This time of the year is so special as students celebrate the great accomplishment of graduating from educational programs that will enhance their lives and provide a brighter future. This is why GED Grad Day was created – to celebrate the accomplishments of recent GED Grads. Since many grads do not get a chance to walk across a stage, this is our way of applauding and honoring their hard work. Before COVID, Grad Day was a one-day social media event. We scheduled posts to celebrate grads, share their stories, and create social buzz throughout the day. Once COVID hit, Grad Day became Grad Week. We spread the social posts throughout the week in hopes that a week-long campaign would help drive engagement.

In 2023 we returned to Grad Day and had our first-ever virtual commencement ceremony. We also turned Grad Day into an awareness campaign that targets prospective and current learners to use Grad Day as a target date to complete their GED. Last year, I was honored to make opening remarks and was moved by our commencement speaker Dr. Rolundus R. Rice, and by our inspiring grads, Fina, Katie, and Gabriel. At the height of the stream, we had over 700 people join us live. Since then, the recording has had over 16.5k views between Facebook and YouTube.

This year we are delighted to again livestream the ceremony on our Facebook Graduates Community Group. Please share this information with your students so they can join us and celebrate the many GED graduates this year. You will not want to miss it – this Friday, May 17, 2024 at 1 PM ET on our Facebook Graduates Community Group. You still have time to submit a shoutout to one of your students or remind them to recognize a Class of 2024 grad on this year’s Wall of Love: https://testimonial.to/gradday-2024. The Wall of Love will be shared publicly on Grad Day.

If GED Grad Day wasn’t exciting enough, we will also launch our new podcast, Education UnplugGED, this Friday, May 17! I will host the podcast and will be interviewing grads, educators, and companies to share success stories and spread the word about the GED credential. Our first episode features Kellie Blair Hardt – GED grad, math tutor, and GED Testing Service board member. Bookmark this page and check back on Friday for the first episode!

The GED Testing Service would like to welcome the state of Tennessee back after an eight-year hiatus. The state officially offers the GED as of April 18, 2024. Since Tennessee last offered the test in 2016, we have made many innovations, such as GED Marketplace, an updated website, and a soon-to-be-launched GED Mobile App that will make it easier for learners to connect with the GED.

A Tennessee State Administrator expressed his excitement: “We are thrilled to be back in the GED family after an 8-year break. This partnership is set to soar once again.” With the GED program, Tennessee’s adult learners can now leverage its unique benefits, joining the ranks of new GED program graduates entering the workforce and succeeding in postsecondary programs at unprecedented rates.

Adult learners in Tennessee who are at least 18 years old can once again take the GED test in either English or Spanish. The GED offers several innovative features, including a comprehensive and mobile-friendly website, GED.com. This platform provides tools to help students navigate the GED testing process and preparation while educators can access useful free resources in both English and Spanish. We also offer additional benefits like College Ready + Credit. If students score in the 165-174 range, they have the skills needed to start college-level courses and may be exempt from placement tests and remedial courses in college. A score of 175-200 could make them eligible to earn college credit, depending on their program.

Learners in Tennessee will also be eligible to participate in GEDWorks, a program endorsed by some of the nation’s most renowned brands, including Amazon, Jiffy Lube, Taco Bell, and KFC. This program is a comprehensive support system, offering employees and, in some cases, their family members everything they need to study for and earn a GED credential, all at no cost. The GED Testing Service offers flexible testing options for learners, in addition to learners having access to convenient testing appointments each week, giving learners complete control over which tests they take and when. To find more information on adult education programs in Tennessee, visit: Find Your Program (tn.gov)

As we recently celebrated Mother’s Day, we included this inspiring student’s success story to applaud her journey as a Mom and GED Grad!

What was the motivation to pursue your GED?

I have struggled with motivation for as long as I can remember. Challenges scared me, and perseverance was not my thing. However, I believe that God places people in our lives to lead us to greatness.

I was very fortunate that a woman named Lessie Parker entered my life and became my mentor. This woman saw greatness in me before I had seen it in myself. She pushed me to get my high school diploma and an industry-recognized Office Administration credential. After I obtained my high school diploma, a few years later, I started to desire “more” in life. I signed up to attend one of my local colleges and found out that my high school diploma was not accredited. Devastated, I immediately lost hope. Fortunately, an Alamo College advisor encouraged me not to give up, but she recommended that I attend the Adult Education Program at Palo Alto College. At first, I was embarrassed and nervous as I felt I was attempting a goal I could not accomplish. Thankfully, I overcame that fear and signed up that week.

What are the most rewarding aspects of completing your GED?

One of the most significant rewards of earning my GED was the personal growth it sparked. For the first time, I confronted my fear of higher education head-on and declared that I would ‘Finish.’ This mindset shift led me to tackle more challenging obstacles and develop a pattern of perseverance.

How did your GED credential help you pursue further education or job opportunities?

Earning my GED credential once again taught me how to have Faith and tap into a God-given strength to overcome. This strength and new mindset made me want more, knowing I was more than just a GED Recipient. I was destined for greatness, and the veil of endless, unused opportunities was broken when that credential was gained, opening the doors to career and employment opportunities awaiting me.

I started my career in the Alamo Workforce Development through the Texas Workforce Commission with something that couldn’t be earned or learned. I had “experience.” I walked the walk and could now talk the talk. I could relate realistically to serving the demographic of people who didn’t receive a high school credential. I have enjoyed working in the Alamo Workforce Development for eight years and have started my own life coaching and consulting business. I will receive my BA in Behavioral Science Psychology/Life Coaching in 2026 and finish my MA in Psychology as a Licensed Therapist (LPC).

Please share any advice with current GED learners.
I advise future GED learners always to be honest about where they are mentally. You can want better and greater, but the results will be very discouraging if you aren’t ready to work. It’s not that you can’t accomplish or complete the task. Your mindset hasn’t changed yet. You have to be willing to go against the person you currently are and work towards becoming the person you want to become, as they are always battling against each other. You can overcome so much more than you think. Remember, obtaining your GED credential is one success of many to come. The best is yet to come!

GED^® Testing Service recently reached out to adult educators, program directors and jurisdiction administrators for feedback on program administration and services we provide, such as professional development. We also wanted to learn about expectations and interest in services beyond the GED credential as graduates take on other challenges in school and work. Our annual Satisfaction Survey was conducted in March 2024 with 498 responses, including 55 Jurisdiction Administrators and GED Program Directors. 20% of the adult educator respondents work in a Correctional facility that offers the GED test.

Here are some of the highlights of the survey:

• 86% of respondents agree or strongly agree that their relationship with GEDTS is very important to them

• 76% of those surveyed are satisfied or very satisfied with the progress of students in their jurisdiction earning their GED credential

• 68% agree or strongly agree that their program is better because of their partnership with GEDTS

• 61% of adult educators believe GEDTS should play a role in helping GED graduates go to college, while 53% would like GEDTS to help GED graduates find jobs

• 53% of respondents strongly agree (16%) or agree (37%) that GEDTS advocacy has positively impacted the state of adult education in their jurisdiction

• A variety of comments were mentioned as areas for improvement, including a desire for more efficient test center set-up, more preparation materials and guides in Spanish, and more efficient phone service for learners, as well as updated sample test practice questions on GED.com. The survey affirmed a strong bond between State Relationship Managers, jurisdiction administrators, and program administrators and educators, and overall high satisfaction levels with the operations support received.

Although the survey will be conducted annually, we welcome your continued feedback and comments on how we can work together and enhance our programs and processes to better serve you and our adult learners. We are thankful to those of you who took the time to provide us with this valuable feedback.