We are very excited to continue growing our GED reach while providing more and more students the opportunity to earn their high school equivalency and improve their future earning potential.

Montana – We appreciate the State of Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction, Elise Arntzen for helping us communicate that the GED will now be a high school equivalency exam option to qualifying individuals. Montana’s testing sites and official launch date are still being determined. For more information visit http://opi.mt.gov/

Missouri – We applaud Megan Wadley and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for making high school diplomas more accessible for people who have not received them yet. The state will offer free virtual and in-person classes in testing sites to be determined. Missouri Department of Corrections will also offer the GED test to its in-custody population. Please visit hse.mo.gov for more information.

Louisiana – We are happy to welcome the state back and its first of testing centers later this year! The GED will be offered at several testing sites and at the Louisiana Department of Corrections.

West Virginia – We are happy to have West Virginia join the GED family. GED test takers must enroll in an adult education program before scheduling to take the GED test.

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average individual will earn about $9,000 to $10,000 higher annual salary with a high school equivalency credential.

The diversity in our four new states is illustrated in the following table:

Information from data.census.gov

Welcome, Jane Bledsoe, GED Director of Product Management, who will share information on Accelerated Pathways with our network of educators and administrators.

Tell us about Accelerated Pathways. How can it work with the GED curriculum and what are the advantages for our learners?
Accelerated Pathways is a non-traditional, online college experience that offers a proven plan to earn an affordable online degree in less time. Students in our program can customize their college experience and save thousands of dollars. Once students have completed their GED credential, they can continue their lifelong learning by signing up to take college-level courses accepted by over 2,200 colleges and universities nationwide.

Question: What is Accelerated Pathways’ Bridge –to-College Program?
This is an ideal program for the GED learner because it allows learners who did not score “college ready” on their GED to earn college credit while gaining knowledge in core subjects. The flexibility of monthly start dates, online classes and assignments are other great advantages for GED learners.

Question: Why is it important for our educators and administrators to know about the Bridge to College Program?
The Bridge to College Program consists of three courses designed to prepare students for hybrid (combined remedial and traditional) college-level work: College Success, College Algebra, and English Composition I. All three of these courses will run in an instructor-led model so that learners have support from their instructors and coaches throughout. College Algebra and English Composition I are 16 weeks long. College Success is an 8-week, first-year experience course designed to prepare learners for the rigor of college-level coursework.

Where can educators, administrators, and learners find out more about Accelerated Pathways?
Visit Accelerated Pathways, or contact enrollment-ap@pearson.com or call (210) 318-4131.

Veterans Day occurs on November 11, 2023, and this National Day of Recognition was proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1919.

To end the fighting of the First World War, as a prelude to peace negotiations, an agreement called the Armistice was created. Armistice comes from two words in Latin — sistere (to stand still or stop) plus arma (weapons) — and means to stop fighting, to put arms down. In 1954, the U.S. government legally changed the name of Armistice Day to Veterans Day. This day marks a very poignant moment in our calendar year, brings with it a lot of emotion, and gives us the opportunity to show our gratitude for the sacrifices that military service members make to protect our freedoms. While those who lost their lives are also remembered, Veterans Day is dedicated to thanking and honoring everyone who served honorably in the military – in war or peace time. Learn more about this history of Veterans Day here.

The GED program has a parallel history in support of veterans. During World War II, the GED credential was created to make it easier for veterans to pick up where they left off with their plans for education, careers, and personal goals. In 1942, the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) launched the GED. Soon enough, the American Council on Education® (ACE) was born, with the mission to “mobilize the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice.” Hundreds of young soldiers were able to get their high school credentials and go on to college and jobs after fighting for the nation’s freedom. Several years later, in the 1950’s, civilians could also participate in the GED program. Read more about the history of the GED here or watch this video.

The next time you are out in the community and see a Veteran, get to know them by making small conversation with them – ease your way into a “thank you for your service.”

