It took three years and came down to the wire, but at long last both the West Virginia House and Senate passed a bill that requires the State Board of Education to “develop a program for the payment of General Educational Development (GED®) exam fees.” The bill further states that the “GED is an implement for success…that can increase employment opportunities and earning potential.” It also states that without a high school diploma or GED, “individuals often lack the credentials for employment,” they also “lack the resources to afford the costs of the GED exam.”

GED candidates, graduates, adult basic education (ABE) instructors, West Virginia Adult Education Association, Inc. (WVAEA, Inc.) members, and Literacy West Virginia representatives met with key legislators including Delegate Mary Poling, Chair of the House Education Committee; Senator Walt Helmick, Chair of the Senate Finance Committee; and Senator Robert Plymale, Chair of the Senate Education Committee.
Delegate Poling and Senator Plymale agreed to find sponsors to introduce a GED scholarship bill on both the Senate and House side. While the Senate version stalled in Committee, the companion version passed in the House. House Bill 4477 was introduced on February 8, 2008 and completed legislative action on March 8, 2008 and was sent to the Office of the Governor. As of this writing (March 25), the Governor has not yet taken any action on the bill. However, we aren’t aware of any objections he may have to the legislation.

As soon as these bills were introduced, volunteers were found walking the halls of the legislature, talking to delegates and senators and distributing information about the importance of adult education programs and the impact these programs have had on their lives, the lives of their students, and the economic health of the state as a whole. By far, the most effective advocates were the students who spoke with the legislators and told them why they wanted a GED and/or how their lives had changed since they earned the diploma.

Monitoring the progress of the bill was a key to its success. Once any bill is introduced, it is referred to an appropriate committee. When (or if) the committee passes out the bill, it goes to the floor of the House or Senate where it is read three times on three different days before being communicated to whichever body (House or Senate) has not yet considered the legislation and the process is repeated. Therefore, legislation may be introduced but, if it never makes it out of committee in time for a floor vote, it dies. In the last two legislative sessions, the GED scholarship bill died in committee.

This year, when action stalled, members of WVAEA, Inc. and Literacy West Virginia generated calls and made visits to the legislators on the bill’s respective committees. And it paid off!

What does all this mean for our programs? Higher enrollment and better results!
Eligibility for a GED scholarship includes “successful completion of a GED program” and “successful completion of the GED Official Practice Test.” So, in a nutshell . . . .

Sponsors of the Senate bill were Senators Roman Prezioso and Larry Edgell. House sponsors were Delegates Eustace Frederick, Mary Poling, Ruth Rowan, Larry Williams, Linda Sumner, Gerald Crosier, Ron Fragale, Richard Browning, Ralph Rodighiero, and Locke Wysong. Many thanks to these legislators for their support!

The effective date of this legislation is July 1, 2008.

The WV Department of Education’s Office of Adult Education and Workforce Development will be developing guidelines for ABE instructors, GED registrars, and GED examiners to follow. Training will be provided regionally prior to the effective date. Watch your email for this information.

On behalf of WVAEA, Inc. and Literacy West Virginia, thanks to all of you who helped with this effort!

Now, perhaps, we can think about what we want to accomplish in next year’s session!