The Kentucky Community & Technical College System announced it awarded nearly 54% of all Kentucky GEDs in 2023, according to data from Kentucky Adult Education. The data said more than 2,500 GEDs were earned statewide in that year.
KCTC comprises 14 of the 26 adult education local providers in the state and their colleges served 49% of the 11,700 students enrolled in adult education. Those students, according to KCTCS, generated more than 51% of the measurable skill gains. These numbers include students who are housed primarily in local jails.
“We know education is the great equalizer,” said KCTCS President Ryan Quarles. “It is what opens doors to opportunities that weren’t previously available. Offering all Kentuckians a chance — regardless of their background — to complete their GED means giving them the added opportunity to continue their education and their skills training for a high-paying career.”
KCTCS said an estimated 290,000 Kentucky adults in the working-age population, or nearly 11% of people ages 18-64, do not have a high school diploma or GED credential. The college system said it offers free help for those wanting to earn the GED.
Community colleges that offer GED resources and services include:
- Big Sandy Community and Technical College
- Bluegrass Community and Technical College
- Gateway Community and Technical College
- Hazard Community and Technical College
- Henderson Community College
- Hopkinsville Community College
- Jefferson Community and Technical College
- Madisonville Community College
- Maysville Community and Technical College
- Owensboro Community and Technical College
- Somerset Community College
- Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College
- Southeast Community and Technical College
- West Kentucky Community and Technical College
“We are very pleased to host these life-changing programs on our campuses,” said Shauna King-Simms, KCTCS executive director of transitions and access, who also serves as the adult education liaison.
“Our campus locations elevate the activity as an adult-focused program, providing another step along the learner’s educational and career pathway. Students become familiar with a KCTCS campus and can make a more seamless transition into a postsecondary program,” she said.
-
