The countdown to the 2019 GED Testing Service Annual Conference has started! This year we’re hosting our three-day event at the Swissotel in Downtown Chicago, July 24th through 26th.

During the conference we’re offering opportunities to network with fellow educators, administrators and the GED Testing Service team. We will also provide the latest professional development workshops and information sessions related to the GED test program.

Keynote Speaker

This year author, inspirational speaker and human resources executive Steve Pemberton will keynote our conference. Pemberton is currently the Chief Human Resources Officer for Workhuman, a multinational human resources software company. His rise to professional success comes after spending much of his childhood as a ward of the state. Pemberton’s strong determination to rise above his circumstances and exceptional academic achievement earned him a full scholarship to Boston College. He would later work for his alma mater before taking Chief Diversity Officer positions at Monster.com and Walgreens. His inspiring life story is detailed in his best-selling memoir, “A Chance in the World.”

Professional Development Sessions

The annual conference is an opportunity for us to share insight on the best ways to prepare your students for the GED test subjects from who better but the creators of the test!

Our workshops and sessions will cover tips and strategies for teaching GED students, share some of the latest postsecondary outcomes data and student research and offer chances for you to ask the GED team your burning questions about the test.

The very popular Corrections track will also return this year with sessions designed to cater to the unique instructional needs of educators in the Corrections environment.

Here’s a sample of just some of the 25 plus sessions we’re offering:

• GED Outcomes and Data
• Accommodations Update
• Getting Students College and Career Ready in RLA
• From Integers to Factoring – Using Algebra Tiles in the Classroom Surrounded by Science
• Putting Technology to Work in the Classroom
• Moving Students from the Red Zone – Math
• What a Difference an Electronic Scoring Tool Can Make!
• Ask GED

GED Graduate of the Year Awards

Each year GED Testing Service recognizes several recent GED graduates for outstanding achievement with the GED Graduate of the Year award. During the awards luncheon the inspirational graduates share stories about their GED testing journey including the importance of their support system and the lasting impact the credential has as they pursue their personal and professional goals. We look forward to announcing and celebrating the achievements of this year’s winners at the conference!

These are just some of the highlights of what’s to come during the conference! We also encourage you to take time to check out the many attractions, festivals and events the Windy City has to offer.

If you haven’t registered there’s still time to join us! Sign up today and we’ll see you in Chicago!

The GEDWorks program is growing and so is the number of graduates earning their credential with the help of their employer.

To date almost 4,000 GED graduates have benefitted from the support of the GEDWorks program. This aligns with the increasing number of employers that are signing up to give their workers access to a no-cost GED credential.

Epi Breads and Bell’s Brewery are the latest two employers to partner with GED Testing Service. Epi Breads is a large scale bakery with locations in Georgia, Texas and Michigan. Bell’s Brewery is a regional craft brewery that employs more than 550 people over a 39 state area.

Over 20 national employers are now offering the GEDWorks program. These companies represent various industries including food service, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, media and transportation. Some of these employers include:

Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Jiffy Lube, Scholastic, Penguin Random House, Sheetz, The Cheesecake Factory, Total Wine and More, Royal Cup, The Texas Department of Transportation, Brinker International (Maggiano’s Little Italy & Chili’s Bar and Grill), Benchmark Electronics, Southeastern Grocers (BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harvey’s and Winn-Dixie), Red Roof Inn and Walmart.

Pearson and the American Council on Education (parent companies of GED Testing Service) have also started offering the GEDWorks benefit to employees and eligible family members.

As more companies join the GEDWorks family, we encourage you to tell your students about these employers and how they can enroll in the GEDWorks program.

The full list of participating employers and more information about the program is available here.

In our recent Tuesdays for Teachers webinar we shared tips and strategies to help GED students stay focused and push through the distractions of the end of the school year.

This webinar highlights information we have presented over the last few months related to the GED test subjects and research we’ve done to learn more about the student journey and postsecondary outcomes. We do recognize that some programs run throughout the summer and these tips are just as useful for instructors working with GED students that are continuing or starting their testing journey.

Student data and research outcomes

Each year we share data related to the number of students that have earned a GED credential. From July 1, 2018 to May 20, 2019, there were 163,013 completers and 127, 200 passers to make up the 78% national pass rate. This pass rate is higher than the rates seen prior to the 2014 test update.

Here’s a summary of national test taker data found via the GED Analytics data tool:

Earlier this year we launched a video project that showcases the GED student journey through the eyes of students in various stages of the process.

Through these personal video diaries, we are able to show the ups and downs of the GED preparation and testing process. Each student has offered to give us a glimpse into their intimate thoughts and day-to-day activities as they pursue their credential.

The student diary project features students attending the Academy of Hope Adult Public Charter School in Washington, DC, Open Door Learning Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota and the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in Washington, DC.

Our participants reflect the different backgrounds and stories that make up the GED student community. In particular we highlight the journey of parents, immigrants and DC natives in this phase of the project. We’re in Week 9 and we’ve just celebrated Cat, one of our DC natives, passing the GED test and we anticipate that our other participants will get the scores they need to pass their final subjects.

Here’s a look at the moment Cat found out she’s a new GED graduate.

This collaboration with adult education programs has given us the opportunity to highlight the impact educators and classroom instruction have in the GED preparation process. Students involved in the project are actively attending classes and working closely with their instructors.

It is our hope that current and potential GED students are able to connect with each of the project participants and feel inspired to push through obstacles they may be facing in their own journey. We will continue to share the videos on our Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts and we encourage you to share these videos with your own students as a source of inspiration and conversation.

**Students participating in the project received sponsorship through the GED testing process including access to GED Ready practice tests, operational GED tests and the GED Flash for Individuals study tool. The instructors of participating students received trial access to the GED Flash for Organizations product for their classroom.