The GED Option program provides an alternative way to earn a high school credential for students still enrolled in high school.

This program is beneficial for students at risk of dropping out of school or are so far behind in credits that their ability to graduate on time with their class is jeopardized. GED Option allows these students to stay in school and acquire the high-school-level knowledge and skills to pass the GED test, while earning a high school credential during the same graduation year as their peers.

Additional benefits include receiving an individualized learning plan and the program being administered locally to best meet student needs.

Minimum GED Option requirements include:

• Students meet eligibility criteria (e.g., be a minimum of 16 years of age and enrolled in school) to participate
• Students should receive ongoing academic and career advising
• All instruction is to be at a High School level
• Program must include a GED Option Coordinator
• Students earn either a regular High School Credential (preferred and recommended) or an Equivalency Credential
• Students participate in a High School Graduation or ceremony

You can learn more about the GED Option program, implementation, if it’s available in your state, and how to adopt the program in your state here: https://ged.com/educators_admins/ged-option/

Our upcoming webinar will share how learners can earn a personalized debt-free college education.

Tuesday, October 25th at 3:30 pm ET, attendees will have the opportunity to meet an advisor and college coach and learn about the Accelerated Pathways Program’s personalized approach to college success with debt-free options.

Join us during the webinar to listen, learn, and most importantly, have a robust Q and A discussion about the connections you and your GED candidates can make to a debt-free college education.

Pearson’s Accelerated Pathways have helped more than 24,000 students access more than 2,000 colleges and universities. Part of their process includes comparing university options and helping students gain entrance from digital learning to matriculation to a college of their choice.

Once the learner earns the maximum number of general education credits from Accelerated Pathways, they can transfer to their selected college to complete their degree. All credit earned through Accelerated Pathways is regionally accredited and guaranteed to transfer to the learner’s selected college. Accelerated Pathways will even help the learner prepare an official transcript(s).

A demo of an Options report will be provided, and a GED student story will be shared.

During the presentation, we’ll be joined by Liza Canchola, Accelerated Pathways, Director of Client Revenue & Operations, and Elizabeth Koliba, Accelerated Pathways, Academic Counselor.

You can register for the webinar here: https://pearson.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfuirrTwjGNemODawDzltPsVYetpgo0Lf

In recognition of National Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, we’ve partnered with Aztec Software to highlight adult educators and their unwavering dedication to improving the lives of all learners.

Reyes Rivera, Director for Brownsville ISD Adult & Continuing Education, located in Brownsville, Texas, shared reflections about working in the field of adult education.

We’re launching a new series of Tuesdays for Teachers webinars focused on helping educators connect their learners to college and career options. Our first webinar, Pearson’s Network of Opportunities for the GED Student and Graduate, will highlight opportunities Pearson has for GED students and graduates to explore postsecondary education, career training, skills’ badging, and more.

Our partners from Accelerated Pathways, Credly, and Julius Ed/GEDWorks will provide you with new ideas and resources to help you, and your GED candidates think beyond their tests to their future goals. Our special guests for the webinar are:

• Liza Canchola, Accelerated Pathways, Director of Client Revenue & Operations
• Pat Leonard, Credly Vice President, Partner, and Business Development
• Matt Evans, Julius Ed Managing Principal

Join us Tuesday, September 27 at 2:30 pm CT to listen, and learn about opportunities available for GED learners. We’ll also have a robust Q&A discussion about the connections you and your learners can make to:

1) no or low-cost access to college, 2) employment opportunities with employers looking for their unique skills demonstrated by a GED credential, and 3) training for job & career pathways in cleantech and the green economy, through Julius Education, including a green jobs training program in Denver, CO.

You can pre-register for the webinar here: https://pearson.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwlce2pqT4rH9NlW1glmEf3INCsa7vm21IK

With over 20 million GED® grads and counting, we know that students couldn’t achieve their high school equivalency without the hard work and dedication of educators like you.

It is our goal to help you inform your students that with commitment, preparation, practice, and study, they need to become GED grads. Our recently launched, GED Playbook for Adult Education Program Directors, Managers, and Instructors is intended to assist in navigating and understanding the GED program.

Within this Playbook you’ll find dozens of helpful resources and tips for:

• Those who oversee and manage the GED adult education programs, including Teachers, and Tutors
• Those who provide prepare and plan lessons and are employed by GED education programs or community-based (teachers)
• Those who work independently and provide one-on-one instruction to GED students (tutors)

The Playbook will help you better understand the GED Testing Service organization and discover the program structure and test. Content and support include areas of instructional focus for each test subject. In addition, you’ll learn about college readiness and career development for students. Best practices around diversity, equity, and inclusion are also part of the Playbook.

