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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 12, 2013 12:33 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Joseph T. Hackett |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | GED Package: Commonwealth Secondary School Diploma Affordability and Accessibility |
| Along with Representative Hal English, I will soon be introducing legislation to increase access to Pennsylvania’s high school equivalency credential. According to census data, approximately twelve percent of Pennsylvania’s residents 25 and older do not have a high school diploma. In Pennsylvania, adults who do not possess a secondary school diploma and are not enrolled in a public or nonpublic school can obtain a Commonwealth secondary school diploma upon passing the General Educational Development (GED) test. The GED Testing Service, created by the American Council on Education (ACE), was first created as a public service for veterans returning from World War II in 1942 and, since its inception, it has operated as a non-profit organization, with the GED test being revised approximately every ten years. The current GED test was last revised in 2002 and was introduced as a paper-based test in Pennsylvania in January 2002. In March 2011 ACE announced its partnership with Pearson VUE, a for-profit company, as well as their joint intentions to significantly change the GED test, with the new system expected to be implemented beginning January 1, 2014. Among the changes to the GED test will be an increase in the cost of taking the test to $120, as compared to the cost to take the current test, which is $75. This cost will likely create an impediment for many individuals seeking to obtain this credential from advancing in the workplace or entering into post-secondary education. Furthermore, the new test will only be available to test takers in a computer-based format, with no paper-based version as an option. By only being offered in a computer-based format the new GED test alone will not support the needs of all adult test takers in Pennsylvania, many of whom may not be computer savvy. The 2002 Series GED is set to expire on December 31, 2013, and Pennsylvania test takers will begin taking the new test on January 2, 2014. However, many other states, including neighboring New York and New Jersey, have chosen to pursue alternatives to the GED test. This legislation, which is expected to have a minimal fiscal impact on the Commonwealth, will require the Department of Education to solicit proposals for testing programs for individuals seeking to obtain their high school equivalency credential in the Commonwealth. The Department of Education will then select at least two testing programs within one year in order to maximize the options and choice available to Pennsylvania’s adult test takers. This legislation will require the Department of Education to select testing programs that are aligned to the rigor of Pennsylvania’s academic standards, offer both paper-based and computer-based testing formats, and are cost-effective in order to ensure accessibility and affordability for all test takers in Pennsylvania. The goal of this legislation is to create access and eliminate barriers for Commonwealth residents to pursue better employment opportunities. I hope that you will join me by co-sponsoring this legislation. Thank you for your consideration. |
Introduced as HB1931