Note: The author interviewed the following people for this article: Bob Aimo (Community Learning Center, Cambridge); David Sterns, (Adult Learning Program, Jamaica Plain Community Center); Ruth Derfler (director of GED and Alternative High School Credentials, Adult and Community Learning Services, Massachusetts Department of Education).

Mark dropped out of high school at 16 because of family problems, and he now wants to get his high school diploma. Phuong has been in this country for 15 years; now that her kids are in school, she wants to go back to school and get a diploma, too. And Jeannette wants to enter a community college with her oldest daughter to study child development, but without a high school credential she can't get in. What alternatives do adults and youth in Massachusetts have if they want to achieve a high school credential?

The Choices
In Massachusetts, youth who have dropped out of high school and adults returning to school have several choices for completing high school education. According to Ruth Derfler, director of GED and Alternative Adult High School Credentials at the Massachusetts Department of Education/ Adult and Community Learning Services (ACLS), the more we know about these options, the better we can help students make appropriate choices consistent with their experiences, abilities, and goals.

Options for adult secondary education include the General Education Development (GED), Evening High Schools, the Adult Diploma Program (ADP), and the External Diploma Program (EDP). Here's a summary of each.

GED
The nationally recognized GED is perhaps the most well-known high school equivalency credential. The GED contains a series of five academic tests intended to measure what graduating high school seniors have achieved. These tests include: language arts, writing; social studies; science; language arts, reading; and mathematics. Recent high school graduates who want to get a credential quickly and whose skills level allows them to jump right into preparation for the tests often choose GED.

Students can prepare for the tests alone or enroll in a program where they get counseling, support, and curriculum that often surpasses test preparation. For more specific information on passing test scores, retake policies, cost, and so on, please see the web sites listed at the end of this article, and see Tom Mechem's article on page 3.

The GED is perhaps the most "portable" of all high school credentials. Accountability is not an issue with the GED; the GED Testing Service in Washington, D.C., is responsible for developing the tests, norming and validating the tests, and setting the minimum scoring requirements.

People who are still developing English as another language and adults who have been out of school for many years may not have the skills necessary to pass the GED tests, even if they enroll in a GED class. These students may choose or be referred to an ESOL or ABE class or a pre-GED class. Or, they may choose or be referred to an EDP or ADP program.

Spanish GED
Accoding to Derfler, "Commissioner of Education, Dr. David P. Driscoll, has determined that Spanish-language GED testing may continue in Massachusetts. Individuals who successfully complete and pass the Spanish-language GED test battery will receive a 'Massachusetts High School Equivalency Certificate in Spanish.' At this time, we hope to resume Spanish GED testing by July 1, 2004. The logistics and locations for Spanish GED testing are now being finalized. We will provide more detailed information by May 1, 2004."

Evening High Schools
Another choice for recent high school dropouts (and others interested in classroom work) is an evening high school. About 15 cities and towns in Massachusetts (that the Department of Education is aware of) run these programs. According to Ruth Derfler at the ACLS, these programs cater to 16Ð 18 year olds, though many welcome, and are populated by, much older students. Young students in these programs may still have a connection to the high school and may only have a year or two to finish up their credits. The curriculum may be the same as day high school or modified. Two of the larger evening high schools in Massachusetts include New Bedford Evening School and Boston Central High School. Boston's program has been operating for over 100 years.

Competency-Based
Both ADP and EDP are competency-based programs designed with adults in mind. Though programs differ regarding the specific benchmarks, competencies, tasks, or whatever term is used to describe the things they have to do, they are similar in philosophy. They were also based on national modelsÑone originating in New York (offering 64 competencies) and one originating in Texas (offering 96 competencies).

These programs, often called alternative, external, or adult diploma programs, acknowledge that adults bring with them a wide range of practical skills and knowledge equivalent to what is achieved through a high school education. After assessing that equivalency, ADP and EDP programs provide a process where these adults can identify, sharpen, expand, and document this knowledge and these skills. Further, ADP and EDP programs offer a more flexible choice for students whose first language is not English.

Historically, credentials for the ADP and EDP programs have been approved on the local level, by the school committee in the city or town where students study. Like high school students, they receive a diploma upon successful completion of program requirements. However, accountability has been called into question as a result of Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993. We'll get to that a little later in the article.

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Steps in an EDP (New York Model)
In Boston EDP programs, EDP assessors are people on staff at the local adult basic education program who assist students with completing the EDP requirements. Some people call them instructors, but that's evidently a misnomer. EDP advisors (people hired by, and who represent, the school department), provide an evaluative role. Finally, there is a coordinator of Boston EDP programs hired by the city.

Students must pass reading, writing, and math diagnostic tests. These diagnostics, administered by advisors, demonstrate the foundation of academic skills. The writing diagnostic must be approved by the coordinator of EDP. If students do not pass the diagnostics, they are referred to appropriate ABE or ESOL classes to help develop their skills.

Once they have passed the diagnostics they begin the "task" work for their diploma. Students work on five tasks:

• Community Resources
• Consumer Awareness
• Occupation and Career Awareness
• Health
• Government and Society

Students self-pace their work with an assessor to complete their tasks. Some work is done as a group, while other work is done independently. For example, students may attend a performance together and write about it, while some other tasks require more individual exploration.

Student work submitted for a diploma is reviewed by the EDP assessor at the program level, the EDP advisor at the public school level, and the EDP coordinator.

Steps in an ADP (Texas Model)
In ADP programs based on the Texas model, students go through an assessment process during their intake to determine whether ADP is an appropriate placement. The assessment includes a diagnostic reading test. In ADP and EDP programs an assessor works with the student; however in some programs, the assessor may also be a diploma counselor or diploma consultant as well as an assessor. This counselor also requests high school transcripts. In the ADP, programs may also work on a credit system. Students make a variety of choices to achieve a certain number of credits: college classes, classes at their learning centers, research projects, and other possibilities. The diploma counselor walks students through a credit and verification process.

