A community college president tells Kansas education officials that remedial courses are critical for the progress of thousands of Kansans.

Neosho County Community College president Brian Inbody told the Kansas Board of Regents remedial courses often provide students a path to higher education and out of poverty.

Last year Kansas lawmakers passed a law banning state funding for remedial courses at four-year colleges, saying students who need that kind of help might be better served by community colleges.

Math is the most common remedial course taken by first-year students. In the 2010-2011 academic year, which is the most recent for which statistics are available, 38 percent of first-year community college students and 17 percent of first-year four-year college students took remedial courses.

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Associates Press information from: Lawrence Journal-World