New Mexico Approves Alternatives to GED Test!

Lawmakers in New Mexico have officially approved legislation to allow alternative high-school equivalency exams other than the GED.

The proposal was passed unanimously approved by the House. Last year, Governor Susana Martinez vetoed a similar bill. (Read more here.)

Officials are concerned that fewer people will be able to take the GED, which will still be available. However, it is offered at a higher cost and only administered online, which creates obstacles for many people who wish to take a high school equivalency exam.  

Presidents' Day Special!

Happy Presidents' Day! Did you spend the day thinking about this nation’s history and the people who have led us through it all? Did you reflect on what an important value education has become in this country?

In celebration of Presidents' Day, New Readers Press is offering a special rate on AmericanLives, a collection of stories about famous, and not-so-famous, Americans who helped shape U.S. history.

For a 20 percent discount and free shipping, order between Feb. 18-21. Use the code PD14 when placing your order!

For a sneak peek, check out cool audio and interactivequestions from American Lives on ProLiteracy EdNet!

Is the New Ken Burns App a Great Tool for Adult Ed?

Ken Burns, known for his award-winning documentaries on American history, is introducing a brand new way to explore and enjoy his work: an app for your iPad.

In collaboration with Big Spaceship, a digital agency, Burns and producer Don MacKinnon are launching an app that condenses all 8,147 minutes of documentary material into more appealing, “easily-digestible mixtapes.” 

The hour-long playlists of clips from Burns’ work explore six major themes in American history, including race, politics, art, and war, among others. The app, called “Ken Burns,” allows the user to explore a timeline year by year, to see clips from separate films line up chronologically. Users can also watch the six playlists straight through–ranging 20 minutes to an hour–or select individual clips for viewing. The app is designed to present history the way Burns sees it.

The app is initially free to demo, but costs $10 for the full experience. 

The Ken Burns app has the potential to be a great tool in adult education. Advancing technology has changed the way we think and learn, bringing us more information at faster speeds. User-friendly tools such as the iPad can really engage students, and give them a brand new perspective in learning about a subject they might be interested in.  

Like the Ken Burns app, ProLiteracy’s American Lives is another great learning tool for adult classrooms. This collection of stories about Americans who helped shape U.S. history, is a fun way to teach adults about the country’s history. American Lives not only offers engaging stories, but also includes maps, charts, and other activities to strengthen the students’ skills.

While the facts in American history may stay the same, the way we learn about the subject doesn’t have to. Through innovative tools such as the Ken Burns app and American Lives, we can make learning fun and engaging for adults. 

New Mexico Looking at Alternatives to "GED" in State Law

Adults in New Mexico could soon have more options for earning their high school diploma other than taking the GED test.

New Mexico State Senator Gay Kernan is pushing to reintroduce a bill that would allow people in New Mexico to take alternative high school equivalency exams, aside from the GED test. Currently, those other exams include the TASC, offered by McGraw-Hill, and the HiSET, though ETS.

A similar bill was passed by the New Mexico legislature last year but was vetoed by Governor Susana Martinez.

Kernan’s bill aims to change references in current laws that are specific to the GED test. For example, rather than stating “GED” as a requirement for college admission, the state’s laws would read “high school equivalency credential” instead.

The legislation began moving again last Monday, with a unanimous vote from the New Mexico Senate Education Committee. Governor Martinez’s spokesman, Enrique Knell, said the wording of last year’s bill conflicted with federal requirements governing students with disabilities. According to him, the conflict has since been resolved, and the administration now fully supports the bill.

The question then is--will other states follow suit?

For more information about the GED, HiSET, and TASC tests, visit the New Readers Press special 2014 HSE Test InformationCenter.