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The Community
A Newsletter for GED Testing Professionals and Adult
Educators
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September 2009
Feature Articles
2008's Perfect Scorers
Recognized by GED Testing Service
Of the entire testing population in 2008, two candidates passed
the GED Tests with perfect scores of 800 on all five content area tests
and earned a combined score of 4000. Read their stories below and join
us in congratulating them on their exceptional accomplishments.
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Elliot Shipman was 18 years old when he passed the
GED Tests in the state of Washington. His primary source of information
about GED testing was the Internet. Elliot is now attending Evergreen
State College in Olympia, Washington thanks, in part, to a $1,000
scholarship from GED Testing Service. The 4000 Scholarship is awarded
annually to up to 3 test-takers who earn perfect scores and choose to go
on to postsecondary education. Elliot plans to take classes in music
production and composition, mathematics, and foreign languages. His
advice for potential GED test-takers and for those who are preparing for
the GED Tests is to not be afraid to take the tests; he adds, "You ought
to believe in yourself and trust your instincts."
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Monica Rodriguez was a senior in high school when
she left school to earn income and help support her family financially.
She passed the GED Tests in California when she was 20 years old. No
living in Texas, she is working and putting money aside to attend Austin
Community College. Monica's goal is to earn a degree in psychology or
sociology and to become a researcher. She advises prospective GED
test-takers to adequately prepare for the tests; she says there are many
materials available to help candidates become familiar with the
tests.
Read more about these exceptional students on the back cover of the
GED Testing Program 2008 Annual Statistical Report, downloadable from
the "Get it Now" box at www.GEDtest.org.
Georgia Grads Honored at
Annual Conference
Four GED graduates received scholarships at the 2009 Graduates Awards
Dinner, part of the annual GED Administrators Conference. Held in a
banquet hall overlooking the Savannah River, the event recognized the
significant challenges these local test-takers had overcome to earn
their credential and pursue their dreams. Each award recipient received
a scholarship to be put toward their postsecondary educational goals.
GED Testing Service, Prometric, and the American Nurses Credentialing
Center collaborated to provide the scholarships.
- Juliana Coleman spoke eloquently about her
nontraditional path of homeschooling and the financial challenges
associated with her dream of becoming a physician. A gifted orator,
Juliana said the GED credential leveled the playing field for her,
adding, "I am aware and appreciative of the ways the GED has made my
college experience possible." She is currently attending Clemson
University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.
- Donna Marlow took on a dual role of test-taker and
tutor during her GED testing experience. Helping her own daughter and
other classmates complete the process, Donna was honored as the highest
scoring recipient in attendance at the graduation ceremony. Donna now is
focused on becoming a teacher so that she can share her story as an
example to others that it’s never too late to start over. She is
enrolled at Griffin Technical College in the computer programming
specialist program and has been named to the Dean's List.
- Tracy Staines Powers became the first person in her
family to have more than a middle school education when she earned her
GED credential. Seeking to set a good example for her three children,
one of which was struggling with a learning disability, she applied
herself and earned her GED credential in just three months. She is now
studying aircraft structural technology at Central Georgia Technical
College and serves as a local resource for literacy programs, helping
others locate resources for adult education.
- Stephanie B. Morgan was an honors student in high
school before dropping out, but her drive to succeed never stopped.
Wanting to prove that she could achieve her goals, Stephanie attended
daily classes to prepare for the GED Tests and, after only four weeks,
earned her credential. Her renewed sense of self-worth propelled her
into college and she is now attending Armstrong Atlantic State
University to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing, with an ultimate
goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.
Did you miss last month's newsletter? Here are the most-read
stories from August:
- Government
Funded Adult Education Begins With You
- Development
of GED Test, 5th Edition: Calculator
- Development
of GED Test, 5th Edition: 5th Edition—Information Online
Now
- Examiner
Improves Financials, Customer Service in Only Two Hours a Week
- Passing
the 2002 Math and Writing Tests
Examiner's Corner
Eligibility of
Candidates to Take the GED Tests
The registration process should be designed to clearly
establish candidate eligibility. The GED Tests are administered to
eligible candidates only, according to the following minimum
guidelines:
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"Individuals shall be at least 16 years of age and not currently
enrolled in an accredited high school, including those accredited by
regional accrediting bodies and also those approved by the
jurisdiction's department or ministry of education.
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Only persons who do not hold a standard high school diploma are
eligible to take the GED Tests.
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Under no circumstances may the GED Tests be administered to persons
less than 16 years of age.
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Jurisdictions shall administer the GED Tests to any qualified adult
in accordance with jurisdictional rules, regulations, and/or
code."
The GED Chief Examiner or GED Examiner shall establish that all
candidates are eligible to take the GED Tests prior to testing. For more
information concerning eligibility requirements, refer to Section 4 of
the GED Polices and Procedures Manual (2008), and your state's
jurisdictional polices.
After the GED Tests
Help Adult Learners Transition
to New Careers
Many GED test-takers are transitioning to a new career and may
be looking for information about a profession or require additional
training after earning the GED credential. ACE's Center for Lifelong
Learning (CLLL), a sister program to GED Testing Service, has published
valuable links and resources for adult learners looking for support in
furthering their careers.
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First
Stop Career Center: Offers links for selected national and local
programs providing counseling, employment, training and financial
help.
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CenterPoint:
Monthly e-newsletter discussing best practices in lifelong learning and
adult education.
For more information from the Center for Lifelong Learning, email lifelong_learning@acenet.edu.
GED Testing Service will continue to feature new programs and resources
available from CLLL in the future.
