The number of people attempting and passing the GED has plummeted. The Ohio economy is tough on low-wage workers with limited formal education. Without a high school diploma, it is virtually impossible to get a family-supporting job. But the GED has become a barricade, blocking Ohio workers from career goals, instead of a launching pad. Employers are missing out on 22,000 potential hires who are blocked from economic mobility. This report recommends: (1) Adding more alternate testing options as 21 states have done; (2) reinvesting in high school equivalency instead of cutting funding; and (3) evaluating the system to identify roadblocks and encouraging greater participation and passage regardless of exam vendors. A supplementary table is appended. [For the executive summary, see ED573534.]