Big Wins in 2024

Tennessee Adults Seeking Their Diploma Take Advantage of New Test Options

In April, Tennessee launched the New Pathways program, providing adult learners more options — and potentially a much faster way — for earning their High School Equivalency diploma.

While some states offer only the GED or the HiSET or both, Tennessee is the first state to offer five test options for those seeking their HSE diploma: the HiSET, the GED, the TABE, ACT WorkKeys, and CASAS GOALS.

The additional options allow students to take the tests that best suit their needs and learning styles.

Students also may be able to earn their HSE diploma in less time. For instance, students can attempt a section on the HiSET up to three times in a calendar year. Now, instead of having to wait to retake the test, they can take a different exam that offers the same subject.

The TABE has become the most popular exam, said Alex Beene, Assistant Administrator with the Adult Education division and a former teacher. The TABE has been used for years as an assessment tool by adult education providers. Now TABE scores can count toward HSE diploma attainment.

“That’s a big deal because again not only is it quick for the students, but it also saves our program and our state money because you’re not having to issue vouchers to pay for all those tests on HiSET or GED, and that’s $20 to $30 a test,” Beene said.

Since its launch April 3, over 1,000 graduates have used New Pathways, meaning they took more than one of the five assessments to earn their HSE diploma. More than half of diplomas that have been issued statewide have gone to students who used the program.

The success of New Pathways has led to partnerships between adult education providers and smaller groups such as nonprofits and rehabilitation facilities so they can use the TABE exam. This month, the Tennessee Department of Correction, which already uses TABE, will start using New Pathways for those who are incarcerated as well.

Meet the Adult Learner of the Year

While some Tennesseans use adult education services for help in pursuing their diploma, others are looking to upskill or improve their English.

Originally from Afghanistan, Maryam Joma Khan moved to Nashville by herself in 2022. Two months after arriving in the U.S., she began taking English classes at the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE). She rode her bicycle to class because she didn’t have a car.

Khan, 27, attended classes three days a week while working full time and volunteering at her church. Two years later, Khan is wrapping up her first semester as a college student, a dream she didn’t think was possible while living as a refugee in Turkey.

She credits her adult education teachers with preparing her for college.

“I always felt like the teachers were very knowledgeable, and they guided me through the college application process and helped with academic English,” she said. “Now when I study in college it’s familiar because of my teachers.”

Khan was recently honored as the Tennessee Association for Adult and Community Education’s Adult Learner of the Year. In the nomination form, NICE teacher Lisa Zhito wrote, “I couldn’t be more proud of Maryam Joma Khan. … When we first met, she was learning the basics of English grammar. A year later, and she’s reading college-level essays and expressing opinions on such academic topics as gender roles and the mass media. To say she is an impressive young woman would be an understatement.”

Claimants Get Paid Quicker Thanks to New e-Services System

In February, TDLWD debuted the state’s new e-Services system for unemployment benefits and appeals.

The goal was simple: to make the Unemployment Insurance program easier and more efficient for claimants and employers.

The results have been impressive.

Before the launch of the new e-Services system, Tennesseans spent 45 minutes, on average, filing a claim for unemployment benefits. Nearly 10 months later, the average is 17-and-a-half minutes, said Jason Cecil, Project Lead and Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Transformation at TDLWD.

Previously, it took 10 to 15 minutes for claimants to complete their weekly certifications. Now, on average, it takes just 7.3 minutes.

The shorter times can be attributed to several factors, including a simplified jobs4TN landing page, more self-service options, and clearer application questions. 

Time is money. The quicker that claims are filed, the quicker they can be processed and the quicker that Tennesseans can be paid.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, states should make 87% of first unemployment insurance payments within 21 days. Before the new e-Services system launch, Tennessee had not met that target since April 2020.

“In May, just our third full month within the system, we actually hit that metric,” Cecil said. “We carried a backlog over into the system. We were able to eliminate it and meet first pay in just a little over three months.”

Since then, the state has met the target three additional times, including achieving a 91.6% first pay rate in October.

February’s launch was just the first step toward a fully integrated Unemployment Insurance system. In May 2025, employers will be able to use the e-Services system to file their quarterly reports and pay their UI taxes. Development and testing are underway, with training expected in the spring.