Marketing the GED Testing Program
Download GED Logos
Authorized testing and ABE professionals can now download the
GED logos directly from our web site. These logos can be used in locally
produced brochures or giveaway items like T-shirts, and used on web
sites or newsletters.
To access and download the logos:
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Click on the link that says "GED Logos and Signs"
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Fill out the form:
- Name, title, email address
- Check the boxes to indicate how you will use the logos or to
indicate you are downloading official testing center signs
- Check the box stating that you agree to the disclaimer about logo
usage
- Click Submit
- From this page you may click on any of the hyperlinked text to open
and download the logos or signs based on the file type and size you
prefer
If you are unsure about local permissions to download and use the GED
logos, please contact your state GED Administrator.
GED Added to AP Stylebook
A listing for the term, GED, was recently added to the
Associated Press Stylebook online. Known as the journalist's "Bible,"
the AP Stylebook is an essential handbook for all writers, editors,
students and public relations specialists. The GED entry reads as
follows:
GED A trademark abbreviation for General Educational
Development Tests, a battery of five exams designed by the American
Council on Education to measure high school equivalency. GED should be
used as an adjective, not as a noun. Those passing the tests earn a GED
diploma or certificate, not a GED.
GED Testing Service will be working to distribute this entry more
broadly to dictionary and thesaurus publishers for consideration. You
can share this information with your local reporters to ensure the term
is used correctly in future stories. To learn more about the AP
Stylebook, go online to the Associated Press web site here: www.apstylebook.com.
The Community
Inaugural Issue Read by 100+, Hundreds More Subscribe
Thank you! The first issue of The Community went out on August 12th to
428 recipients around the country and 33% of you had a chance to open
and read the newsletter. Perhaps more importantly, those of you who did
open it told your friends! The population of subscribers doubled in just
one month, and more than 900 are receiving this month’s edition of
The Community.
Tell your colleagues to sign up for the only monthly newsletter
developed by GED Testing Service® for GED testing and
adult basic education professionals.
Send your colleagues to the online subscription page: www.GEDtest.org/thecommunity
Marketing Pilot Projects in
Arizona and Georgia
GED Testing Service and the GED testing program as a whole are
working on a major initiative to develop strategies that will improve
the visibility, image, and reputation of the GED Tests, GED diploma and
testing program nationally. The goal of the initiative is to establish
more effective marketing operations that function on both national and
local levels. This marketing would be intently focused on communicating
a series of key marketing messages that are true about the program and
the credential itself, embraced by the GED testing community as the most
important differentiators, and relevant to the program's key target
audiences, including: prospective test-takers, influencers of
prospective test-takers, employers, GED graduates, K–12 leaders,
policy makers, and members of the community at large.
It was decided that a national marketing plan must fully take into
account and be informed by the "on-the-ground" operations in the
individual states and jurisdictions. To infuse the national marketing
effort with local conditions, GED Testing Service selected two partner
states to develop and help implement state-specific marketing
initiatives. Those states, Arizona and Georgia, were selected due to a
number of factors, including the connection between adult education and
GED testing, stability of the GED Administrators, geography, testing
volume, eligible populations, and others.
Currently, GED Testing is completing the final pieces of a draft
marketing plan for each state. These will be reviewed by the core
working group, marketing team, and advisory team in each state and
approved for implementation this fall. GED Testing Service expects to
have materials available in each state in the beginning of 2010, and
will be monitoring the effectiveness of these materials closely.
Stay up-to-date on these pilots by reading future editions of The
Community.
GED Testing Service Research
New Study Examines Effects of
Preparation, OPT on Testing
Does taking time to prepare for the GED Test really make a
difference? Do candidates who prepare have higher scores than those who
don't prepare? What role does taking an Official GED Practice Test,
along with other types of preparation, play in performance? The answers
to these questions are in GED Testing Service’s latest research
report, Preparation for and Performance on the GED Test
(2009-2).
The study and its executive summary are available for download in PDF
format at no charge on the GED Testing service website under Research
& Publications.
Local News
Cat in Georgia Exposes Diploma Mills, GED Testing Service
Provides Facts
An employee of the Better Business Bureau recently used his cat
to show how diplomas earned online at Jefferson High School Online may
not be legitimate high school equivalency diplomas. This story was
picked up by news organizations including MSNBC.com who printed comments
submitted by GED Testing Service. Read full article.
New Program Offers Adults GED Credential and Career Readiness
Certificate
Virginia's "PlugGED In" program started last year to allow high school
dropouts the opportunity to earn their GED credential as well as skills
to enhance their marketability in the technology sector. Read full article.
To submit your own stories, send the link and any
associated pictures to help@GEDtestingservice.com.
Short Links
Use Them. Share Them. Love Them.
Local Headlines
Georgia
"You are the heroes in your own stories"
Minnesota
Resident honored for overcoming challenges and
accomplishing her goals
North Carolina
Student notes that GED credential will provide her with
better opportunity in life
International
Saigon native: I wouldn't trade my GED [credential] for
a million dollars
Minnesota
Waseca County Action Award honors GED graduate
Georgia
40-year-old mother is back in classroom
Florida
Dept. of Ed clarifies policy decision, calms
fears
Texas
Dropouts build homes, earn GED credential
Oregon
Despite medical degree, man goes back to earn GED
credential
South Carolina
Army Prep School graduates 2,000 with GED certificate in
first year of program
Nova Scotia
Government Distributes GED Preparation Books to Public
Libraries
Please direct questions about this page to:
help@GEDtestingservice.com
This page last updated on 09/15/2009
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