The Technical College System of Georgia offers adult education classes continuously through most of the year. Specific times and locations are online at tcsg.edu.
A free program offered through the state’s technical college system is increasing the earning power of more Georgia residents.
Having a General Education Diploma - now only referred to only as a GED - often translates into higher wages. But for a variety of reasons, many students quit before passing the high school threshold, leaving them without the basic skills most employers and institutes of higher learning require.
“You can’t do anything in the workforce without having a basic education,” said Beverly Smith, the assistant commissioner and state director for adult education for the Technical College System of Georgia. “It used to be that auto factory workers who were on the line learned along the way. But now, if you go to a KIA plant, you can hardly read the manual. You can’t apply for a job at Walmart unless you can use a computer and read the application.”
Having those basic skills brings the ability to get higher-paying jobs - and often translates into at least $10,000 more per year in income, said Smith. But a new test that requires higher critical thinking skills has been a stumbling block for some.
“The test has been a bear to get around,” admits Smith. “The previous GED had more rote knowledge on it; you could memorize something and answer the questions. This test asks you to take information, analyze it and answer a question. That’s exactly what businesses, industries and colleges need - people who can think.”
By refocusing the way the prep classes are taught, the system has seen steady increases in the numbers of students earning their GEDs. Comparing data from the fall of 2014 to the fall of 2015 shows that the Technical College System increased the number of GED earners by 12 percent, averaging about 130 per month. In addition, students in the system’s GED prep programs had a 70.7 percent passing rate, compared to test takers across the rest of the state who showed a 53 percent pass rate. That 70.7 percent also represents a 7 percent gain in the pass rate for fall 2015 compared to fall 2014.
“We’ve done it by refocusing and revamping our faculty training so they can teach critical thinking, and students can apply what they know,” said Smith. “We’ve hired master teachers and brought in people from across the country to change the way we teach.”
Of the system’s 424 sites across the state, Chattahoochee and West Georgia in the metro area have been particularly successful at helping adults earn their GED certification. The passing rates could be even higher if more people take the free classes, said system spokeswoman Alison Tyrer.
“If you take the class you do better,” she said. “But many people don’t know they’re offered, and they’re free.”
For many adults, earning a GED has more benefits beyond earning power.
“In terms of self esteem, we’ve frequently found that a GED changes how people feel about themselves,” said Smith. “They’re trying to better themselves for their family’s future. It can get them into post-secondary education. It’s also important for them to show their children that education is key. It’s the old saying: Education really is what opens the door.”
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