Remediation rates are an indicator of the extent to which students are prepared with the basic academic skills to succeed in their college coursework. Enrolling in remedial coursework in college delays participation in credit-bearing, college-level courses and degree completion.

In 2022, 35% of first-year students enrolled in a remedial course, down 1 percentage point from 2021. Female students in 2022 were more likely to be taking a remedial course (32%) than male students (27%). In 2017, the most recent year for which racial and ethnic data was available, disparities were large, with 61% of Black students taking a remedial course compared to 33% of Hispanic students, 24% of white students and 23% of Asian students.

In 2018, the most recent year for which county-comparable data was available, the highest remediation rates were among students from Bradley, Dallas and Monroe counties (71%, 68% and 67% respectively). The lowest were those from Stone and Randolph counties (17% and 19%).

School systems in the United States are highly segregated, and students of color disproportionately attend schools in low-income communities that often have fewer resources such as experienced and qualified teachers and advanced courses, facilities and technology. In addition, teachers across all school systems tend to be disproportionately white, and teaching practices and curriculum may not be culturally relevant to students of color. Low staff expectations at racially and economically segregated schools also contribute disparities in educational attainment. The accumulation of these inequities contributes to the likelihood that students of color may be less prepared for college coursework and more likely to be placed or enrolled in college remedial courses.

In past years, assignment to remedial coursework was based on whether students met a cut-off score of 19 on the ACT exam (or the equivalent on the ASSET, SAT, or COMPASS tests) in English, mathematics and reading. However, due to the July 2017 revision of the AHECB placement policy, assignment to remedial coursework is now determined by a student's academic institution's placement policy. Thus, beginning in 2017, remedial reporting is based on a student's actual enrollment in a remedial course and not just on test scores. Due to this reporting change, comparable data is not available prior to 2016.

Data is reported by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education based on students' performance in the fall of their first year. Therefore 2022 data is for students who entered college or university in the fall of 2022. The rate reported is for all first-year students across all institution types.

Due to a lack of national standardized data on remedial education enrollment, no state or national comparison is possible.