State Education Commissioner John King announced Thursday that New York will replace its General Educational Development (GED) test, which grants a diploma equivalent to a high school education.

GEDTS, a company run by the American Council on Education and Pearson Incorporated that creates the test, plans to double the cost of GED exams next year, to $120.

The State Education Department has made a new contract with CTB/McGraw-Hill to develop a new test, called the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC).

GED takers cannot be charged for costs for administering the tests, according to state law, so SED officials are finding a new testing company to cut costs.

The Albany Legislature and Governor Andrew Cuomo must set aside money for the contract in the state budget, and the contract must be approved by the state comptroller.

New York will be the first state in the country to switch from the GED to another high school equivalency exam.

The GED has been the standard for high school equivalency since it was created 70 years ago.