Jan. 21--The number of students who received a degree or certificate from a California community college hit a record high last year and more of them completed remedial math and English courses, officials announced this week.
More than 190,000 students earned a degree or certificate last academic year, an increase of nearly 40% from three years earlier, according to state statistics. The previous high was nearly 170,000 two years ago.
The number of students who completed remedial courses over a six-year period also increased slightly in the 2012-13 academic year over the previous year, according to statistics. About 44% of students finished remedial English courses and 31% completed remedial math classes.
Enrollment also increased by about 15,000 students last year. The state's community colleges taught nearly 2 million people last year.
California's 112-campus community college system, the nation's largest, lost nearly 600,000 students during the recession.
"Though we still have much more work to do, we are on the right path," said Brice W. Harris, the chancellor of the state's community college system.
During the recession, the two-year college system reduced class offerings and many students were unable to enroll in courses needed for graduation. The system has struggled to provide enough remedial classes for the high numbers of students who need them, and the drop-out rate also has been high.
