CTB/McGraw-Hill Launches the TASC, New High School Equivalency Assessment to Improve Accessibility and Affordability for Adult Learners

MONTEREY, Calif., April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CTB/McGraw-Hill, the nation's leading provider of assessments for the adult education market, formally introduced the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), a Common Core-aligned high school equivalency assessment that provides access, quality and affordability for the more than 40 million adults in the U.S. without a high school degree or equivalency.

CTB's launch of the TASC™ addresses the interest of many states in a new, affordable high school equivalency assessment that is widely accessible to adult learners and provides options for how the exam is administered. The TASC, which will be available as a paper-and-pencil exam as well as online, will provide flexibility for test takers and allow states to phase in computer-based testing at a pace that meets their students' needs. Additionally, the TASC allows states to follow the secure processes for administering the exam that they already have in place.

The TASC measures examinees' level of achievement relative to that of graduating high school seniors and readiness for college and the workforce as outlined by the Common Core State Standards. The TASC, which will be Common Core-aligned beginning with its official release in January 2014, will feature a design that allows states to gradually transition from the foundational concepts of the Common Core State Standards to a deeper alignment over a three year period.

Among the first states to adopt a new assessment is New York, which recently announced its selection of the TASC as the state's official high school equivalency assessment. The TASC will be made available to the New York's adult learners beginning in January 2014. CTB is offering the TASC as a choice for all states, which in the past have had only the GED® as a high school equivalency exam option.

"Providing a high school equivalency exam that is accessible and affordable is critical not only to adult learners but to our national economy and future global competitiveness," said Ellen Haley, president of CTB/McGraw-Hill. "CTB/McGraw-Hill has a long track record of experience in measuring the educational achievements of adult learners and serving the professionals dedicated to adult education. We look forward to working with states across the country to deliver the TASC, our new high school equivalency exam, and to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to earn an alternative high school diploma."

CTB has extensive experience in developing assessments for the adult basic education market. For more than 45 years, CTB's TABE has been the leading measure of achievement used by educators, states and employers to assess the knowledge and skills of adult learners. CTB's expertise and capabilities in assessing adult basic education allowed the company to respond quickly to states' need for a more affordable, accessible alternative high school equivalency assessment that is aligned to the Common Core State Standards.

The TASC covers English language arts (including reading and writing), math, science, social studies. The TASC will be available in English and Spanish and in large print, Braille and audio versions. The base price of the exam is $54 per student, which includes scoring and essential materials.