For additional information about Veteran’s Day, please visit:

United States Census Bureau: Veterans Day 2023: November 11 (census.gov)

USA Today: This organization is helping keep the promise to America’s veterans (usatoday.com)

Veterans Crisis Line: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/

Natalie started her GED® journey in South Dakota in 2017 and passed three of four GED tests, but then she got busy and put the last GED test on the back burner. Barb Unruh, Program Specialist with the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation, learned about a new program by GED Testing Service for administrators to reach out to students who had passed three out of the four required courses. Barb reached out to Natalie to help her complete her GED credential in 2023.

Congratulations, Natalie on your accomplishment and inspiring example of determination. Here is Natalie’s story:

What was your motivation in getting your GED credential?
Well, my children. Also, I wanted to be a nurse, create a better future for my kids, and get this part of my life done.

What was the most challenging part of your GED journey?
The most challenging part of this journey was trying to stay on top of the studying and not give up. When I had bad days, I would look at my babies and think: “I can’t give up. I have to keep going for them, for they will need a promising future.”

What was the most rewarding part of your GED journey?
The most rewarding part was making good memories with people around the world, like from South Africa. People who were working hard for their GED, like I was. I joined a GED group on Facebook in 2017, and now it has more than 20,000 people in it. by some extraordinary people close to my heart. That is where I met Ms. Kate Buccigross Redman, a GED teacher in Arizona. She runs the group now, and she also has good material that helps many people worldwide.

I also met Ms. Linda Moore who was my GED online teacher and helped me with math. I would also like to thank Ms. Nanci, who works with Ms. Kate in the Light and Salt Learning group on Facebook. I joined this group because I was seeking help, and now it helps everyone accomplish their dreams.

Based on your path, what advice would you give GED learners?
Don’t give up…no matter what happens, try your best to keep going forward. I started my journey, which was challenging, but never gave up. So, you shouldn’t either. You got this!

What are your plans now that you have your GED credential?
I plan on trying college and going into a career in nursing. My priority is to find a better-paying job.

• Save the Date – COABE (Coalition on Adult Basic Education) conference, Mar 17 – 20, 2024 in Nashville, TN. Our GED^® President Vicki Greene will lead a panel on Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024. Join us!

• Happy Thanksgiving to our InSession community! We are thankful for all you do in support of our learners. As we take a hiatus until January 2024, we wish you all a healthy, joyous, and safe holiday season.

• Black Friday GED+™ Promotion
  Learners can save on the GED+ Study tool during our upcoming sale.

• 4 Days of Deals
  From Friday 11/24 to Monday 11/27, save $75 on the 4-subject bundle or get $15 off a single subject purchase when you buy GED+

• Black Friday GED+™ Promotion
  Learners can save on the GED+ Study tool during our upcoming sale.

• 4 Days of Deals
  From Friday 11/24 to Monday 11/27, save $75 on the 4-subject bundle or get $15 off a single subject purchase when you buy GED+

As we recently started the last quarter of the year, we wanted to share the momentum powered by our successful GED® Annual Conference last July with 500 participants. Since then, our entire GED Testing Service team has continued engaging with adult learning communities in diverse settings and through media, and events. We have connected with more than 8,200 educators and administrators since August this year. Our team has also presented at 32 conferences and forums in 23 states. We look forward to the engagement opportunities we have lined up for the rest of the year. We are pleased to share these initiatives with you and recognize your daily work in helping our learners grow, develop, and move forward.

Whether at an in-person engagement opportunity or online, you help us in our mission to always “put the learner in the center” of all we do. We will continue telling their inspiring student success stories! We have found that these success stories can be the impulse a learner needs to start their path toward GED certification. These stories of accomplishments can also be the nudge our inactive learners need to keep motivated and complete their GED.

We partnered with innovative programs like the DisruptED Podcast to further our outreach and communication channels. I shared the support and resources we offer GED learners and all “their untapped dreams” in this podcast. I was also proud to serve on a panel with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation on the very timely topic of skills-based learning. You can learn more about the thought leaders who participated in the Talent Forward series.

We will end the month strong with our first-ever GED Tech Apprenticeship™ Job Expo on October 26th in Los Angeles. Students will have the opportunity to learn about the GED Tech Apprenticeship™ program, meet our network of employers ready to hire GED grads and participate in interviews for jobs.

Let’s share the energy of our mission and end the quarter and the year strong! Let’s continue the momentum to help learners realize their dreams.

