Legislation will remove barriers to testing

SANTA FE — New Mexicans will be able to earn a high school equivalency credential at no cost under legislation that was approved by the state Senate and concurred in the House on Saturday, March 22.

House Bill 167, sponsored by Reps. Joy Garratt and E. Diane Torres-Velásquez and Sen. Nicole Tobiassen, will make the high school equivalency test free for New Mexico residents. The various costs and fees of each test total approximately $145. The New Mexico Higher Education Department anticipates this initiative will boost the state's rate of adults who earn a high school equivalency diploma. Adults with a high school diploma or equivalency in New Mexico earn an average of $6,500 more per year.

Nearly 200,000 adults in the state lack a high school diploma or equivalency. Adult education programs already provide free test preparation and instruction at 26 sites statewide. The department estimates removing the costs for New Mexicans — $145 per test — will result in a 20 to 40 percent increase in test participation over the next three years.

"We are in the business of education and the New Mexico Higher Education Department is elated to offer free high school equivalency testing to New Mexicans who aspire to further their education but have faced financial barriers," said Higher Education Sec. Stephanie M. Rodriguez. "Obtaining a high school equivalency can provide valuable opportunities for residents, and this legislation removes obstacles that will positively impact tens of thousands of New Mexicans."

Since 2021, the rate of New Mexicans taking the test has increased nearly 50 percent. The passage of House Bill 167 is expected to further boost the number of New Mexicans testing to further their own education opportunities.

"We are proud to be the fifth state in the nation to offer high school equivalency credentials to New Mexicans at no cost to them," said Rep. Garratt, bill sponsor. "Education is the right of everyone in New Mexico, and the New Mexico Higher Education Department is removing barriers to exercising that right, from loan repayment programs to covering costs of testing and tuition."

For more information about adult education programs in New Mexico, visit www.hed.nm.gov.