By: Tara Kunkle

Many people have been trying to get their General Education Development degree. Local programs are reporting that they are nearing capacity. Unemployment rates among those who don’t have a high school diploma jumped to 12.6 percent in February which is the highest among any educational attainment level. With all of the layoffs a lot of people need their GED.

Megan Engle of the Middletown Journal recently interviewed Toshia Hymer who dropped out of high school to have her first son. According to Megan, Toshia wants to go back to school to be a Licensed Practical Nurse. When she dropped out, she got two jobs to take care of him which made it hard to go to school. Hymer does not want her son to be 24 years old and going back to high school.

The Middletown City School’s Adult Education program had 505 people earn their GED last year. For the 2008-09 school year around 400 people have earned their GED with three months still left in the academic year. The program in Warren County is nearing capacity as it faces a decrease in funding.  Many know the job market is tight, therefore, more people are following through with attaining their GEDs.