An Overview of Tennessee’s High School Equivalency Tests
March 2015
Author: Shiri Anderson
In 2012, the General Assembly passed Public Chapter 787, which required the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to provide an alternative exam to the General Educational Development (GED) test. The HiSet is a new high school equivalency (HSE) exam created by Iowa Testing Programs and Educational Testing Service (ETS). As of January 2014, Tennesseans who lack a high school diploma may choose between the GED test and the HiSet. The purpose of this legislative brief is to provide an overview of both exams. The brief identifies key revisions to the GED and how they will impact Tennessee’s postsecondary eligibility requirements, specifically for the HOPE Lottery Scholarship. The brief also compares the trends for select populations in Tennessee from 2010 through 2013 based on the number of adult learners who tested, completed, and passed the GED exam.