Image from Defeat Poverty DC.

The GED has long provided an alternative path for students and adults who have not received their high school diploma. Several upcoming changes to the GED will make it more difficult for many District residents to pursue this path to a degree.

The new test will require students to have background knowledge in certain subjects rather than simply demonstrate an understanding of a passage they have been asked to read. It will be computer-based and align with the Common Core State Standards, which the District and 45 states have adopted.

These changes will also help to identify whether passing students are just “high school equivalent” or are at a new higher standard of “college and career ready.”

The GED test fee, currently $50, will also increase to $120 early next year.

Are students ready for the new test?

While these changes will improve the job prospects for those earning the GED, they will come with a cost.

Simply put, the majority of District residents who need to take the GED are not prepared for this new test. Many lack the basic skills, including the ability to read and use a computer. Many more students lack the subject area knowledge.

Across the District, more than 20% of District residents are functionally illiterate. That means they lack the ability to read and understand basic information, do simple math problems, and use a computer. According to Lecester Johnson, executive director of Academy of Hope which operates adult education and GED prep classes in Wards 5 and 8, many adult learners come into the program at a 6th grade level for reading and 3rd grade for math. As a result, it takes almost 2 years for her students to prepare to take the current GED test.

With the increased difficulty, Johnson expects that many students will require an additional year of study. The situation is the same at adult education programs and GED prep programs across the District.

The change to a computerized test will also present significant problems. Many adult learners lack even basic typing and keyboarding skills. This fact is compounded by the fact that many of the community-based non-profits that OSSE relies on to get residents ready for the GED lack funds to purchase the necessary computer equipment for students to learn these basic skills.

Many students also lack the financial means to take the test. The higher price will deter to many learners who struggle to pay rent, buy food, or otherwise support their families. As such, the District, which historically has had a pass rate that is among the lowest in the nation, has its work cut out in meeting these new, higher standards.

DC residents need the GED

Over 64,000 DC adults lack a high school diploma or its equivalent. The situation is not getting any better. Nearly 10,000 low-income youth are out of school and out of work. Less than 60% of DC students will obtain their high school diplomas within four years. Without a HS degree or its equivalent, the job prospects of these individuals is severely limited.

Earlier this week, more than 70 citizens spoke at a budget hearing for the Office of the State Superintendent of Education held by the Committee on Education. Many of the witnesses were there to ask the Council to invest $4 million to support adult literacy in the FY2014 budget.

This step, which would help community-based non-profits purchase the computers and expand their services to get more students ready for the new GED, is a good initial investment. Much more needs to be done.