LONG BEACH – Well over half of California State University freshmen still fail to master one or both of the basic subjects - math and English - triggering state educators to announce Wednesday their biggest effort yet to improve college competency.

To crank up dismal proficiency scores, 100,000 juniors at high schools across the state will be encouraged to take a mini-college competency exam tacked onto the end of the California Standards Test they take in March.

Results from the optional test will serve as an early warning: Students who fail have a year to bone up or face remedial college courses.

"If they're not ready, they'll have a full year to get prepared," said David Spence, CSU's executive vice chancellor.

Proficiency report

The latest proficiency report, unveiled Wednesday at the Board of Trustees meeting, show:

In 2003, 42 percent of first-time freshmen were proficient in math and English, up 10 percent from 1998. About 58 percent needed to take remedial courses to meet college standards in at least one or both subjects. Reading comprehension and algebra are the main skills they work on.

Last fall, CSU kicked out 2,573 students for not meeting competency levels after one year, down from 3,002 in fall 2002. Those who washed out in 2003 represent 6.8 percent of the freshmen class of 2002, down from the previous year's rate of 8.2 percent.

Math competency has risen from 46 percent in 1999 to 63 percent in 2003. Cal State Fullerton outperformed the state average, posting a 71.3 percent.

English scores have remained relatively flat over the past five years, dipping from 53 percent proficiency in 1998 to 52 percent in 2003. At CSUF, English proficiency was 50.5 percent in 2003, up from 47.6 percent in 2002.

Among the key problems for students is critical reading skill. Educators said problems in this subject arise because many incoming freshmen - especially those in Orange County - come from householdswhere English is not the primary language.

"It's a higher hurdle to jump," said CSUF President Milton Gordon, adding that 48 percent of his students use English as a second language.

Spence said the English figures cement the case for immediate reform so CSU can meet its benchmark of 90 percent English proficiency by 2007. The goal is the same for math.

The newly crafted mini-competency exam asks high school juniors 30 English and math questions and requires them to write one short essay in about 20 minutes. Results will be released in mid-August.

Spence promised help for struggling students.

Handouts and tutorials

The CSU system will provide handouts and online tutorials. University faculty will put together book lists of mostly nonfiction reading to help with reading comprehension. The entire program will cost the state $3 million.

"That would have helped me because high school doesn't actually prepare you for college," said Cal State Fullerton sophomore Saul Armenta, who took a remedial English course last year.

K-12 officials said they're eager to partner with the universities.

"It makes no sense for students to enter college and need remedial work," said Ron Fox, administrator for college preparation programs for the state Department of Education.