Analysis of the Relative Merits of College Readiness Reading Programs in Addressing the Achievement Gap

Tonya Johnson

(Bronx Community College, City University of New York, USA)

Abstract: College readiness among high school students — particularly those who are from low-income families or have other at-risk factors — is declining. Research indicates that students entering college today are no more equipped to handle the rigors and demands of a successful college course load than students in the 1970s. As a result, many programs have been developed to reach certain benchmarks of student readiness in reading and reading comprehension. The Common Core Standards, while most pervasive, are not the sole measure of student college readiness. Other states and institutions have developed their own pilot programs to assess the effects of various methods of reading and instructional programs on the need for remediation for college students. This article explores some of those programs, assesses their relative success levels, and provides recommendations for further development of college readiness reading programs.