Sneak peek into the Playbook: The Self-Assessment for Adult Education Instructors helps determine if becoming an Adult Education instructor is a good fit for you. The assessment will also help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement. You can also use this to help develop a custom professional plan to help you excel as an adult education instructor.

Download the Playbook here:

https://ged.com/wp-content/uploads/GED_Playbook_2022-08_1937a_FINAL.pdf

We want you to help spread the word to learners about the importance of registering to vote and participating in local elections! GED Testing Service is partnering with When We All Vote, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that is on a mission to increase participation in every election and close the race and age voting gap. Their goal is to change the culture around voting, harness grassroots energy, and create strategic partnerships to reach every American. When We All Vote helps people register to vote, check their current registration status, find resources on voting rights, and provides links to ways you can get involved with advocacy efforts and contact elected officials.

What can you do? Tell your learners! Here are some great resources to share in your classrooms and on social media on National Voter Registration Day—September 20th.

You and your learners can also register to vote or check your voter registration status by visiting: https://vote.civicnation.org/register/ged/

News and updates for September 2022:

• Free Information Session for GED Students: Learners looking for guidance on how to start or finish their GED journey can sign up for a free informational session with a GED Advisor. Advisors will provide background about the GED test program and answer any questions the learner has about the next steps. https://ged.com/41320/
• Free GED Testing Available in MA: As of September 12th, Massachusetts is paying for a candidate’s first GED test in each subject plus limited retakes (two retests per subject). Learners can find the promo code and more information here: https://www.doe.mass.edu/hse/

News and updates for September 2022:

• Free Information Session for GED Students: Learners looking for guidance on how to start or finish their GED journey can sign up for a free informational session with a GED Advisor. Advisors will provide background about the GED test program and answer any questions the learner has about the next steps. https://ged.com/41320/
• Free GED Testing Available in MA: As of September 12th, Massachusetts is paying for a candidate’s first GED test in each subject plus limited retakes (two retests per subject). Learners can find the promo code and more information here: https://www.doe.mass.edu/hse/

News and updates for September 2022:

• Free Information Session for GED Students: Learners looking for guidance on how to start or finish their GED journey can sign up for a free informational session with a GED Advisor. Advisors will provide background about the GED test program and answer any questions the learner has about the next steps. https://ged.com/41320/
• Free GED Testing Available in MA: As of September 12th, Massachusetts is paying for a candidate’s first GED test in each subject plus limited retakes (two retests per subject). Learners can find the promo code and more information here: https://www.doe.mass.edu/hse/

Pearson VUE’s IT Specialist Certification program helps newcomers to the tech industry build foundational knowledge and develop skills that jumpstart career paths and fill crucial skills gaps. This program can help your learners earn certification for entry-level IT positions.

The program features a variety of topics catering to every interest — from network security and databases to HTML, JavaScript and more. And it features everything students need to get certified, including learning materials, interactive labs and practice tests.

The IT skills gap has been growing for years. And because technology moves so fast, it won’t be shrinking any time soon. At the same time, in today’s competitive job market, professionals need to differentiate themselves more than ever. And for those just getting started in IT or considering a career shift to tech, one of the most effective ways to do that is with IT certifications.

IT certifications power career growth

A recent survey* found that after earning a new certification:

• 77% of respondents enhanced their professional profiles
• 76% gained increased respect from their peers
• 61% moved into a coveted IT job role

The challenge many students face is the relative lack of fundamental IT certifications for professionals new to IT. Most IT certifications assume a certain amount of experience that those just starting a career in IT simply don’t yet have.

Help them take the next step toward achieving their career goals

You can help them bridge that gap and navigate the certification path with the Information Technology Specialist program. Focused on fundamentals, the program’s 15 certification exams help people interested in technology prove their knowledge across topics like software development, database administration, networking and security, coding, and more. Plus, they can demonstrate their commitment to upskilling, grow their confidence, and become more competitive.

Many of the certifications in the IT Specialist program will also help prepare aspiring professionals for higher-level certifications from companies such as CompTIA, Microsoft, and AWS — leading to exciting careers in fields that demand cloud and cybersecurity expertise.

Everything you need to get students certified

And it’s more than just the certification exams. You can help prepare your students for the IT workforce with valuable learning materials, practice tests, and certification exams. Supplementing your curriculum with the following materials is easy and seamless:

• Video-based e-learning courseware
• Interactive labs
• Prescriptive study guides

Learn more about the ways you can support your students as they embark on IT career paths. Visit our website to get started.

