A new law will lower the age requirement for one to be eligible to take the General Equivalency Test in Illinois.

“This brings the GED requirement in line with the recent change in law for mandatory school attendance,” said Gil Morrison, regional superintendent of schools for DeKalb County and state chairperson for GED for the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools.

Under current law, an individual must be 18 years old to take the GED exam and receive a GED certificate. The new law will change this age to 17, which matches the state’s truancy age.

“The lowering is just part of the overall package,” said Steve Morse, Illinois Community College Board spokesperson. “The truancy age is now 17 instead of 16. This just kind of puts it in line with that and makes the two ages coincide.”

The new law will take effect June 1, 2008. State Senator Edward Maloney (D-Chicago) said people who drop out of school will be more likely to take advantage of the GED now because there’s less of a waiting period.

“There’s no question in the minds of most people that the regular high school diploma is a valuable tool,” Maloney said. “The GED is something that helps in unique situations where someone may have fallen behind in credits and was unable to finish school and is now in a position where they have to get out and work. This gives them that opportunity.”

Morrison said he does not believe the lowered eligibility age for taking the GED exam will increase current drop out rates.

“Most students who drop our are experiencing difficulties with school,” Morrison said. “Not everybody can succeed in a public education setting.”

The GED demonstrates to prospective employees that the individual has a general equivalent of someone who graduated high school, Maloney said.

“There have been great success stories of people who have gotten their GED,” Maloney said.