North Carolina adopted transition courses early. The state’s Essentials for College Math course is based on SREB Math Ready units, and the state trained more than 150 teachers in 2014-15 and an additional 90 in summer 2015.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is working with higher education to limit the number of students who need remediation in college. Essentials for College Math was adopted as a fourth-year math course and qualifies for University of North Carolina admission. Students who complete the course and meet GPA measures will not be required to take remedial math when they enroll at a North Carolina community college.

Pre- and post-test data from schools offering Essentials for College Math show that students gained one placement level in preparedness for college mathematics.

“This demonstrates that transition courses can make a significant impact on college readiness when implemented with fidelity,” said SREB Senior Vice President Gene Bottoms.