One year ago, Mid-South Community College’s Adult Education department began bracing for a major change that some thought would sink the program.
A new General Education Development® examination had been created, and the cost of the test was expected to go from free to more than $100, effectively ending access for many of those who needed the service and opportunity the most.
Today, however, MSCC’s efforts to help Arkansas citizens earn a high school diploma equivalency are going strong thanks to some last-minute adjustments by the state.
“Last year at this time, we thought that the GED test was going to cost students $120,” said Donnylle Hampton, MSCC Adult Ed director. “We were all really anxious about the change because we didn’t know how some of our students were going to pay. I actually began meeting with students to encourage them to begin saving money for these tests.”
“Then in January we received an email that the state would pick up a lot of that cost. But there was a lot of misinformation about the test expense, and some even thought the GED test would cost $300. We’re still getting calls from people who think the test fee is some exorbitant amount. We’re doing all we can to get the real information out to prospective students.”
The overall cost to students is much lower than originally anticipated, and in some (if not many) cases, the fee is completely covered once again.
“There is really very little charge for our students,” Hampton said. “The required practice test is $6 per section ($24 total), and the official test costs $4 per section, so they can take the whole exam for $16.”
That makes the maximum cost $40 instead of $120 – if the student is required to pay anything.
“When we do the students’ initial assessments, they have the opportunity to qualify for a free practice test voucher if they score at the ninth-grade level or above. And depending on their income, they might also qualify for free official testing.”
Adult Ed participants who meet the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) guidelines (which vary according to income and household size) can receive scholarships for the amount of the testing fee through a grant from Wal-Mart. For instance, a single person can qualify with an income of $23,340 or less. For a family of four, the income maximum is $47,700.
All of MSCC’s Adult Education classes are free of charge to Arkansas residents, so some students can complete everything at no out-of-pocket expense.
While the test is free for many participants, it is far from easy and requires a significant investment of time and effort.
“The GED process has become challenging because it’s based on the ‘common core’ college and career readiness components.” Hampton pointed out.
“The whole idea was that not enough people are ready for college or the workplace, and they often failed to meet minimum standards, especially in higher education. Now, we’re focusing more on preparing students for college-level work. The students who complete the new GED exam are going to be much stronger when they leave us.”
A free, nationwide GED testing period in October opened many eyes to the new challenges.
“A lot of people came in thinking, ‘Okay, I can just walk in and take this test and get my GED,’” Hampton said. “It’s obviously not that easy. For one thing, the test is completely online, and some of the people who took it weren’t well versed in using a computer.”
“After the test, we saw a lot of people who were very intimidated. It was new to us as well, and we’ve had to do a lot of restructuring to meet the changing needs. We try to give our students as much computer experience as possible so the test isn’t as threatening to them.”
Hampton said Adult Ed staff members have already seen significant improvements in placement testing scores of graduates.
“Fewer GED students are testing into developmental classes, and one of our students recently scored at the calculus level in math. We’re seeing higher levels overall, and even when they fall short of college-level scores, they’re getting really close. In most cases, we can provide additional tutoring to help them test into regular classes.”
The equivalency exam includes sections on reading/language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. To earn a GED, students must pass all four sections with a minimum score of 150 on each. MSCC students who exceed those standards while scoring at least a 170 in any of the four areas and attaining college-level placement in English and Reading and placement in Developmental Math III (or better) qualify for a scholarship.
All Adult Ed students at MSCC develop Individual Educational Plans with assistance from staff members.
“When a student comes into the program, we try to give him or her as many cheerleaders as possible because we know it’s a challenge,” Hampton said. “It’s really a team effort for us. We all step up to do whatever’s necessary – no matter what our roles are – to help students be successful.”
“Our goal is to get people ready for additional education or the workforce. We work with students to find out their goals and then try to gear everything toward what they want to accomplish. We try to give them all the support they need to reach their goals. We want our students to feel comfortable and confident.”
For information on Adult Education opportunities at MSCC, call (870) 733-6871, email knfisher@midsouthcc.edu, or visit the campus at 2000 West Broadway in West Memphis. The Adult Ed department is located in the Arkansas Workforce Center on the College’s North Campus.
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