The GED® (General Education Development) program was established as a program for returning WW II veterans in the early forties of the last century.
But it was in 1947 that the state of New York decided to allow civilians to sit for the GED test as well. Around 1970, all of the 50 states were making use of the GED program for their High School Equivalency testing programs.
The application of the GED program increased dramatically in the 1960s, driven largely by the growth of social welfare programs promoted by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Under President Johnson (LBJ), the Job Corps program was established, and together with a series of other federal programs, Johnson started his “War on Poverty”.
GED test certification became very popular in order to generate high school graduates. A lot of prisons started to encourage inmates to start their GED programs, and high school dropouts could be eligible for government support by signing up for the GED program.
By the early 1980s, almost 15 percent of all high school qualifications awarded in America were GED diplomas. Check here to read more about the accredited online GED course designed by Onsego.
You can learn more about LBJ if you check here
- Lyndon B. Johnson – Democrat – President: 1963-1969
- Born: Aug. 27, 1908, near Johnson City, Texas
- Nickname: “LBJ”
President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Legacy in Education – LBJ’s War On Poverty
He declares [the reasons for poverty will probably lie] “in not having enough education and schooling, insufficient medical care, inappropriate housing, and insufficient adequate communities to live in.” These were the real-life enemies, and LBJ knew very well how to handle enemies: You needed to destroy them. This was Johnson’s vision: helping the disadvantaged to help themselves.
Job Corps – U.S. Department of Labor
Job Corps is, in fact, America’s largest career technical training and education program. It is geared towards adults who are between 16 and 25 years old and is a U.S. Department of Labor program. Job Corps was established in 1964 and provides hands-on training and education to some 60,000 students every year in the fastest-growing career fields in the U.S.
Job Corps is going a long way to assist in protecting our environment and is experienced in connecting students with companies and organizations in their surrounding communities by using environmentally conscious training and education.
Job Corps is getting students ready for an environmentally friendly economy by means of green education and training in the industrial areas of advanced manufacturing, automotive, and construction. Job Corps makes them gain self-belief and self-respect again, and that counts!
The popularization of the GED exam: Today’s GED test after 4 makeovers
The GED diploma is one of the most popular recognized High School Equivalency certificates in the nation. There were two alternatives available in the U.S., the TASC, and the HiSET. The TASC exam, however, was discontinued.
The HSE (high school equivalency) diploma is accepted by employers, state and federal governmental institutions, and colleges and universities. The GED and HiSET exams, when taken successfully, lead to a credential that allows graduates to get better employment opportunities and get a college education after they dropped out of high school.
GED Testing Service is the official GED organization.