Newly released data detailing how ready Tennessee students are for college paints a grim picture of the state's continued challenges in improving K-12 education.

The data tallies college readiness across the state in math and reading down to the individual high school level.

According to a report in the Tennessean, the data shows that while some public high schools prepare their students extraordinarily well for college, others have profound challenges and send many of their students on needing remedial education.

Students who need remedial efforts have a lower chance of graduating from college, according to state data. Students are deemed to need remedial efforts on either math or reading when they score 18 or below on the ACT subtest, according to the state.

The data come as the state is sending more students than ever to college free of tuition and fees through the Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect programs. The state also has a goal of equipping 55 percent of Tennesseans with a degree or certificate by 2025.

The data show that 46 percent of the roughly 33,000 high school graduates headed to Tennessee's public colleges in 2016-2017 needed remedial efforts in math. Reports show that 33 percent needed remedial efforts in reading.

The data does not include students who attend a private or out-of-state college or choose not to attend college.

Source: Partner Station WMSR