Never could we have thought that the world as we know it would change so drastically—we are living in a time that is uncertain on many fronts.

We empathize with all of you that have been directly impacted by COVID-19 and we hope you, and your family and friends, continue to remain healthy and safe.

We would also like to thank and recognize each of you that have been dedicated, available and focused on continuing to support the millions of adult learners that need your guidance and assistance as they navigate learning during this challenging time.

While we find ways to prepare for what lies ahead, GED Testing Service maintains our commitment to the health and wellness of our employees and their families, our educators and our students. It is our priority to offer study tools and resources that help with this transition to learning during social distancing.

Through partnerships with publishers, we have been able to offer free materials to ensure that students have the opportunity to use this time to prepare themselves for the next steps in their education or career. More broadly, our team has worked to make sure that online study options and mobile-friendly tools are easier to find through curated and frequently updated resource pages. In addition, we are actively finalizing a partnership that would allow us to offer free on-demand courses in all four subject areas covered by the GED test to any student with online access through a laptop, tablet or smartphone.

One of the biggest challenges we have faced has been how to make sure students have the opportunity to take their GED test. Due to states mandating shelter in place or stay at home orders, many testing centers are closed and others are operating on a very limited basis. This presents an obstacle that we understand can discourage even the most determined and dedicated students. We are working diligently to create a testing option that would allow students to take their official GED test subjects through online proctoring in remote locations. This would help move some of our GED students that are ready to test closer to their goal during this time. We will continue to explore this option with full consideration of the security measures needed to protect the integrity of the GED credential.

In the midst of so much heartache and difficulty, we continue to be inspired and uplifted by stories of courage, community and compassion. We know that many GED students and graduates are working on the frontlines of this crisis in a number of vital roles that are keeping us safe, healthy and provided with our essential needs.

The GED community is one of resilience and perseverance and together we can continue to make a difference. And now more than ever we recognize the power and responsibility we have to uplift others through education. Please stay connected and let us know what we can do to further support you and your learners.

We wish you continued health and wellness.

–Vicki Greene, President of GED Testing Service

In this interview, Socorro ISD Instructor Melanie Garcia shares how she’s utilizing online tools and instruction to keep adult learners motivated.

Many graduation ceremonies have been canceled but that doesn’t stop the celebration of GED graduates and their accomplishments.

Our annual GED Grad Day event returns May 14th and we’re excited to celebrate all of the hard work GED students have done to earn their credential and pursue their dreams. Through the event we also hope to motivate other adults to take that first step and pursue their GED credential.

Each year we encourage current GED graduates, family members, friends, teachers, employers and aspiring graduates to join the virtual celebration by posting motivational messages, success stories and pictures on Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #GEDGradDay.

This year we’re highlighting ‘what’s next’ for GED graduates. We know the motivation to earn a GED credential can vary but the positive impact of earning a high school equivalency diploma is universal.

GED graduates go on to pursue postsecondary education, vocational training and careers in every field. We are proud of the many accomplishments of GED graduates and want them to share posts about what they plan to do or what they’re doing now that they have their credential.

Current GED students are also encouraged to join by sharing what their future plans are once they get their diploma. Educators and supporters are asked to share stories about how they decided what was next for them once they graduated high school or earned their GED.

These stories encourage others to think about what’s next in their lives and how a GED can change the trajectory of their future.

We look forward to having you join the virtual celebration on May 14th! Follow our Facebook page and more information about this year’s event will be shared soon.

GED Testing Service has created resource pages for both educators and studentsto provide updates and assist with finding distance learning options for GED preparation during COVID-19.

Our educator resource page features information about virtual tools to connect with students, content resources for developing lessons and digital resources from our publishers.

Through partnerships with our publishers we are able to offer free and discounted study tools to make instruction and studying during social distancing more accessible for GED students at all levels.

Some of the available options include:

GED Flash Interactive Practice Questions

GED Flash is a great way to help students stay sharp just minutes at a time. Students can benefit from:

• 1000’s of interactive questions just like the ones on the real test
• Step-by-step explanations to master the skills needed to pass
• Practice anytime, anywhere with easy mobile access.

For a limited time, new and existing GED Flash users will automatically receive an additional 30 days of access for free. This offer applies to the individual version of GED Flash available on GED.com. Programs that are interested in GED Flash for Organizations for their classrooms should reach out to sales@aztecsoftware.com.

Comprehensive distance learning with GED Play

In partnership with Aztec Software and Kaplan Test Prep, GED Play is a new, highly engaging distance learning video program. You can also pair GED Play with GED Flash for Organizations so students can practice the concepts they learn.

GED Play offers:

• Comprehensive videos covering all four GED test subjects
• Targeted content that aligns with skills evaluated on the test
• Short lessons that make it easy for students to learn without feeling overwhelmed

Bite-sized learning with GED Rapid Review

Many students have had their tests canceled because of test center closings due to COVID-19. To help students stay ready until rescheduling becomes available, we’ve partnered with Kaplan Test Prep to give free access to GED Rapid Review to all students who had their test canceled.

With GED Rapid Review, students can review key topics within each subject and keep concepts fresh in their mind through short video lessons.

We will continue to update our resource pages as we find additional options to assist with GED preparation and instruction during social distancing.

As programs across the country remain closed in response to the COVID-19 crisis, putting a temporary halt to in-person instruction, we have put together resources to help you stay connected to your students while continuing to prepare them for the GED test.

The latest webinar, Working at a Distance – Helping Students Continue Their Progress Toward the GED Test During the Time of Social Distancing, goes over best practices and resources related to distance learning programs. During the webinar GED Testing Service’s Professional Development Team, Debi Faucette and Susan Pittman, discussed key topics including:

• Testing realities and challenges
• Fears and concerns of adults during the pandemic
• Online resources that can help students stay engaged and continue learning
• Options to offer distance learning activities for students
• GEDTS resources that can be used in the classroom

Also, dive deeper into the points below:

• Keep everyone track even while apart by setting clear expectations and managing time well
• How to navigate tools such as Zoom for hosting live classes online
• How to best utilize social media, especially the GED community on Facebook, to stay connected despite social distancing

This recent webinar and other Tuesdays for Teachers topics are available on-demand through the GED.com Educator Resources page.