Effective Sept. 28, 2020, the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education (IDCTE) will move from DiplomaSender to Parchment to manage and verify all General Education Development (GED) records for the state. The GED is a series of four tests that measure high school equivalency. More than 1,900 Idahoans passed the GED in 2019, and even more are expected to pursue a GED in 2020 because of COVID-19.

“We decided to move to Parchment because it directly connects with the GED records system,” said Molly Valceschini, State Program Director, Adult Education and GED for IDCTE. “That means students don’t have to create an additional account to access their documents or experience delays in getting their documents simply because of account login issues that take a long time to resolve.”

Now, students who pass the GED will be immediately sent an email notification with links to download electronic versions of their documents and instructions for ordering paper copies. Also, more than 90% of U.S. admissions offices can receive and download electronic documents from Parchment securely.

“That can really make a difference for students applying for jobs or post-secondary institutions,” said Valceschini.

Because all records can now be accessed electronically, the State Board of Education approved IDCTE’s proposal to waive the $10 processing fee for the High School Equivalency Certificate (HSEC), which is the GED counterpart to a high school diploma. After a tester passes the GED test series, they may order an HSEC directly from Parchment.

“IDCTE supports increasing equity and access for Idaho students. Students who earn their HSEC by passing the GED deserve to receive the document they’ve earned free of charge,” said Valceschini. “I think it’s important for Idahoans to move forward in their academic and professional lives without any additional barriers, and removing the certificate fee is a step in the right direction.”