid for by a grant. Students who successfully complete this course (C or higher grade) will be guaranteed reserved seats in fall semester dual credit College Algebra (MATH 114), taught by the same teacher on a blended schedule. Scholarships are available for dual credit tuition and books for qualifying students. The class begins Jan. 8, 2024. Space is limited, so please register students as soon as possible on the South Dakota Center for Virtual Education website. Questions? Contact E-Learning’s High School Principal, Mary Cundy, at (605) 626-3387.