The Kentucky Office of Adult Education is taking its GED testing on the road, traveling to 25 areas in the state lacking access to brick-and-mortar buildings with in-person adult education services.
“As an education-first administration, we believe that access to education – from pre-K to postsecondary and beyond—is the key to a brighter future for all Kentuckians,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “Early in my first term, we made GED testing free, and this new traveling unit is our latest effort to remove barriers to educational access. Thanks to the extraordinary work of our local providers, we are taking testing directly to Kentuckians in need, improving people’s lives and enhancing their future employment opportunities.”
The Lifelong Learning Branch of the Kentucky Office of Adult Education, which oversees GED services in conjunction with local providers offering services across the commonwealth, identified GED testing deserts within the state. These include remote or rural locations and other areas where adult learners face greater challenges accessing traditional GED testing centers, such as limited transportation options or a lack of conveniently located testing facilities.
After analyzing information provided by the local providers and conducting site visits and surveys, 25 counties with no brick-and-mortar testing sites were identified, prompting the idea of a statewide GED mobile unit to fill in the gaps. The counties where the mobile unit will travel are Adair, Barren, Breathitt, Caldwell, Christian, Green, Hancock, Hopkins, Kenton, Knott, Lee, Leslie, McLean, Metcalf, Montgomery, Morgan, Ohio, Owsley, Perry, Powell, Rockcastle, Taylor, Todd, Trigg and Wolfe.
“When Kentucky reached out to partner with Pearson Vue and GED Testing Services on a mobile unit, they applauded Team Kentucky’s innovative solution to address the problem of testing deserts,” said Dr. John Gregory, executive director of the Office of Adult Education. “A Pearson Vue-certified test administrator will travel with the mobile unit and work with our local providers in the area to provide testing to individuals who may not otherwise be able to earn their GED.”
C.T. Turner, president of GED Testing Service and vice president of Pearson Enterprise Learning and Skills, said they are thrilled that Kentucky has launched the mobile GED testing unit: “This is a transformative step toward making education accessible to everyone. Bringing these services directly to communities and meeting people where they are ensures that adult learners across Kentucky have the opportunity to advance their education and improve their lives.”
The state adult education office equipped the GED mobile unit with noise-canceling headsets and 11 laptops and is responsible for approving each mobile testing site, scheduling tests, providing all necessary equipment, proctoring the exams and covering all travel-related costs. The local adult education provider is responsible for providing a location for the mobile unit and ensuring that at least three testers are present for each scheduled testing date.
“Kentucky’s lifelong learning and training investments in our citizens reap multiple benefits for our families, communities and our state’s economy,” said Jamie Link, secretary of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet. “The GED mobile testing unit will result in better-educated Kentuckians and increased family self-sufficiency, which yields an excellent return on the commonwealth’s investment.”
As of April, 14,275 Kentuckians have used the free GED promo to successfully complete all four components of the GED test and have earned their GED certificate. Since January 2020, 25,269 Kentuckians, 99% of all Kentucky GED test takers, have taken advantage of the Free GED promo to begin their path toward earning their high school equivalency certification.
Test-takers can use the free GED promo multiple times as they work to complete all four components of the GED test. Prior to January 2020, many of these individuals likely would not have completed their GED as the cost of $36 per component or $144 for all four components was often too expensive.
In addition to GED test preparation courses, adult education services executed by the Office of Adult Education include English language instruction, upskilling to get or keep a job, family literacy programs and preparing for postsecondary education. These services are available in all 120 counties of the commonwealth. Learn more about Kentucky adult education opportunities at kyae.ky.gov.
Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet