College Stoops to the High School Level

* Re “It’s a Mathematical Certainty That Saturday Classes Are Paying Off,” Orange County Voices June 13:

These days I try to be hopeful about the “warm and fuzzy” innovative educational reforms proposed and implemented by various professionals and levels of governance, but I can’t let Meredith J. Khachigian’s praises for the University of California’s outreach program pass without comment.

If I am understanding this quantum leap of progress correctly, the UC Board of Regents has budgeted $144 million a year to teach ninth-grade algebra on Saturday to students from public schools.

Khachigian goes on to credit this program with bridging the gap to university admission, creating the belief in students that they can succeed and ultimately win the battle for enlightened technologically developed workers in the Golden State.

Twenty years ago California public school students all had the opportunity to pursue algebra from seventh through 12th grade on their neighborhood campuses and the University of California taught college-level academics.

Something seems out of whack, but expensive and on Saturday.

THOMAS E. KOLANOSKI

Costa Mesa