We’ve written a ton on the impact of remediation here in Washington: More than half of the high school graduates that go straight into a two-year college need remedial courses before they are allowed to take credit-bearing classes. Remediation rates for students of color are especially high (59 percent of African American and 65 percent of Latino graduates have to take at least one remedial course). And, at the end of the day, remediation costs Washington taxpayers around $17.2 million per year.

But what about outside of Washington? Just how bad is the remediation epidemic? Strong American Schools and Ed in ’08 have the answer.

Yesterday, the partnered organizations released a study entitled “Diploma to Nowhere” examining the psychological impact on students and the high cost to taxpayers of remedial education, which enrolls more than one-third of all college students. According to the analysis in Diploma to Nowhere, conservative estimates show remediation costs society roughly $2.5 billion every year. Yeah, $2.5 billion—also known as the entire GDP of Suriname. Ugh…

The report also delves into what it calls “the hoax being played on America”: The public believes a high school diploma means a student is ready for college-level academics. Parents believe it—and so do students—but more than one million students continue to fail placement exams every year.

Sound overdramatic or far-flung? It’s not. I was fortunate enough to escape remedial courses in colleges, but many of my friends were forced to take basic math classes before they could even start their degrees. Most fell behind and the majority found it nearly impossible to graduate in four (and, in some cases, five) years. And, in our research on remediation in Washington, we’ve found it also makes students more prone to drop out.

To learn more and read the report, visit Ed in ‘08’s website or check out this CNN clip on the study below.