HCPS NEWS DESK

Hillsborough County Public Schools is notifying GED candidates and those who haven’t passed all five parts of the GED test that the current version of the test will expire at the end of 2013. The current version, known as the 2002 Series GED test, will be replaced with the new, more expensive 2014 GED test on January 2, 2014.

Those who have taken the 2002 Series GED test, but not passed all five parts, have until the end of 2013 to pass or they will need to start over again in 2014 with the new GED test in order to receive their high school credential. Currently, an individual can go through orientation and take the full exam. If they don’t pass the entire battery, they can retake those parts of the exam that they did not pass previously.

“The GED test opens doors to college, better jobs, the respect adults deserve, and the satisfaction of earning a high school credential,” said Superintendent MaryEllen Elia. “We want to be sure that everyone is aware of this deadline and that GED test-takers must act now to finish and pass before the current test expires.”

Support is available through the Hillsborough County Public Schools Adult Education Department. Interested GED test-takers can find more information by clicking on GED Testing Information at [ http://www.acesdhc.org ]www.acesdhc.org.

A few important tips about testing in Hillsborough County Public Schools before the end of 2013:
-Registration deadline for repeat GED® test-takers is December 13, 2013, if seats are still available.
-Registration deadline for new GED® test-takers is December 6, 2013, if seats are still available.
-Last day to take the current version of the GED® test is December 16, 2013.

The cost to take the new test is approximately $130. The cost to the 2002 Series GED test is $70. Writing retakes are $16 and math, reading, social studies, and science are $14 each. The cost of each section of the 2014 GED test is expected to be $26.

Alexander Elementary School Principal Kristina Alvarez promised students that if they achieved 100 percent attendance during the first semester of the school year they could compete for a chance to cut 10 inches of her hair.  First grader Cynthia Garcia is pictured with hair stylist Diane Burchardt cutting Ms. Alvarez’s hair on Monday, Feb. 4.  She is donating the hair to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a partnership between Pantene and the American Cancer Society that turns donated hair into free, real-hair wigs for women with cancer.