Indiana Selects CTB/McGraw-Hill's TASC to Replace the GED Test as State's Official High School Equivalency Exam

MONTEREY, Calif., Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CTB/McGraw-Hill, one of the nation's leading educational assessment partners, today announced that the Indiana Department of Workforce Development has selected the company's TASC ™ (Test Assessing Secondary Completion) as the state's sole high school equivalency assessment for Indiana's 15,000 annual test takers seeking a high school equivalency credential. This decision is part of a growing movement by states across the country to identify high-quality alternatives to the GED^® that are more affordable and accessible for the 40 million U.S. adults who lack a high school diploma or equivalency. Earlier this year, the state of New York also selected TASC as its official high school equivalency assessment to serve its 50,000 annual test takers. TASC will be available for use in both states beginning in January 2014.

"The State of Indiana has been a strong, longstanding partner, and we are proud that it has chosen TASC to serve the thousands of annual test takers in the state who could greatly benefit from a more affordable and flexible alternative to the current high school equivalency exam," said Ellen Haley, president of CTB/McGraw-Hill. "We know that 71 percent of jobs expected to show growth in 2016 will require post-secondary credentials. With TASC, we can help ensure Indiana residents meet future workforce needs."

Built from the ground up, TASC provides newly developed and field-tested content that measures test takers' level of achievement relative to that of graduating high school seniors and readiness for college and the workforce. The new test features a design that allows states to transition from the foundational concepts of the Common Core State Standards to a deeper alignment over a three-year period. In addition, TASC will be available as a paper-and-pencil exam as well as online, providing flexibility for test takers and allowing states to phase in computer-based testing at a pace that meets their students' needs. TASC also allows states to follow the secure processes for administering the exam that they already have in place.

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 test takers. CTB's expertise and capabilities in assessing adult basic education allowed the company to respond quickly to states' need for an alternative high school equivalency assessment.

TASC assesses English language arts (including reading and writing), math, science, and social studies. It will be available in English and Spanish and in large print, Braille and audio versions.

More information on the TASC can be found at CTB.com/TASC or on Twitter at @theTASCtest.

About CTB/McGraw-Hill
CTB/McGraw-Hill, a division of McGraw-Hill Education, has an 85-year record of innovation and excellence in assessment, and serves more than 18 million students in all 50 states and in 49 countries. One of the first American publishers to introduce objective, standardized achievement tests to schools, today CTB/McGraw-Hill is a leader in testing with recognized products for online interim and formative, adult, and language proficiency assessment. Dedicated to advancing the use of student performance data to inform instructional decision making, CTB/McGraw-Hill's innovation continues today with technologies that include Web-based assessment and reporting, student response device software, and artificial intelligence for automated scoring of student essays. For more information, visit CTB.com/AboutUs.

Media Contact
Brian Belardi
McGraw-Hill Education
(212) 904-4827
brian.belardi@mheducation.com

SOURCE CTB/McGraw-Hill