Hundreds of Missourians have decided not to waste and economic crisis.

When the economy is good, people who quit high school have an easier chance to find jobs….and keep them. But when the economy goes south and they lose that job, the lack of a piece of paper makes it hard in times like these to find a new one. That’s why GED classes throughout the state are often full.

State GED administrator Bill Poteet says 12-thousand people took the tests for the high school equivalency certificate last year. Nine thousand passed the test that is harder than many people think.

Poteet says adult education programs are adding classes and test opportunities as more people realize a diploma will help get that new job. The state education department doubled the number of test dates since January first. "We can chart the economy…by the number of people who are coming to us," he says.

Poteet says the main purpose of the program is to get people to the goals they want to achieve. He says about sixty percent of the people who go through the GED program want to go on to college.

Upload BP’s interview with BP (14:27 mp3)