Along with the shift to a computer-based process, the cost of the GED test is increasing from $40 to $120. The last day to complete the paper-based test is Dec. 21.
Ohio’s biennial budget approved in late June includes a guarantee that first-time GED test takers will not have to pay any additional money when the cost triples in 2014, said John Charlton, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Education.
The state will make available up to $2 million in each fiscal year to pay career-technical planning districts for the amounts reimbursed to students taking the computer-based GED test for the first time.
“With more than a million Ohio adults who don’t have a high school diploma, it is essential that we support individuals who choose to pursue this option and make the GED test accessible to as many citizens as possible,” said Richard A. Ross, Ohio’s superintendent of public instruction.
In 2012, just more than 19,500 adults took the GED test in Ohio — with about 13,200 (68 percent) passing the test.
Testing centers across Ohio began offering a computer-based version of the current GED test in October 2012. Of the nearly 1,000 computerized GED tests completed in Ohio, the pass rate increased to 83 percent, according to GED Testing Service.
Annual median income differs by $10,000 between those without a high school diploma ($23,000) and those who’ve obtained a high school degree or GED ($33,000), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Free resources are available in Hamilton for adults preparing to take the new GED test. The Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) program from Hamilton City Schools offers a series of free classes in math, reading, writing and computer skills.
Tawna Eubanks, ABLE coordinator, said the ABLE offices for the next three months will continue to prepare students taking the paper test. Then the agency will transition to teaching for the new version being released in January.
Eubanks said a big change on the GED test will be more short-answer responses in all sections of the test, not just a language arts portion. She added the new version requires more “critical thinking and computer skills.”
“The scariest part is they will have to type 25 words per minute,” Eubanks said. “We’ve spent the last two years building our technology,” through a mix of desktop and laptop computers and iPads.
About 105 adults earned their GED last year through Hamilton’s ABLE.
The GED classes for reading, writing and math are offered on both intermediate and upper levels. Eubanks said while some students might only be enrolled for two weeks before completing the GED, other students prepare for one to two years, depending on skill level.
“We believe to build a strong 21st century workforce all adults must possess strong academic and technology skills,” Eubanks said. “It is our goal to provide the basic training needed to help adults move forward on their educational journey.”
Fall courses begin Aug. 13 by calling 513-894-0301.
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