When the GED test moved to an online format at the beginning of this year, it left those looking to take the exam in Williamsburg in a difficult position.
The paper-and-pencil version of the test was available for residents through the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools but was discontinued in December. The school system lacked the equipment, software and space to qualify as an official site for the online testing. Now the nearest testing sites are located in Hampton and Newport News.
Literacy for Life — a nonprofit organization that provides reading, writing and math education — has stepped up to provide the testing service in Williamsburg.
Within the College of William & Mary’s School of Education, Literacy for Life is working through an extensive application process to host the GED. The GED can only be taken online at centers authorized through the Pearson VUE testing company. In a multi-step process over the past few months, Literacy for Life has submitted an application, including photos and information about their equipment and space to Pearson. Pending review, dialogue and approval, they hope to be up and running June 1.
Until then, test-takers must travel down the Peninsula to the closest testing site, which is near the intersection of J. Clyde Morris Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue in Newport News. The distance could place an extra burden on Literacy for Life learners who rely on the bus system, which would take a rider about three hours to get to the site from the City of Williamsburg. WJCC does offer bus transportation to its students to complete the exam, but adults are on their own to make the trip.
Literacy for Life’s computer-based learning specialist Peg Monahan said some people do not take the GED in one sitting. If they fail a portion and retry later, they might go to the testing center two or three times in their attempt to earn the degree.
Although Newport News and Hampton are not geographically distant, Monahan said her clients at Literacy for Life are not familiar with the cities.
“It was like going to a whole other world for them,” Monahan said.
Dr. David Gaston, senior director for accountability, quality and innovation with WJCC, said distance was the impetus to find a closer testing site.
The district turned to Literacy for Life, whose learners had gone to WJCC to take the GED. Both institutions offer free GED preparation and adult education classes, despite WJCC scaling back the program last year. The program was initially on the chopping block for fiscal year 2014’s budget but a modified version, reconfigured with fewer staff and classes offered, was approval by the school board last March.
WJCC budgeted $22,000 to cover all costs associated with GED testing for the fiscal year running through June 30. That is consistent with a typical year of testing before the online transition, Gaston said. The total includes the upfront costs for the year, and testing continues in paper-and-pencil format through WJCC at the jail, which will soon be discontinued.
While Gaston said enrollment in WJCC’s adult education programs remains “robust and steady,” he wanted an option close to home for those taking the GED test.
“We knew that their facility had the infrastructure,” Gaston said of Literacy for Life. The center already has a computer lab, while the layout of WJCC might have presented a challenge in meeting Pearson VUE’s many requirements. Gaston was not certain the space could have been approved.
The staff and board at Literacy for Life agreed to take on the project, and have spent about $2,700 to date. That includes special software that blocks test-takers from accessing other aspects of the Internet while taking the exam. Physical specifications call for lockers where individuals can securely store their effects, which are still to be purchased. Monahan, who is spearheading the transition, said it will cost $600 to purchase 15 lockers.
The money for the changes will come from private donations and Literacy for Life’s fundraising. They will receive a payment from Pearson VUE — $7 for registration, and between $5 and $13 for delivery per test — but only if they reach more than 15 tests in a month.
If numbers are low, Literacy for Life’s executive director Joan Peterson said the project, which also requires a proctor for the exam, might be a net loss financially. She still believes it would be less expensive than if WJCC implemented online testing.
In addition to working to ensure the center is approved, Literacy for Life has updated its educational materials to cater to the new online format. They now offer a computer essentials program to give learners the basic skills to take an online exam, and have a license for GED Academy, an online test-prep program.
Peterson said the organization made additional purchases because she expects an influx of GED candidates. Until now, their clients have tended to be lower-level learners who were not GED-ready, but offering GED testing through Literacy for Life might lead to more students looking for prep programs at the same institution.
While specific fundraising for the program is not needed in the short term, Literacy for Life may need to hire more tutors in the future.
Peterson said the time and money is a worthy investment to make resources available.
“Our mission is to help people become more self-sufficient and have better skills that would allow them to get better job,” she said. “If we can help people prepare and have the GED, then they can consider post-secondary education, which will open up a lot of doors for them.”
For more information about Literacy for Life and their programs, visit their website.
