QP: HB 3068 Allows Students to Take the GED for a High School Diploma

Full-text: Cascade Policy Institute’s bill to make it easier for Oregon high school students to graduate early by passing the GED is getting a hearing this week. We hope you will reach out to the committee to voice your support for the bill. This Wednesday, March 8, the Oregon House Committee on Education will hold a hearing on HB 3068. Currently, it is almost impossible for an Oregon high school student to take the GED exam. In most cases, students must drop out of school before they’re allowed to take the GED. HB 3068 lifts that restriction. If the bill passes, any student aged 16 or older can take the GED test. (Parental consent would be required for students under 18.) Students who pass will be awarded diplomas, meaning they will be considered high school graduates and free from compulsory school attendance. HB 3068 will boost Oregon’s graduation rate because students who pass the GED receive diplomas and will be considered high school graduates. HB 3068 will reduce Oregon’s dropout rate because students won’t have to drop out first before taking the exams. Our bill has bipartisan support across both houses of the Oregon legislature. That’s because this is a common-sense solution that imposes no obligations on students, families, or the state. Even better, HB 3068 does not require any new spending or taxes.