At least one in five adult workers in New York City lacks a high school diploma. New York State has the highest failure rate for adults who want to get an equivalent credential by taking the General Educational Development Test, or G.E.D. For the sake of these workers — and New York’s economy — the city and state need to work together to rebuild the failing system that is supposed to prepare people for the G.E.D.
In her State of the City speech last week, Speaker Christine Quinn said the City Council is committed to fixing the system and outlined several new ideas. To fully rebuild the G.E.D. system, the State Legislature will also need to put a lot more money into the program.
New York would do well to emulate Iowa’s highly successful preparation program. In 2008, 99 percent of test takers there passed the arduous exam.
The secret is this: People in Iowa are given adequate preparation. First they are required to take a diagnostic test. Depending on how they do, they are offered literacy courses or other instruction and given official practice tests before they take the exam.
New Yorkers generally find it difficult to find adequate information about the test and
