This bill mandates the establishment of a program by the State Board of Education to cover the fees for high school equivalency exams for low-income individuals within six months of the bill's effective date. A low-income individual is defined as someone living in a household with an income at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The program will only pay for one exam per individual and will specify the application process and required documentation for income verification.

Additionally, the bill amends the Workforce Development Partnership Fund to allocate a portion of its resources to cover the costs associated with the high school equivalency exam fees. Specifically, it introduces a new provision that allows 5.5% of the fund to be used for this purpose, alongside other established uses of the fund. The bill aims to enhance access to education for low-income individuals by alleviating the financial burden of taking these exams, which include the GED, Hi-SET, and TASC.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 34:15D-9