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The Community
A Newsletter for GED Testing Professionals and Adult
Educators
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January 2010
Feature Articles
Fact or Fiction? Getting it
right with the GED 20/20 initiative
We are here to answer a few questions regarding the recent
announcement of a new GED testing initiative. Based on President Obama's
goal for the U.S. to have the highest proportion of college graduates in
the world by the year 2020, this initiative will enhance the GED testing
program in an effort to serve more adults and to serve them better.
Post these Top Five Things to Know about the new initiative at your
desk today and make a resolution to tell others the facts about GED
20/20 in the New Year.
- There will not be a new GED Test until the year 2020.
FICTION
The number "2020" is only a reflection of the goals President Obama has
set for the country. GED Testing Service is already developing a plan to
update the GED Test well before the year 2020. More information about
this update process will be made available as early as the year 2010.
- The new testing program will support only computer-based testing.
FICTION
The paper and pencil distribution system for the GED Test will remain in
place until further notice. GED Testing Service is only beginning to
pilot computer-based testing comparability studies with certain
jurisdictions in order to understand its possibilities.
- The new testing program is interested in preparing GED graduates for
college. FACT
The end goal for GED testing is for the adult to earn a sustainable
living. Many careers require additional school or training and the GED
testing program must prepare those adults who are interested in
attending college.
- GED Test scores will expire Jan. 1, 2012.
FICTION
The national policy states that scores will continue to be
combinable after Jan. 1, 2012 as long as all the content area
tests completed were within the 2002 Series GED Tests.
- The new testing program will include preparation materials to help
students reach new goals. FACT
GED Testing Service is aware of the substantial effort, or lift,
required to move high school dropouts from their current educational
functioning level (EFL) to the GED Test—or college and
career-ready levels, and is working to ensure preparation materials and
systems are developed in parallel with the new testing aims.
About the GED Tests
Computer-Based Testing
Pilot Prepares to Launch Phase I
Eleven states are beginning conversations and planning to
launch Phase I of the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) pilot. Phase I will
begin with an online testing Usability Study, to understand how adult
learners interact with the CBT format. That study is being conducted in
late January through mid February.
Phase I will focus primarily on a Comparability Study, to be
conducted in the eleven pilot jurisdictions. The study will examine
whether test-takers' performance is similar across computer- and
paper-based modes of test delivery.
The 11 states that are part of the Phase I pilot include: Arizona,
California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina,
Michigan, Missouri, Texas and Virginia. More information about the CBT
pilot, including an outline of the study design and timeline, will be
available next month.
Marketing the GED Testing Program
Be part of the 1K Club!
GED Facebook Group Tops 1,000 Members
We need you to come on board and represent your expertise and
enthusiasm in the GED Testing Service Facebook group. This is a place to
share stories, help answer potential and current test-taker questions,
see current news and events, and connect with others. The more
adult educators and testing professionals we have on the group, the more
connections we can make and questions we can answer together—so we
hope to see you on the group soon.
The group is growing every day, reaching 1,000
members just before the New Year. To join the group, just sign up for a
free Facebook account, then click on our Facebook group link to join. GED Testing Service has
also developed a brief user guide for Facebook if you'd like more
information on the social media giant.
New Year's
Resolution: Use more short links
As more people are looking for GED-related information due to
their New Year's resolutions, make your own resolution and be prepared
to send them in the right direction. GED Testing Service has created a
number of short links to help you do just that. Short links can help
people find information on starting the preparation and testing process,
a local testing center, and a host of other information.
Check out the
Millennial Generation, and What it Means to You
Want to know more about your students and prospective students
who were born between 1980 and 2000? Curious about fundamental ways
their worldview is different from the Boomers or Gen X'ers? Wonder why
digital technology and social media are second nature to them? Trying to
decide how to harness different techniques to meet them where they
are?
We don't typically plug other newsletters, but this time we think you
should take a look at an interesting article on this very topic in KET's fall
Adult Learning newsletter.
Now Available: Updated
Proof of Achievement Brochure
One of the all-time most popular brochures about the GED
credential, "Proof of Achievement," has been updated and is available in
a downloadable PDF version on our web site. You can
also order printed brochures through the GED Testing Service Publications
and Products bookstore.
GED Testing Service Research
Now Available: Final
Research Studies of 2009
Access the full reports and executive summaries of the last two
research studies published by GED Testing Service for 2009:
- Policies of Test Centers and Jurisdictions and GED Candidate
Test Performance (2009)
- Reliability and Validity Evidence for the GED English as a
Second Language Test (2009)
You can download the PDF versions of these and all our research
studies online at GED
Testing Service Research Studies.
Did you miss last
month's newsletter? Here are the most-read stories from
December:
- Policy
Renewal on Expiration of Partial Scores
- Meet
the Woman Who Puts "ED" in GEDTS
- Receiving
& Returning GED Testing Materials
- No
Policy Change: Scores Across Series May Not Be Combined
- Update
on CBT Pilot
Local News
We need your help!
To submit your own stories about local GED stories about
success in preparation, testing or innovative ideas in action related to
the GED testing program, send the link and any associated pictures to help@GEDtestingservice.com.
Quick Links
Use them. Share Them. Love Them.
New! www.GEDtest.org/start
www.GEDtest.org/prep
www.GEDtest.org/administrators
www.GEDtest.org/locator
www.GEDtest.org/facebook
www.GEDtest.org/myspace
www.GEDtest.org/youtube
Local Headlines
Canada
"Never
Too Late" for Canadian man to earn GED credential
National (video)
Christian Slater goes back to school and earns GED
credential
Tennessee
Mining town boy goes far
Indiana
Diploma just a start for New Haven dad
Tennessee
Blount County mothers earn GED credentials, strive for
success
Florida
Florida Literacy Council warns against GED scams
Texas
From high school dropout to educator
Wisconsin
Community Action Board puts stimulus funds to good
use
Indiana
Indianapolis Colts help less fortunate during
holidays
Michigan
Program offers basic education for jobless
Please direct questions about this page to:
help@GEDtestingservice.com
This page last updated on 01/21/2010
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