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New York State Ed decision to find a new assessment for people to earn a HSE diploma

This version was saved 10 years, 6 months ago View current version     Page history
Saved by mark.trushkowsky@mail.cuny.edu
on September 18, 2013 at 11:32:00 am
 

 

What is a High School Equivalency (HSE) Assessment?

 

Students always say "I want to get my GED®."  But when you pass the GED® test, you don’t really get a "GED®". Passing the test entitles you to a high school equivalency diploma issued by the New York State Education Department.  Click here to see what a NYS High School Equivalency diploma looks like. This is what you earn when you pass the GED® exam.  Note that it does not say "GED®" anywhere on the diploma. The NYS HSE diploma certifies that you have the skills and knowledge equal to a graduating high school senior.  It makes you eligible to apply for college and for many jobs.  But the GED® test is only one HSE assessment.

 

In response to the many changes to the GED® exam, the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) decided to seek out a new assessment to determine high school equivalency. In March 2013, the NYSED awarded a contract to CTB/McGraw Hill to develop a new assessment called the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC). The TASC will be the test that students take to earn their high school equivalency diplomas starting in January of 2014.

 

The NYS Department of Education is planning to roll out a new HSE assessment in two phases.  The TASC will be used from January 2014 (when the new GED® exam is released) to December 2016 (when the Common Core Assessments are in place for the K-12 system).  

 

Once the Common Core assessments are in place in the K-12 system, NY State Ed. intends to move to an HSE assessment that is aligned with the Common Core State Standards. That may or may not be the TASC.

 

TASC - The New Test for High School Equivalency for New York State

 

What we know:

  • Passing the TASC will earn test-takers a NYS High School Equivalency Diploma that will be accepted by colleges, employers, etc. 

 

  • The TASC will be free for students and test-takers (this is in accordance with NY Education Law 317 which says test-takers can not be charged a fee to take the test for earning their HSE diploma).

 

  • There will be two-tiers of passing scores - one score would allow a test taker to demonstrate that they have met the requirements for a high school equivalency diploma. A second, higher, score would allow test takers to earn an additional "College and Career-Readiness" credential.

 

  • The TASC will be normed against graduating high school students, the way the current GED® exam is normed. 

 

  • In 2014, the TASC will be similar to the current GED® exam. 
    • It will be mostly multiple choice, with a writing prompt and some answers that require bubbling a grid
    • The content will be similar to the current GED® exam in terms of format (5 subject areas - Math, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, Writing)
    • The TASC framework
      • Reading/Language Arts: 70 minutes, 50 multiple choice questions
      • Math: 90 minutes, 40 multiple choice questions, 12 gridded response
      • Science: 80 minutes, 47 multiple choice questions, 8 stimulus-based questions
      • Social Studies: 70 minutes, 47 multiple choice questions, 8 stimulus-based questions
      • Writing: 110 minutes (60 minutes for multiple choice questions and 50 min for the essay)

  

  • The TASC will undergo two major on-going developments over the next three years:
    • The TASC will transition from a Paper-based test into a Computer-based test 
      • In 2014, 20% of the testing across New York will be computer-based. 
      • In 2015, that number will go up to 40%
      • By 2016, the goal is to have 60% of the testing done on computers. 

 

    • Every year the TASC will incorporate more and more rigorous content, aligned with the Common Core Learning Standards. Especially as the TASC testing becomes more and more computerized, technology enhanced items (drag and drop, matching, short answers, constructed-response items) will be used to pose questions that will make higher cognitive demands on students.

 

Here's a chart looking at the way the TASC will transition to the Common Core from 2014 to 2016

 

    • The English Language Arts will be aligned to the Common Core State Standards
    • The Math will be aligned to the traditional pathway of the Common Core State Standards
    • The Science will be aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards
    • The Social Studies will be aligned with the CTB Social Studies Standards based on national frameworks in the areas of US History, world history, civics, government and economics.

 

  • Scoring the Essay on the TASC: Essays will be scored by Artificial Intelligence starting in 2016

 

 

 

  • Coming Soon 

    • The TASCtest.com website should be up by mid-September
    • The 2014 TASC Readiness ("Predictor") Test will be released in November of 2013
    • A Test Taker Informational Brochure will be released in December 2013
    • Sample questions for the 2015 TASC will be available in fall 2013 (8-10 questions for each content area) 

 

 

The Common Core, HSE and Adult Education

 

While much is still not known about the TASC, we do know that it will be aligned to the Common Core Learning Standards. As it incorporates more and more rigorous content, it is going to get harder for both teachers and students.  

 

Our field of adult education needs to prepare ourselves.  The Common Core represents a radical shift.  If you were surprised by the difficulty and complexity of the sample questions for the new 2014 GED® exam, you should know that those questions are supposedly aligned to the Common Core. Throughout this wikipage, especially in the various resources for instructional content, you will find many links to learn more about the Common Core and activities and resources to prepare yourself and your students.

 

We can no longer ignore the Common Core and leave it to our fellow teachers in the K-12 system.  The Common Core Era is upon us.

  

The NY State Department of Education's Decision to Move Away from the G.E.D.

 

  • Here's an article, "State Seeks Own Equivalency Test(9/10/12) about the Board of Regents approval of NY State Ed's plan to look for other assessments.  Click here to see a copy of State Ed's proposal to the Board of Regents.  

 

  • Here's an article, "State May Bypass GED(2/14/12), about how NY State may be moving away from the GED

 

  • The NY State Department of Education released two RFPs (Request for Proposals), inviting vendors to apply for the contract to develop a new high school equivalency diploma for New York State.  To see the RFPs, click here 
    • It seems to be State Ed's intention to continue to subsidize the assessment for earning a high school equivalency diploma in NYS, in accordance with NYS Education Law 317, which states, "No fee shall be established for admission to the general educational development exam".
    • The assessment that is chosen as the winner of the RFP will receive the full NYS subsidy for HSE testing.  
    • Two vendors responded and submitted proposals - McGraw Hill/Stech-Vaughn (for-profit) and Educational Testing Service/ETS (non-profit).
    • Interestingly, GEDTS did not submit a proposal.  This does not mean that the GED exam will not be available in 2014.
    • If NYS Education Law 317 is repealed, test-takers could be charged to take an assessment that could earn them a HSE diploma.

 

  • Click here to view a panel discussion entitled "Is it Time to Say Goodbye to the GED®?: Creating a New High School Equivalency Exam for New York".  This panel was sponsored by the Center for Urban Future and the Schyler Center for Analysis and Advocacy, with the support of the Working Poor Families Project.  It took place on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 in Albany. 

 

 

  • Click here to read the March 2013 press release announcing CTB/McGraw Hill as the winner of the NY State Education contract to provide the state subsidized  HSE assessment starting January 2, 2014.

 

 

 

  • State Testing New Waters with Exam - Sept 17, 2013 -  An article from timesunion.com reviewing the history of the TASC and revealing the Board of Regents' decision to count the scores of test-takers who passed some sections of the 2002 G.E.D. until 2016.  

 

Other States May Also Be Moving Away from the GED

 

  • Several states are following NY's lead and are considering moving away from the GED® exam. Read more here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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