College & Workforce Readiness

More Rigorous GED Spurs Jitters, Competition

May 01, 2015 | Corrected: February 21, 2019 4 min read
Larry Gorski prepares to take the TASC test toward his high school equivalency diploma in an adult education class in Cheektowaga, N.Y. The GED was revised last year, opening the way for competing tests such as the TASC, to take hold.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Corrected: An earlier version of this article gave an incorrect start time for TASC test administrations in New York state. They were offered beginning in January 2014.

The transition last year to a newer, more rigorous General Educational Development exam was rocky at first for students of Kathryn Stoecker, a GED-prep coordinator in Lansing, Mich.

Despite her efforts to focus less on facts and more on critical thinking, Ms. Stoecker said, just one student in her program passed the test, which was revised to align with new college and career standards.

In fact, it was a bumpy year for GED test-taking all across the country last year, according to experts. In 2013, before the exam changed, there was a surge in test-taking in most states—including Michigan—followed by a big drop-off last year. Although the GED has been revised before, experts say last year was more disruptive than most transition years.

“This is what happens when you change a test,” said Lennox L. McLendon, the executive director of the Washington-based National Council of State Directors of Adult Education. “In the first year of the new test, we’ve cleared the pipeline, and now we have to scurry and get more people to come in. They’ve heard the test is harder, and they don’t want to do it.”

When the nonprofit American Council on Education partnered with the for-profit Pearson Education for the 2014 update, some officials balked at the higher price and the switch to computer-based testing, so they sought alternatives. In response, the Educational Testing Service introduced the High School Equivalency Test, or HiSET, and McGraw-Hill Education CTB came out with the Test Assessing Secondary Completion, or TASC.

Most states stuck with the GED, but increasingly states are offering students a choice. In late March, Illinois became the latest to add the HiSET and TASC to the GED. The fluid situation confused some students about which test to take, prompted teachers to ramp up instruction to meet the higher standards, and spurred testing companies to try to educate everyone about the changes.

In 2014, the volume of high-school-equivalency testing dropped by about 50 percent, compared with a typical year, according to the state adult education directors’ group. About 223,000 students took the GED last year, with a passing rate of 62.8 percent, down from nearly 76 percent in 2013 and 69 percent in 2012. Another 43,000 took the TASC, with 59 percent passing; 50,000 took the HiSET, with a 62 percent pass rate.

In 32 states and the District of Columbia, the GED is the only high-school-competency test given; eight states offer it alongside others. The HiSET is given in 15 states (exclusively in seven and as a choice in eight others). Three states give only the TASC; another seven offer it as an option.

Randy Trask, the president and chief executive officer of the GED Testing Service, which has offices in Washington and in Bloomington, Minn., said that participation was less than the company had hoped for, but that the transition went well, considering the scope of the change. He acknowledged concerns and delays in publishers getting newly aligned materials to market.

‘Mourning Process’

With more professional development for instructors, Mr. Trask said, teachers are beginning to get on board, and pass rates are increasing. “Anytime you impose change, it’s like a mourning process,” he said.

Ellen M. Haley, the president of McGraw-Hill Education CTB, based in Monterey, Calif., said her company has been working to build awareness of TASC and on getting the public to understand that students don’t earn a “GED,” but rather that states confer high-school-equivalency certificates based on one of three tests.

“With so many [requests for proposals] coming up, I think all three tests will become the standard in states quickly,” said Ms. Haley.

New York offers only the TASC, at no charge to students, and tests didn’t start until January 2014. Kevin G. Smith, the deputy commissioner for adult career and continuing education in New York state, said a phase-in period was needed.

“No one thought we could just flip the switch and be all computer-based,” he said.

Many states didn’t switch to the new HiSET until the middle of 2014, hurting last year’s testing volume, said Amy L. Riker, the national executive director of HiSET, which is produced by the Princeton, N.J.-based ETS. She expects more states will expand exam choices for students. “We feel the market is wide open,” she said.

Adapting to Change

The changes are coming as federal appropriations for adult education, now about $564 million a year, have dropped 25 percent in real dollars, says Jeff Carter, the president of the National Coalition for Literacy, a Washington-based organization that represents national and regional groups advancing adult education and family literacy.

“Our system is significantly weaker compared to the last time we went through this kind of a transition,” he said. With such a drop in adult education enrollment and test-taking, Mr. Carter wonders if students will come back. “These are not just numbers, these are real people,” he said. “Who knows how many will give up in frustration?”

In Nevada, which offers all three tests, Brad Deeds, the state high-school-equivalency administrator, said the choice has been good for students, and posters are up at testing centers to explain test differences.

“We had fewer questions than we were anticipating,” Mr. Deeds said.

Ohio is considering offering the HiSET and TASC in addition to the GED, according to Gary W. Cates, a senior vice chancellor for the Ohio board of regents who oversees the state Adult Basic and Literacy Education program. Mr. Cates said he’s hearing complaints from students and instructors that the new GED “overshoots the target” with higher standards when many test-takers just need the credential.

Ms. Stoecker of Michigan believes the more-rigorous version of the GED was needed. “The GED is no longer the end point,” she said. “Some postsecondary education is necessary, and these are the skills needed to be successful in that training.”

Coverage of efforts to implement college- and career-ready standards for all students is supported in part by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at www.gatesfoundation.org. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.
A version of this article appeared in the May 06, 2015 edition of Education Week as GED Revisions Spur Bumpy Year for Equivalency Exams

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2025 Survey Results: The Outlook for Recruitment and Retention
See exclusive findings from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of K-12 job seekers and district HR professionals on recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness Q&A Graduation Rates Might Get Worse Before They Get Better
Schools must make a convincing case for why students should show up, Robert Balfanz says.
5 min read
Learning Recovery Hurdles 092023 1303680911 01
iStock/Getty
College & Workforce Readiness These Students Are the Hardest for Schools to Track After Graduation
State education chiefs are working with the Pentagon to make students' enlistment data more accessible for schools.
5 min read
Students in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., on Aug. 27, 2022. The new program prepares recruits for the demands of basic training.
Students in the new Army prep course stand at attention after physical training exercises at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C., on Aug. 27, 2022. State education leaders are working with the Pentagon to make graduates' enlistment data part of their data systems.
Sean Rayford/AP
College & Workforce Readiness As Biden Prepares to Leave Office, He Touts His 'Classroom to Career' Work
At a White House event, the president and first lady highlighted their workforce-development efforts.
3 min read
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024.
President Joe Biden speaks at the Classroom to Career Summit in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Nov. 13, 2024.
Ben Curtis/AP
College & Workforce Readiness Can the AP Model Work for CTE? How the College Board Is Embracing Career Prep
The organization known for AP courses and the SAT is getting more involved in helping students explore potential careers.
5 min read
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024.
David Coleman, CEO of the College Board, speaks at the organization's annual conference in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 21, 2024. Long an institution invested in preparing students for college, the College Board increasingly has an eye on illuminating career options.
Ileana Najarro/Education Week