*Pearson VUE, 2021 Value of IT Certification Report

GED Testing Service presented five GED graduates from Georgia with the 2022 GED Graduate of the Year award during the GED Testing Service Annual Conference.

Jalisa Marks of Fulton County, Ashlee Adams of Commerce, Natosha Banks-Nolley of Lawrenceville, Toby Patton of Carrollton, and Angela Sevier of Columbus, are the recipients of this year’s awards.

This award recognizes students who recently earned their GED credentials and displayed exceptional dedication and scholarship during the preparation and testing process. Winners of the GED Graduate of the Year award received a $1,000 scholarship and participated in a professional photoshoot.

Here’s a look at each of their stories:

Ashlee Adams

Adult Education has had a huge impact on Ashlee Adam’s life. She credits it for getting her through the hard times and giving her confidence. In elementary school, she was diagnosed with a severe health condition which caused her to miss a lot of school. She also experienced bullying and says that her dogs were a source of comfort and friendship and inspired her to pursue a career that would allow her to help animals. Motivated by this goal, Ashlee enrolled in classes at Lanier Technical College and earned her GED credential with plans to become a veterinarian technician and eventually a veterinarian.

Ashlee has recently accepted a position with the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Advisory Board for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with the goal to mentor and inspire others with similar health conditions. Ashlee shares that her father is her hero and inspiration.

Natosha Banks-Nolley

Natosha Banks-Nolley is a proud graduate of the Adult Education program at Gwinnett Technical College. In 2018, Natosha decided to invest in herself and enrolled in the high school equivalency program at Gwinnett Technical College. With hard work and dedication, she earned her GED diploma in 2020. Earning her credential opened the door to many opportunities. Natosha is enrolled in Gwinnett Technical College to pursue a degree in Culinary Arts. She has the goal of starting her own catering business for large events and social gatherings. She has shared that she is grateful that the Gwinnett Technical College Adult Education program has made this a possibility for her and others. Natosha resides in Lawrenceville with her husband and their children. She shared that her children are her biggest inspiration.

Jalisa Marks

Jalisa Marks enrolled in the Atlanta Technical College Adult Education program after several attempts to complete her GED credential. While in the program, she reached the goal of obtaining her high school equivalency degree and an OSHA-10 Forklift certification and began pursuing an associate degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Jalisa said that Atlanta Technical College’s program helped her realize her true potential while helping her meet many generous people who were invested in helping her achieve her goals. Jalisa is a Georgia native and resides in Fulton County with her sons.

Toby Patten

Before Toby Patten began the West Georgia Technical College Adult Education Program, he worked in a restaurant earning $5.00 an hour. Toby was frustrated with his situation and felt he had missed his chance to be successful until his mother encouraged him to check out West Georgia Technical College. He was nervous because he didn’t complete high school beyond sophomore year, but Toby’s fears dissolved after attending his first class with the program, thanks to his enthusiastic instructors. Once his confidence kicked in, Toby didn’t want to stop at getting a GED diploma, so he enrolled in West Georgia Technical College to pursue a degree in Robotics and Engineering. Toby says his biggest inspiration is his mother, who raised four children and went to college while maintaining a career.

Angela Sevier

When Angela Sevier moved to Columbus, Georgia, in 2019, she decided to change her life. She entered the Valley Rescue Missions Women’s Addiction Recovery Program and studied for a high school equivalency diploma. She later registered for the Adult Education classes at Columbus Technical College for additional guidance and immediately began to see a difference. Angela said the program helped her understand and retain information while motivating her to succeed.

Angela accomplished her goal of obtaining a GED credential in July 2021, and she immediately enrolled in college to pursue an associate degree in Human Resources. She currently serves as a Program Assistant at the Women’s Addiction Recovery Center and a live-in staff member because she wants to inspire others facing life challenges. Angela says her daughter inspired her to start classes and earn her diploma.

We’re excited to announce a great new way for educators to purchase GED test subjects and directly assign them to learners.

The GED Direct eCommerce feature within GED Manager allows you to do this without voucher codes to manage. You won’t need to extend expiration dates, and learners can schedule their assigned GED tests from their student accounts.

GED Direct allows you to purchase all your tests at once – GED Ready Practice tests, In-Person GED tests, and Online Proctored GED tests.

You can learn more about this new tool by logging into your GED Manager account. More information about GED Manager and how to obtain access is available here: https://ged.com/educators_admins/test_admin/ged_manager/