GED Program Gets Funds For Another Year

CREST HAVEN — Talk about getting more educational bang for the buck, consider the GED testing program.
On Tue., July 27, freeholders approved an interlocal-shared services agreement between the county Technical School District and the Atlantic-Cape May County Workforce Investment Board (WIB).
That agency filters federal funding to the local level; in this case, funds the General Educational Diploma (GED) test program. That testing program locally dates to 1980 when it was chartered by the Department of Education.
For $20,000, (it was cut from prior year’s $35,000) the program is likely the most cost-effective way for an adult, who may have dropped out of school before getting a diploma, to get that important certificate.
The program runs from July 1 this year through June 30, 2011.
The Technical School District has long been the county’s focal point for those GED tests and certificates, and Rusty Miller, chief examiner of the GED testing center, is one of the program’s biggest advocates.
He is a believer in the “second chance” the program affords.
“This is really proving a service as (high school graduation) requirements get increasingly difficult for some high school students. This gives a needed second chance opportunity to make it,” said Miller.
“To have that man or woman in the community without a high school credential, well, they just can’t make it without a high school certificate,” Miller added.
He cited many who come into the GED test center as being “All good folks who score excellent. Of a total 800 points, many score between 650 and 700 and above. They just ran into situations in life, ego, home problems, and now they come around and say ‘I’ve got to do this for myself.’”
Target population is anyone over 18, or 16 and 17 year olds with parental consent, who is in need of getting one of those certificates.
A minimum of 500 candidates will be tested, and a minimum of 20 test sessions will be held, according to the resolution.
According to the funding request accompanying the resolution, use of the test center is contracted through the American Council on Education to be open 37.5 hours a week and provide a wide variety of information about the GED testing program, practice test opportunities, re-test availability and information about transferring the test scores in and out of state.
Over the past three years, the Technical School District GED Testing Center has administered 714 initial tests, 228 re-tests and issued 558 high school credentials.
The testing center, since Jan. 1 until July 30 this year, has tested 238 individuals and 115 credentials have been issued from the State of New Jersey. The testing center averages about 200 credentials issued annually.
“That’s like having another high school in Cape May County,” Miller stated proudly.
An estimated 15,000 telephone, e-mail, and counter inquiries were addressed in the course of a year.
“As a rationale for this support, it has been recently reported that in New Jersey it cost about $40,000 to support a student through their four years of high school in the traditional fashion, with the outcome being a high school credential,” according to the resolution.
“Not all high school students are successful in meeting this goal and that’s where the GED Testing Centers provide opportunity. In reference to our test center in the past, for an investment of about $290 per examinee who passed their GED test, the state can recapture its initial investment into a high school student’s education.
If the average grade level for a high school student that leaves their high school experience is after the 10th grade, at least $20,000 has been invested in that student’s high school experience with no tangible benefit (their high school credential).
“By providing high school credential opportunities for 588 individuals over the past three years, with a traditional school investment by the state of $20,000) our testing center has helped to make good on an over $11,760,000 investment by our state’s taxpayers.
“Our testing center has operated yearly, over the past three years, on what it would cost to support about six students for one year of their traditional high school experience; again this reflects quite a good investment,” the document states.
It also notes that media reports indicate that those with a GED certificate, “benefit themselves and our society as follows:
* Become an educational proponent in their households.
* Are positioned to benefit from post secondary education (including the military).
* Are in a better position for employment and or employment enhancements.
* Are in a better position to become a contributor in society.
The schedule attached to the resolution indicates walk-in and pre-registration GED testing takes place several times each month.
Those total 24 initial testing sessions per year.
The district will provide off-site and on-site initial and retesting opportunities for specified agencies.
It will also provide special testing for identified special needs examinees.
The five-part test is taken over two days over 12 hours. All that is required to take the test is $50 fee and two forms of identification. Should a person fail one part of the test, they have only to retake that portion of the test.
Those planning to take the test may simply walk in and take it, or participate in a preparation program at the Technical School, Miller said.
In addition to the test site at the school, the program is also administered at the Cape May County Correctional Center for inmates.
After the test is taken, results are known to the individual in about three or four days. Their certificate will arrive in about three weeks, said Miller.
For those who wish to participate, the Technical School holds a GED credential award ceremony in May.
“Not everyone comes to it, we may have 15 or 18 out of 200, but we make sure they have caps and gowns, and recognize them for the achievement they made. It’s a very moving ceremony,” concluded Miller.
Those interested in participating in the GED preparation or testing program should contact the Technical High School at 465-2161, Ext. 644.
Contact Campbell at (609) 886-8600 Ext 28 or at: al.c@cmcherald.com