What are the GED Tests?The Tests of General Educational Development (GED Tests) are designed
to measure the major and lasting academic outcomes students normally
acquired by completing a typical high school program of study. Each of
the five tests uses a multiple-choice question format. In addition,
every GED candidate must also satisfactorily complete a timed essay on
an assigned topic in order to pass the GED Tests.
Each of the five tests in the GED Tests battery is
developed from specifications established by experienced secondary
school and adult educators and is reviewed by subject-matter experts.
Every test question undergoes multiple reviews by test specialists and
external content specialists and is evaluated for fairness. Each
question is also field-tested before becoming part of a final test
form. The GED Tests are standardized on a regular basis using
a national stratified random sample of graduating high school seniors,
tested in the spring of their senior year. These seniors establish the
performance standard required for candidates to earn a GED credential.
Equating studies ensure comparability across different forms of the GED
Tests. The standard score scale for the GED Tests is derived directly from the performance of graduating high school seniors. Standard scores, and the accompanying percentile ranks, provide the vehicle for comparing the performance of GED candidates to the performance of graduating high school seniors. In order to pass the GED Tests, the GED candidate must currently demonstrate a level of skill that meets or surpasses that of the top 60 percent of graduating high school seniors.
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