What's happening
This bill places a moratorium on using the TASC high school equivalency test in New York until specific educational and administrative requirements are met.
Why it matters
Ensures better preparation for students. By requiring the development of a TASC-specific curriculum and training for instructors, the bill aims to make sure students and teachers are properly equipped for the test, reducing confusion and increasing the likelihood of student success.
Addresses accessibility and fairness concerns. The bill mandates basic computer skill training for applicants and fee forgiveness for those who paid for a GED course but didn’t take the test, helping to remove financial and technological barriers for low-income and non-traditional students.
Improves administrative efficiency and transparency. The requirement that TASC results be processed and provided within 60 days ensures that test-takers receive timely feedback, which is crucial for making future educational or employment plans.
Redirects funding and oversight aligned with the new test. By updating financial law references from GED to TASC, the bill ensures that state resources and administrative focus are appropriately dedicated to the current high school equivalency assessment, preventing funding confusion and supporting smoother transitions.
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Who cares
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Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to elections
- Referred to elections
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2805
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 17, 2017
Introduced by Sen. PARKER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Elections
AN ACT directing the state department of education to place a moratorium on the use of Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) until certain requirements are met; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to the high school equivalency account
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The commissioner of the state education department is hereby directed to place a moratorium on the use of the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) high school equivalency assessment until such time as the department has:
1. developed a TASC curriculum;
2. trained high school equivalency diploma instructors, including instructors at the board of cooperative educational services, community based programs and community colleges, with regard to the common core aligned TASC;
3. provided basic computer based skills to applicants;
4. provided for fee forgiveness for those applicants who paid for and took the General Educational Development (GED) course at state university community colleges but have not taken the exam;
5. implemented a process ensuring that the TASC results will be processed and made available to the applicant within sixty days of the test date.
§ 2. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 97-hhh of the state finance law, as added by section 84 of part A of chapter 436 of the laws of 1997, are amended to read as follows:
2. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary, the state comptroller is hereby authorized and directed to receive for deposit to the credit of the high school equivalency account, fees established by the commissioner of education and approved by the direc-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07393-01-7
S. 2805 2
tor of the budget to supplement administration of the [general educational development] test assessing secondary completion tests for the high school equivalency diploma.
3. Moneys of this account, following appropriation by the legislature, shall be available to the state education department for services and expenses related to the administration of the [general educational development] test assessing secondary completion tests for the high school equivalency diploma.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act directing the state department of education to place a moratorium on the use of Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) until certain requirements are met; and to amend the state finance law, in relation to the high school equivalency account
Purpose
This bill requires the state department of education to place a moratorium on the use of TASC until specific requirements are met.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Provides that the Commissioner of the State Education Department will place a moratorium on the use of the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) high school equivalency assessment until: (1) a curriculum is developed, (2) instructors trained in the TASC curriculum (estimated to be a 3-4 training course), (3) basic computer and scientific calculator skills are provided to applicants, (4) fee forgiveness is provided for applicants who paid for and took the General Educational Development (GED) course at a SUNY community college, and (5) a process is implemented that ensures that TASC results will be processed and made available to the applicant within sixty days of the test date.
Read the full memo (788 words)
Section 2: Amends section 97-hhh of the state finance law to authorize the state comptroller to receive for deposit to the credit of the high school equivalency account, fees established by the Commissioner of Education to supplement the administration of TASC tests.
Section 3: Provides that this act shall take immediately.
Justification
The GED test was first launched in 1942. It has been revised over the years, but 2014 will be the biggest change in two generations. Effective January 1, 2014 the GED was eliminated. The test for a "high school equivalency diploma" will now become more difficult, cover more disciplines, and will be aligned with Common Core.
Adult educators estimate that these changes to the high school equivalency test mean it will take longer to prepare their students for this crucial test. They also worry that their students, who are already beaten down and vulnerable, will give up.
There is no debate that academic standards must be at a level that will render New Yorkers competitive in a global society. There are 2.8 million people without a high school diploma in New York State and of those, 1.2 million are adults. The TASC presents numerous challenges for which educators in community colleges, BOCES, community-based programs, cooperative extension programs and students who were in the midst of taking courses for the GED, are completely unprepared.
Failure to lay a solid framework for the sweeping change from the GED to the TASC, is compounded by the transition from the GED's "pen and paper" test to the TASC's "computer based" (CBT) test. The new test, as a consequence, will additionally require computer literacy and scientific calculator skills on top of the new knowledge needed to take it. Therefore, teachers preparing students to take the TASC will need technology resources to inculcate computer skills into individuals who may not have had any computer training in their early education.
Furthermore, those who have taken the GED preparatory course and have paid a fee in SUNY community colleges, estimated at $1,200 with the expectation of taking the GED, will now need to take an additional preparatory course for the new test. Since there will be no refund of the fee paid for the GED test prep course, this will create an onerous economic burden for the average student earning minimum wage. If one is unable to take the preparatory course again (when and if teachers are trained), the probability of failure and disillusionment will multiply enormously.
Traditionally, students who have been prepared by BOCES, school districts, community colleges and community based programs have had a 23% higher success ratio than students who have walked into the test without being prepared. The inability of large numbers of people to be able to afford a duplicate test preparation class, and the lack of individuals/teachers trained to lead test preparatory courses, makes it strongly likely the passage rate will drop precipitously. It is obvious therefore that the State has a compelling interest in funding the preparatory class for those students who have already paid for the abruptly eliminated GED, and for those students who will need a preparatory class to succeed. The investment in ensuring the success of the TASC will be returned to the State, as studies have shown that for every individual who attains a high school equivalency degree there is a benefit to their home municipality of $325,000 in increased tax contributions over the lifetime of the student.
Legislative history
2015-16: S.2567 - Referred to Finance 2013-2014: S.6896 - Referred to Finance
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.