Re: [MATHEDCC] Privatizing remediation

bob leibman (bleibman@AUSTIN.CC.TX.US)
Sun, 2 Nov 1997 22:31:19 -0600 (CST)

When Geoffrey posted the note below, I actually printed it out with the
intention of finding thatissue of the Chronicle to read the article. It
is now a few weeks later and I have been forced to read it. It is now
being suggested that our administration might wish to bring Kaplan in to
help train us to do our job in developmental math better. So far, the
claim is that we would still be working for our college (not Kaplan), but
who knows. Reasons cited for bringing them in include questions about our
students success rate and their retention in college. (That was the
impetus for my previous posting a few days ago about such things and
sources for comparative info.) Still would be interested in getting some
replies here.

I am wondering whether any of you have heard similar such rumblings about
bringing in outsiders - either as consultants or as outsourcing - at
your school - or whether any of you have had any experiences with the
Kaplan organization in terms of working with developmental students.

Bob Leibman
Austin Comm. Coll.
bleibman@austin.cc.tx.us

On Sat, 4 Oct 1997, Geoffrey Akst wrote:

> If you have concerns about privatizing remediation, take a look at
> the article "Tutoring Companies Take Over Remedial Teaching at Some
> Colleges" in the September 19 issue of _The Chronicle of Higher Education_.
>
> Focusing on Kaplan Educational Centers (owned by the Washington
> Post) and Sylvan Learning Systems, the article deals with the experience of
> several colleges which have transferred to these private companies their
> math and language developmental ed functions. Referring to my university's
> experience with Kaplan, the author (Ben Gose) writes: "CUNY's plan to
> study Kaplan's effectiveness was quashed when the Board of Trustees severed
> all contracts with consultants, including the agreement with Kaplan."
> Those of us familiar with Academic Systems math and now writing multimedia
> software will also be interested to learn that "Kaplan...recently invested
> several million dollars in Academic Systems, which makes computer software
> that helps students in remedial math and English..."
>
>
>
>
> Geoffrey Akst
> Mathematics Department
> Manhattan Community College
> 199 Chambers Street
> NY, NY 10007
> (v) 212/346-8530, -8531, -8532
> (f) 212/346-8550
> (e) akst@idt.net
>
>
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