AB355: Bill Text

LRB-3250/1

PG:skg:kaf

1995 - 1996 LEGISLATURE

1995 Assembly BILL 355

May 5, 1995 - Introduced by Representatives Nass, Grothman, Ziegelbauer, Dobyns, Goetsch, Kelso, Zukowski, Ladwig, Urban, Skindrud, Kreibich, Vrakas, Gunderson, Kaufert, Lazich and F. Lasee, cosponsored by Senators Fitzgerald, Weeden and Farrow. Referred to Committee on Education.

AB355,1,2 An Act to amend 115.29 (4) and 118.15 (1) (cm) 5. of the statutes; relating to: the passing score on the general educational development test.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the state superintendent of public instruction sets the passing score on the general educational development (GED) test. The state superintendent must grant a GED certificate to an individual who passes the GED test and satisfies certain other requirements specified by the state superintendent. If the individual satisfies additional requirements related to citizenship, health, career awareness and employability, the state superintendent must grant the individual a high school equivalency diploma.

The GED test consists of tests in writing, interpreting literature and the arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Currently, one must obtain a minimum score of 40 on each test and an average score of 46 to pass the GED test. This bill increases the required average score to 50.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB355, s. 1 Section 1. 115.29 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB355,2,11 115.29 (4) High school graduation equivalency. Grant declarations of equivalency of high school graduation to persons, if in the state superintendent's judgment they have presented satisfactory evidence of having completed a recognized high school course of study or its equivalent. The state superintendent may establish the standards by which high school graduation equivalency is determined. Such standards may consist of evidence of high school courses completed in high schools recognized by the proper authorities as accredited, results of examinations given by or at the request of the state superintendent, successful completion of correspondence study courses given by acceptable correspondence study schools, a general educational development certificate of high school equivalency issued by an agency of the U.S. government, course credits received in schools meeting the approval of the state superintendent or other standards established by the state superintendent. The passing score on the battery of 5 general educational development tests is a minimum score of 40 on each test and an average score of 50.

AB355, s. 2 Section 2. 118.15 (1) (cm) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB355,2,17 118.15 (1) (cm) 5. The state superintendent shall grant a high school equivalency diploma to a child under this paragraph who completes the general educational development test with a passing score, as determined by the state superintendent, and completes the additional requirements determined by the state superintendent under s. 115.29 (4).

AB355, s. 3 Section 3. Initial applicability.

AB355,2,20 (1)  This act first applies to persons who begin the battery of general educational development tests on the effective date of this subsection.

AB355,2,21 (End)