S-1931.1

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5676


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2015 Regular Session

By Senate Higher Education (originally sponsored by Senators Roach, Rolfes, Jayapal, Hargrove, and Hasegawa)

READ FIRST TIME 02/20/15.

AN ACT Relating to the acceptance of additional high school equivalency tests; and amending RCW 28B.50.536.

(1) Subject to rules adopted by the state board of education under RCW 28A.305.190, the state board for community and technical colleges shall adopt rules governing the eligibility of persons sixteen years of age and older to take a test to earn a high school equivalency certificate, rules governing the administration of the test, and rules governing the issuance of a high school equivalency certificate to persons who successfully complete the test.

(2)(a) A high school equivalency certificate is a certificate issued jointly by the college board and the office of the superintendent of public instruction that indicates that the holder has attained standard scores at or above the minimum proficiency level prescribed by the college board on a high school equivalency test.

(b) The college board must identify and accept ((a)) high school equivalency tests that ((is)) are at least as rigorous as the general educational development test. The high school equivalency tests identified by the college board must cover reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies subject areas.

(c) The college board must identify at least one test option that is low cost to the student and at least one test option that does not require computer proficiency. The college board must identify at least one test option that is appropriate for students who have been in the workforce, need a high school diploma for employment reasons, have been incarcerated or in the military, have been removed from any academic environment for four years or more, or are not planning to pursue a college education.

(3) High school equivalency certificates issued under this section shall be issued in such form and substance as agreed upon by the state board for community and technical colleges and superintendent of public instruction.

(4) The college board must communicate the menu of accepted test options under subsection (2) of this section to public and private administrators of the high school equivalency tests.