Saturday last chance to register for GED Boot Camp

The last day to register for a program designed to help people get their General Education Development, or GED, high school equivalency diploma is fast approaching.

Saturday, in two sessions, one at 9 a.m. and one at 6 p.m., District 4 Human Resources Development Council will hold pre-registration sessions for GED Boot Camp, a program designed to help people pass their GED test.

Montana has approved switching to a new series of tests starting the first of next year. Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau recommended the state switch to a program developed by Educational Testing Service, and the state Board of Public Education has approved that switch.

GED Testing Service, the company that offers the test in Montana now, says it will switch to a new test in 2014, with a new focus on the common core curriculum being implemented throughout the United States and all testing done on computer. An increase in cost will also more than doube the price from $55 to $120 for the full test.

For people who have started the program, but not completed it, the changes will mean starting over, including losing any fees already paid and the results of any tests already taken.

Montana opted to switch to the ETS program in place of signing a new contract with GED Testing Service.

The GED Boot Camp is being offered to help people complete the program this year.

The Boot Camp, modeled after a program used in Nevada, is an intensive program focusing on essential GED skills, stressing the need for test-taking strategies and practice, a release from HRDC says. The program in Nevada has been extremely successful, it adds.

People must preregister in order to attend the boot camp classes, which start June 3 and ends with a GED test after seven weeks of classes.

People must be at least 16 to enroll, and 16-year-olds must have a notarized waiver from and a drop letter from the last school they attended.

People registering who are 17 or 18 must present a drop letter from their last school. It is against the law in Montana for people enrolled in high school to also enroll in an adult basic education program, the HRDC release says, adding that there are no exceptions.

At the required preregistration, prospective students watch a slide show about the structure and requirements for GED Boot Camp. Afterward, the students are given tests including to assess where their abilities lie in the educational spectrum.

Depending on the enrollment numbers, a morning session and evening session are planned for the Boot Camp itself.

One will run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the other from 6-9:30 p.m.

The classes will run Monday through Thursday for seven weeks, starting June 3.

The first six weeks will be for instruction, with the final week used for review and then administration of the test.

Students are allowed one absence during this time, the release said, adding that students are provided the incentive of reduced cost or free GED exams provided they meet the attendance requirement.