As students struggle with math, some Oregon community colleges are trying a new approach

Think Out Loud

More than a decade ago, Linn-Benton Community College in Albany took a look at its data for students enrolled in career and technical education programs. What they found was that many students were able to progress through their degree program, but one course in many cases stopped them from completion: math. The school’s math department then began to design courses tailored to specific degree programs. Since 2017, 93% of students in a math course designed for welders have passed the class. Steven Yoder is a freelance journalist who wrote about the trend of more Oregon colleges offering applied math courses. He joins us to share more.