The New GED: Boost or Barrier?

by Kimberly

According to a 2014 Chicago Tribune article, an astonishing 1.3 million Illinois adults lack high school diplomas. With the majority of those adults living in the city, this affects the entire Chicago community, contributing to increasing violence, job growth and tax revenues. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to prevent this in the future with his Chicago Star Scholarship Initiative, but what about the adults who already lack their diploma?

The GED or High School Equivalency Exam is produced by the American Council of Education and has been updated five times over the years. The latest update in 2014 involved major changes, the most important are a cost increase from $50 to $120 and a move to administer the test entirely on the computer. Another change to the test is the addition of the Common Core State Standards now seen in K-12 education.

These major changes to the GED exam can cause barriers to adults interested in earning their GED. Many adults lack the computer skills to take an entire exam on a computer. Others can’t afford the $120 fee with no guarantee that they will actually pass the exam. With all these changes to the GED test, what can the Chicago Public Library do to help GED students?

Libraries can provide awareness. When you stop by your local library branch to check out a copy of Master the GED Test or Cracking the GED, be sure to ask a librarian about the recent changes to the test.

Libraries can provide Brainfuse. Try the online resource Brainfuse to study for the GED exam. Brainfuse provides in-depth practice tests for all four sections of the GED test, explains incorrect answers and provides online tutoring.

Libraries can provide recommended reading lists. Adult literacy educators encourage students to practice focused, supplemental reading when preparing for the Social Studies and Science portions of the GED exam. Reading helps build vocabulary and helps students acquire background knowledge about several topics on the test.