U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith reports on the potential plan to temporarily admit qualified workers from overseas for the high-tech industries (Voice, May 4). He extends this to call for increased education for immigrants who are already in the U.S. That certainly is appropriate, but this concept should embrace all who need to improve their education level, not only immigrants.
I read with interest that Paul Vallas wants high school graduates to attend the City Colleges of Chicago. All students who enter are required to take placement tests, and if they are not ready to enroll in college-level courses, they are given remedial courses. We are aware that high schools, no matter if local or foreign, may have students who graduate without achieving the necessary academic levels. These and other factors may contribute to the need for the remediation, but whatever the cause, everyone should have the chance to succeed.
Vallas and City Colleges Chancellor Wayne Watson can cite a long list of names of students who started with remedial courses and earned their college degree. They can also confirm the fact that a respectable number of their students continue on to a four-year college or university and receive a degree from an institution of higher learning.
