Minnesota will offer free GED testing through July 2016
ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Minnesota will offer free GED testing for all residents through at least July 2016, Gov. Mark Dayton announced Thursday. The governor, Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius and Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben are also proposing new funding to extend free GED testing through 2017.
Minnesota residents who do not have a high school diploma can earn their GED diploma by passing the General Educational Development Test. The four tests are $30 each, making the total cost to complete the battery $120. The 4 tests academic competencies similar to the requirement for a high school diploma.
“People who obtain a high school diploma can expect to earn significantly higher incomes in their lifetimes than those who do not,” Gov. Dayton said. “This program will help reduce economic disparities in Minnesota, racially and geographically, to help ensure our economy works better for all Minnesotans. I urge the Legislature to approve funding this session to continue the program.”
According to state data, having a high school diploma or GED increases earning power by 37.5 percent -- a nearly $10,000 per year median wage increase.
Read more about adult basic education and the GED at http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/StuSuc/AdultEd/index.html