Update June 2021: This article addresses free HiSET testing for 2019. As of 2021, the Missouri budget no longer funds HiSET testing.
Missouri’s high school equivalency exam, otherwise known as the HiSET, is now available to first-time test-takers for free. The 2019 legislative session funded House Bill 1606, which began paying for first-time HiSET test takers as of July 1.
The HiSET replaced the GED in Missouri in January 2014. The total cost to take the test is $98.75. This includes exams in math, science, social studies, reading and writing, as well as a $10 state registration fee. Thanks to the new legislation, all of those fees are waived for the first-time test taker.
OTC prepares individuals for the HiSET through its Adult Education and Literacy Program, offered for free at several locations across Southwest Missouri. The classes provide individualized learning opportunities for adults who want to prepare for the HiSET, learn English as a second language or improve their reading, math and writing skills. To be considered for the AEL program, participants must be at least 17 years old and not enrolled in high school.
“Our instructors do phenomenal work in preparing students to take the HiSET exam,” said Ramona George, college director of AEL. “And now, our students can wholly focus on preparing for the test without worrying about the cost to take it.”
George encourages individuals to enroll in OTC’s free Adult Education and Literacy Program prior to taking the HiSET. Last year, OTC helped 166 students earn their High School Equivalency credential. As an added bonus, graduates of OTC’s AEL program are eligible to take one of the college’s three-credit-hour classes for free.
To learn more about OTC’s Adult Education and Literacy Program, call 417-447-8860. AEL locations, enrollment information and class times can be found online at otc.edu/adulteducation.