There has been much discussion in this group around the different tests (HiSET/GED/TASC) which states are using. This was also well discussed in the CLASP paper http://www.clasp.org/resources-and-publications/publication-1/The-Changing-Landscape-of-High-School-Equivalency-in-the-U.S.-Final.pdf. The paper also encourages states to provide alternatives pathways for those students who are unsuccessful on the standard HSE tests.
(From the article), programs should:
- Explore and develop alternative, state-endorsed HSE programs such as competency-based systems that place the emphasis on task completion and performance as opposed to test scores.
- Build HSE options into career pathway models in order to offer HSE instruction that is contextualized with the postsecondary career content.
As we continue to look for better options for our students, I think it would be helpful to hear from others the alternatives that are working in their states.
Are you from a state which offers such an alternative pathways to earn a high school equivalency diploma? What is the program? What are the basic requirements/steps of the programs and is it paired with any tests/assessments (WorkKeys, etc)? Also you find that your students take advantage of the option and are able to be successful with it?
Thanks!
Comments
In Virginia, we are fortunate to be able to offer the National External Diploma Program (NEDP) as an option for adult learners to earn their high school credential.
The NEDP consists of two phases. The first is the Diagnostic Phase, in which learners work with an NEDP Advisor to verify that their Reading, Writing, and Math skills are at the high school level (using CASAS assessments). Because there are no surprises in NEDP, Diagnostic clients also self-assess their baseline ability to perform all of the competencies and the technology requirements of the program. Finally, they complete the O*Net Occupational Interest Inventory and identify the method they will use to show that they’ll be ready to transition to further education, training, or the workforce after earning their diploma.
After the Diagnostic Phase is complete, the client begins Generalized Assessment. In the Assessment Phase, clients work through performance assessment in areas such as Health Literacy, Consumer Awareness, Civic Participation, and 21st Century Workplace. The client must demonstrate 100% mastery on every competency. Foundational competencies of communication and media literacy, applied mathematics, and information and communication technology are found throughout the program.
This is a lot of work, no doubt about it. It generally takes our learners six months to a year to finish the program. So why would a learner go this route as opposed to an HSE exam? Here are some reasons that we hear from our NEDP clients:
1. Incremental progress. Instead of working for hours/days/weeks/months and hoping that they’ll be able to perform on test day, NEDP clients make progress in the program every time they complete work. It will take multiple attempts to demonstrate mastery on some of the competencies, but NEDP clients can see that they’re making progress towards graduation as they work, without the looming exam at the end.
2. Relevant, meaningful work. NEDP clients learn things they’ll use immediately: creating a budget on spreadsheet software, comparing two loan offers, developing a resume and cover letter in MS Word & attaching them to an email, learning about the warning signs of cancer and what to do if someone has a stroke, writing a letter to an elected official about an issue that is important to them. Clients graduate from NEDP with more than a diploma. They graduate with knowledge and experience that adults need to be successful employees, advocates for their families, consumers, and citizens.
3. Flexibility & Agency. NEDP clients schedule appointments with their assessors at a time that is convenient to them. Most of the work in the program can be done off-site- at home or a library. Resources and tutorials are made available so that the NEDP client is responsible for his/her learning. The development of non-academic skills like tenacity, time management, and decision-making inherent in the program reinforce to learners that their success is the direct result of their actions.
Our stats at Staunton/Augusta for YTD 15-16:
Diagnostics: 4 active, 2 exited in diagnostics
Assessment: 32 active, 7 exited in assessment
Graduates: 2 so far; I expect 4 – 5 more by the end of the FY.
Janita-
Thank you for your response! I have heard a little about NEDP but this explains it a lot better. I am wondering what type of student typically chooses to take the NEDP option? I have heard that students must have a 245 Reading and 230 Math score in order to be an NEDP candidate. It seems as though with scores at that level students ought to be able to be successful on an HSE exam. Do you offer classes/programs to help students prepare (and raise their scores) to be a NEDP candidate?
Best,
Jennette
Hi Jennette,
To move from the Diagnostic Phase to the Generalized Assessment phase in NEDP, the learner needs a CASAS score of 236 in Reading (right at the bottom of ASE Low) and a 230 in Math (on the high end of ABE Intermediate High). These scores indicate that the learner has the basic skills to do high school-level work.
Although NEDP is an assessment program rather than an instructional program, many providers offer skill-building help on the ABE side to assist adults who aren't already at this level, or will refer the learner to resources to build these skills.
From what I've seen, GED-level math looks to be much higher than ABE-IH. GEDTS tells us that the GED math test is 55% algebra, and some of those questions involve operations that many of our adult learners have never seen (quadratic equations, slope of a line). The math in NEDP focuses on real-life application: lots of mid-level skills like decimals and percents, and algebra that has a real-life purpose, like the formula for figuring out a credit card interest charge.
To answer your question about what type of student opts for NEDP over the GED, I would say this: our program gives the GED Ready practice test for free to any adult in our area on demand- it's our most successful outreach strategy, and it gives our program and the learner useful information about which program is the best fit. We have found that younger adults who are used to being assessed on a computer and have strong academic skills tend to take the GED. Most others (those with weaker academic skills but strong work ethic, older adults who are not familiar with the higher-level math on the HSE tests, ESOL learners seeking a credential, people with test anxiety or who are better at showing what they know rather than testing) choose NEDP.
Thanks for your interest!
~Janita
Thanks for posting this question, Jennette. It's good to hear about the National External Diploma Program (NEDP). Janita, we appreciate your detailed description of how this is working in Virginia. Janita, I have a couple of questions for you.
How do programs apply to offer this high school equivalency alternative?
It's really interesting that you have found English learners often opting for the NEDP instead of taking one of the high school equivalency tests. What would you say are the main reasons for this? It's pretty common for English learners with a solid educational foundation to be much strong in math than many American educated students. For instance, I recently had one student from Iraq and another from Romania who both scored a 12.9+ on level A of the TABE math test. These students are reading at about the 7.0 level on level M of TABE.
Cheers, Susan Finn Miller
Moderator, Assessment CoP