Mobile Units Bringing High School Equivalency Testing to Rural Communities

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development is offering a new service, via the department’s three “Career Coach” vehicles, to Tennesseans lacking a high school diploma. The mobile Career Centers have become certified testing sites for the new High School Equivalency Test (HiSET).

Since the beginning of this year, HiSET has been offered in Tennessee as an alternative to the recently revised General Educational Development (GED) exam. Passing either test earns the test-taker a state-issued high school equivalency diploma; no distinction is made between the tests when the credential is issued.

“Making the Career Coaches available as a testing site for HiSET is a tremendous help to organizations and people in areas of the state not located near a test site,” said Marva Doremus, Administrator for Adult Education at the Tennessee Department of Labor. “The Career Coaches are certified testing sites, and each staff member is a certified proctor and examiner.”

The HiSET alternative offers either computer or paper-based testing, in contrast to the GED that is given just on the computer. At this time, those taking the HiSET test on the Career Coaches can only take the test in paper-delivered format.

The Career Coach program has three units across the state – for east, middle, and West Tennessee. Each coach will be set aside two days per month for testing. The Career Coach program expects to host 72 testing days statewide in the course of a year. Each coach can accommodate six test-takers, but if an organization such as a chamber, jail, or school has a facility that can become an extension of the Career Coach space, staff can test as many as 50.

On June 30th the Middle Tennessee Career Coach traveled to the Rutherford County Correctional Facility and administered the first HiSET in a mobile capacity. The test was given to offenders nearing their release who lacked a high school diploma or equivalent.

Anyone interested in taking the HiSET test should consult his local Adult Education program in order to first take the required HiSET Practice Test. Adult Education programs statewide are listed here

For test fee information and instructions on how to book the Career Coach mobile units for HiSET services for your organization or community, visit www.getonthecoach.tn.gov and click the HiSET Instructions tab.

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