LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Members of an Arkansas legislative committee have agreed to Gov. Mike Beebe’s plan to tap the state’s rainy-day fund to pay most of the cost of the General Educational Development high school equivalency exam, known as the GED.
The Arkansas Legislative Council on Friday approved using $450,000 from the fund to pay $104 of the $120 exam for students without a high school diploma, despite opposition from state Rep. Debra Hobbs, R-Rogers, who is seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported (https://bit.ly/1kJSVQQ ).
Those taking the exam include “students who have chosen to drop out of high school who could receive their diplomas the traditional route,” said Hobbs, a former teacher and counselor, noting the state will pay $104 while the test-takers pay $16.
Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, said she appreciates Hobbs’ concerns about the cost to taxpayers.
“This is not the way I want to get a bang for the buck. But that is really kind of an upside of a downside thing,” said Elliott, a retired teacher. “It really bothers me the number of students who are dropping out,” she said.
Nearly 2,200 17- and 18-year olds took the exam in 2012, and during the past five years 84 percent or better of those taking the test have passed, according to Janice Hanlon, state administrator of the GED for the state Department of Career Education.
James Smith, the department’s deputy director for adult education, said people who pass the GED in Arkansas earn an average of $8,000 more a year over their lifetimes than dropouts who don’t take and pass the test.
“It’s an economic issue,” he said.
Previously, the company that produces the test - Pearson - had provided the state with paper test forms at a cost to the state of $20.46. But effective Jan. 1, Pearson switched to a computerized format for the test and raised the cost by nearly $100.
Hobbs said other testing companies have developed high school equivalency exams and offer the test for $50, and asked whether state officials considered them.
Smith said the other tests are new and have no track record. He said department officials plan to review two other assessments to compare with the GED during the next six months.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, https://www.arkansasonline.com
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