Community Learning Center
The Community Learning Center (CLC) in Cambridge developed its own program-designed ADP model. While they researched the Texas and New York models, as well as many other prototypes, they decided that no existing model met their needs. In CLC's ADP program, students receive credit for experiential learning. To attain a diploma, they must earn 224 CRLS credits, equivalent to 22.4 Carnegie units. (Carnegie units refers to one year of study or the equivalent in a secondary school study.) These credits must come from a combination of coursework and experiential credit. The demands are rigorous. While a student may complete a project based on experiences with and knowledge of topics relating to parenting (such as health), they do not receive credit, according to Bob Aimo, "just for being a parent." ADP students at the CLC take classes with GED students.

Also according to Bob Aimo, graduating ADP students display the following:

• Above a 10th grade reading, as evidenced by ABLE, and 11th grade for math
• A successful essay, achieved through as many drafts as the student needs
• Completion of a US history and civics requirement (difficult enough that some professionals shiver in their boots)

Students who enter the program already testing at a graduating level can opt to complete an individual project, approved in advance, in lieu of coursework.

The student's entire portfolio, including the essay, is evaluated on a pass/fail basis by the ADP Consultant and the Candidacy Review Committee, which includes the CLC director, the Cambridge Rindge and Latin principal, local educators, and community representatives. The flexibility of ADP/EDP programs, and the creativity and commitment of the participants and teachers involved, is often impressive.

Accountability Issues: MCAS and Beyond
For many years, oversight of high school programs, as well as EDP and ADP programs, has been with local school systems and their school boards. That is, school committees have been able to grant high school diplomas to students who meet locally defined criteria. This policy is changing as a result of Massachusetts Ed Reform Act of 1993. Starting with the class of 2003, legislators have mandated that students must now meet a competency determination in reading, writing, and math. To get a high school diploma, students in high school must pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) test. They start taking MCAS in the 10th grade, and can retake it as many times as they need to, often in their junior or senior years.

Many adult basic educators have serious issues with these requirements; they preface their specific arguments with an overarching one: the legislature did not consider adults returning to school when they mandated these changes regarding high school diplomas.

Many adult basic education practitioners see MCAS as problematic for a number of reasons. These reasons have been presented by the Massachusetts Adult Diploma Programs Committee, formed in 2000, in the form of a position statement. We are reprinting that statement on page 16. According to the Massachusetts Adult Diploma Programs Committee member Dave Stearns, an EDP assessor since 1992 at the Jamaica Plain Adult Learning Program, the committee does not object to statewide standards for adults. They want graduates to display proficiency in reading, writing, and numeracy, as well as possess an array of other skills and abilities. However, they do suggestthat there is room for certification of competency other than MCAS. He suggests that portfolios are a strong option.

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The Role of PAWG II
According to ACLS, the Performance Accountability Working Group (PAWG II) is "made up of teachers and directors of ABE programs and Department of Education staff who are working together to develop recommendations for performance accountability in adult basic education programs." The ADP Committee of PAWG II is charged with making recommendations to ACLS about the best way to meet competency determination for adults seeking a diploma. The ADP committee is exploring a variety of options. They are examining legal requirements, portfolio possibilities, and other issues. For more information about PAWG II, see www.doe.mass.edu/acls/pawg.

Where Do Curriculum Frameworks Fit In?
We know that MCAS is supposed to reflect learning based on the K-12 curriculum frameworks. We know, too, that there are adult curriculum frameworks. These frameworks have not yet been submitted to the Board of Education, however, and some are not in final form. Some practitioners suggest that we need to resolve the ABE framework issue so we can have a system where curriculum and assessment (or competency determination) is congruent.

Test Reform?
ACLS has contracted with UMass/Amherst to develop reading and math assessments based on the ABE curriculum frameworks. These are in the development stage. This may or may not affect the competency requirement issue for adult diplomas, but everyone I interviewed for this article mentioned it as a related issue.

Certificate vs. Diploma
Although students now receive a diploma from ADP, EDP, and evening high school programs, that may change under Ed Reform. The state sets its own guidelines about what constitutes a diploma and what constitutes a certificate. The diploma/certificate issue for adults in ADP, EDP, and evening high school programs is still unresolved. This impacts students. Many adults will resist entering programs and completing requirements if the end result is less than a diploma.

Role of MCAS in Dropout Rate
Many people assumed that GED, ADP, EDP, and evening high school programs would fill up because students are failing the MCAS and dropping out of high school. According to Ruth Derfler at the DOE, the relationship between MCAS and adult diploma programs is not that simple. Some students seek a GED even if they have passed MCAS in the 10th grade. They drop out of school for the same reasons they always have: pregnancy, problems at home, social issues, and more. Poverty, overcrowded and under-funded schools, racism, and other problems contribute to an increasingly high school dropout rate. MCAS is one factor that contributes to kids dropping out, but many reasons predate the test requirement.

Still, it is important to note that, according to the April 6, 2004, issue of The Boston Globe, "dropout rates in some of Massachusetts' biggest school systems spiked in 2002–2003, the first year that students had to pass the MCAS to graduate."

Conclusion
As it stands now, adult diploma programs are in a kind of limbo. They have a reprieve from the requirements of public high schools—but not for long.

It is incumbent upon all of us to, at the least, understand what is facing the field in this area. Even if we don't teach in an adult diploma program, we often counsel students who will move on to GED, ADP, EDP, or an evening high school.

Lenore Balliro is the editor of Field Notes. She can be reached at: lballiro2000@yahoo.com