Reforming Pathways to High School Equivalency Certification in Madison

Understanding the Issues Facing Adult Learners

Achieving the goal of universal high school education attainment remains an ongoing struggle for communities nationwide in 2024, including here locally in Madison, Wisconsin. The graduation rate for Madison Metropolitan School District in 2022 reached nearly 88% – an improvement yet still indicating over 800 students drop out annually without a diploma or equivalent credential.[1]

Significant disparities also persist in outcomes based on race, income level, disabilities and other student subgroups. Just 72% of Black students and 80% of low-income pupils in Madison‘s public school system complete 12th grade on time, creating both equity and workforce pipeline concerns for the region.[2]

Additionally, over 9,300 adults aged 18-64 in Madison lack a high school level education. This skills gap has downstream impacts on issues like inter-generational poverty, unemployment rates, income inequality, incarceration levels, and participation in civic life.[3]

Collectively these statistics underscore the pressing need to expand access and remove barriers to high school equivalency certification through General Educational Development (GED) testing. These programs often represent a second chance for the most vulnerable community members to demonstrate core academic proficiencies required by employers and college admissions departments.

For education reform advocates focused on issues like achievement gaps, community development, and adult transitions, GED preparation represents a practical intervention point to enact real change in Madison.

Leading Madison Providers Laying the Groundwork

In recognition of the central role GED access plays in the path to economic mobility and stabilized livelihoods for many, several exceptional local programs have developed to support adult learners studying to pass the exams.

Madison College, the City of Madison‘s The Road to Success initiative, Literacy Network, and even the Madison Public Library System have emerged as quality providers for those seeking their high school equivalency certification.

"Our highly qualified instructors work diligently to meet students at their levels while setting high expectations," said Simone Olson, Director of Madison College‘s GED Preparation Program. "By building confidence through rigorous yet compassionate support, we empower adult learners to demonstrate their abilities and see new futures unfolding."

Customized curriculums, accommodations for special learning needs, goal-setting structures and career advising represent just some of the services offered by these institutions free or low-cost to remove barriers for students.

Pass rates for enrolled students at local providers range from 82% to over 90%, significantly higher than Wisconsin‘s statewide average of 67%.[4] Outcomes like these demonstrate that even amidst the economic and social turmoil the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated, academic achievement is attainable with the right preparation and encouragement.

"So many talented people were unable to navigate our standardized education system the first time around, whether due not having resources, making youthful mistakes, or lacking mentor figures to help them thrive," said Tina their academic journeys It shouldn‘t stop someone from being able to earn a GED diploma met that milestone. We show students education doesn‘t end so much as transition to the next phase."

These local leaders on the frontlines of education reform understand lasting social change starts by providing community members the tools to transform their own lives.

Evaluating Policy Shifts Around High School Equivalency

In recent years, shifting political winds have led some states to re-evaluate use of high school equivalency exams like the GED. With growing bipartisan concern around over-reliance on standardized testing emerging, a few states have opted to implement alternate competency-based measures.[5]

Supporters argue this empowers those who struggle demonstrating proficiencies in content-focused, time-limited exam settings. Students can instead compile portfolios demonstrating applied skills mastery through projects, presentations and technical training programs.

However, critics counter that abandoning standardized equivalency testing risks diminishing the credibility of such credentials in the view of higher education institutions and employers. It may also inhibit geographic mobility for students if acceptance of these alternatives remains inconsistent across state lines.

Here in Wisconsin, Act 59 passed in 2021 maintains use of the GED exam while expanding flexibility around test administration policies.[6] Workforce development advocates secured provisions allowing individuals to retake failed sections without waiting periods. Some perceive this as lowering standards while others argue it increases access.

Ongoing debate around best practice approaches will likely continue, underscoring the complexity around ensuring high school equivalency preparation provides real opportunities for non-traditional students while still confirming academic readiness.

Promising Pilot Initiatives Targeting At-Risk Young Adults

Seeking to improve outcomes more broadly, exciting pilot programs have recently launched in a few states focused on serving opportunity youth most likely to dropout of school.

In Oregon, students age 16-21 enrolled part-time at designated community colleges can simultaneously complete high school graduation requirements while earning early college credits.[7] Early data indicates higher rates go on to post-secondary education compared to those exiting without a diploma.

Several jurisdictions are also testing if letting struggling high school students take GED practice exams can help identify learning gaps for early intervention. Additionally, successfully passing 1-2 test sections has shown to increase engagement and belief in their ability to ultimately earn equivalency certifications.[8]

These emerging experiments provide models for communities like Madison seeking to expand access and support for students at highest risk of not acquiring credentials critical for long-term quality of life.

Project POWER – Grassroots Efforts Expanding Options

Understanding lasting reform requires community-driven efforts, several local Madison non-profits have launched initiatives focused explicitly on assisting adult residents to achieve their high school equivalency credentials through GED preparation.

Project POWER, run by the Urban League of Greater Madison, provides under and unemployed individuals ages 17-29 access to free online and in-person GED instruction combined with mentorship and social-emotional skill building.

Students who have achieved success through Project POWER point to the family atmosphere and sense of shared struggle as key factors that helped motivate them toward persisting through difficulties.

"We share stories of hardship in group sessions as a way to realize we‘re not alone in this fight," said Janae Archer, 21, who earned her GED through Project POWER in 2022. "Hearing how others juggle minimum wage jobs, transportation issues and childcare while trying to graduate taught me not to give up when faced with my own obstacles."

Grassroots programs like Project POWER will continue providing supplemental support as community leaders pursue the kinds of policy changes required to transform entire systems. Through academic preparation and nurturing self-efficacy, these emerging adults gain confidence to actively shape those very systems in the years ahead as voices for equity and social justice.

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Conclusion – Next Steps Toward Improving Attainment

Reviewing the data and initiatives underway around increasing GED accessibility and pass rates, clear opportunities exist for education reform advocates in Madison to contribute solutions advancing this work at the macro level.

Potential action areas include:

• Lobby local school districts to pilot competency-based diploma programs allowing struggling seniors creative ways to demonstrate applied skills

• Organize community conversations with families in under-resourced neighborhoods to identify unmet needs around high school equivalency exam preparation

• Develop local public-private partnerships expanding internship and upskilling opportunities targeted at GED recipients with barriers to employment

• Mobilize volunteers as tutors, mentors and college navigation assistants for local preparation programs seeking to scale impact

Progress won‘t happen overnight given the systemic depth many barriers students face hold. But by coming alongside adult learners seeking second chances while simultaneously addressing root inequities hampering too many, improved outcomes can accelerate.

If current trends persist without intervention, education researchers warn over 600 students yearly in Madison will not acquire essential high school level credentials, perpetuating economic instability and constrained paths for generations.[9]

That‘s why cultivating robust GED preparation ecosystems must remain a priority for anyone concerned with nurturing flourishing communities here. Because each diploma or equivalency certificate awarded holds transformational potential – both for recipients and the collective prosperity of this city we call home.

Sources:

[1] Equity Report, Madison Metropolitan School District
[2] High School Benchmarks, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
[3] Madison in Motion: Educational Attainment Report
[4] Accountability Data, Wisconsin Technical College System
[5] Competence vs. Credibility, Education Next Journal
[6] Wisconsin Act 59 Overview, Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau
[7] Early College Options Expanding, The Oregonian
[8] GED Practice Testing Study, US Dept of Education
[9] Projections on Declining HS Credential Attainment, American Enterprise Institute