Lastly, we are happy to share that four new states will join the GED team. Learn more about them in the November issue of In Session.

This last week we are honored to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day! This day, proclaimed by President Biden in 2022, to be recognized on October 9th, is also called First People’s Day or Native American Day!

Today, we recognize the many accomplishments, achievements, and contributions of Indigenous people in American history, society, and culture. Do you know about the things developed by Indigenous People? Native Americans created the first chewing gum! You have surely come across several inventions in your leisure time – things like canoeing, lacrosse, hammocks, and kayaks. There were also discoveries made that led the way in medicine, such as pain relievers and mouthwash.

We honor all of these contributions that have been adopted in America. We also acknowledge that this community of people have faced extraordinary challenges over the years and into the present day. Throughout history, the Indigenous people have encountered genocide, dislocation, intolerable living conditions, physical, mental, and social abuse in a way that lends itself to incomprehensible trauma.

The White House Proclamation signed on October 7, 2022, appointed Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior, the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary, along with more than 50 other Native Americans now in significant roles across the executive branch. With the understanding that there is so much more to do, this action raises the voices of the Native communities in effort to restore dignity, justice, and good faith.

To demonstrate our respect to our Native American communities, at GED events from now on, we will honor our Indigenous communities by starting the meetings with a land acknowledgment similar to this: We would like to honor all the ancestral stewards of this land on which we meet today and their descendants living in over 1,000 Tribes, Nations, Bands, Pueblos, Communities or Native Villages.

To learn more about Indigenous People’s Day and get to know the life and history of Native Americans, check out these resources:

A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2022 | The White House

The Native American Government That Helped Inspire the US Constitution: https://www.history.com/news/iroquois-confederacy-influence-us-constitution

10 Native American Inventions Commonly Used Today: https://www.history.com/news/native-american-inventions

Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Things You Wouldn’t Have Without Native Americans: https://newsone.com/4230030/native-americans-contributions-america/

European Colonizers Killed So Many Native Americans That It Changed the Global Climate https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/01/world/european-colonization-climate-change-trnd/index.html

Native American Life Today: https://pages.nativehope.com/native-americans-today

Native American Living Conditions Today: http://www.nativepartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pwna_living_conditions

Earth system impacts of the European arrival and Great Dying in the Americas after 1492 – ScienceDirect

You may recall last April, we interviewed our GED® Testing Service Director of Product Management, Jane Bledsoe, about the official GED mobile application. Here are some updates to our mobile app and how you can help us further the development of this vital tool for GED learners.

While the primary audience for the app is the learners who are preparing for the GED on their own, adult educators can also use the app. The app is like a ‘virtual advisor’ in your pocket, helping the learner organize their path to taking and passing the GED tests. In doing so, learners will meet Virtual Advisor character, Syd. This character celebrates with learners as they make their way through practice questions, scheduling tests, and completing milestones.

Our research found that 18% of candidates who create an account on GED.com make progress by testing within a year. We want to help the learners who feel stuck along their journey. The app will give them confidence and motivation to reach their goals.

If you attended the GED Conference this past summer, you had a chance to try a prototype of the app and provide feedback. We appreciate receiving your thoughts and have made updates to the prototype and the app launch.

We plan to beta-test the app starting this quarter. We invite you to be a beta tester for our GED mobile app to help us improve the experience. Stay tuned for signup details in next month’s issue of In Session.

Please note that the app is not meant to replace the website. There is a wealth of information on GED.com that learners and educators will continue to access. and the same login can be used for the app and GED.com. The two will be linked so that a test scheduled on GED.com will prompt a notification in the app. The app will not include all the content found on GED.com. The app will help guide learners as they navigate the GED journey.

• Save on GED Ready – Be sure to tell your students that from September 15 – 22, they can get 50%off. GED Ready with promo code SAVE50 at checkout, valid for single subject purchases and 4-subject bundles.
• MythBuster – Some people in the education world have speculated there will be a new version of the GED Test in 2024 – NOT true! AT GED Testing we are continuously updating our content and looking at innovations to make the GED better suited to test takers but there will NOT be a new version of the GED in 2024.
• ICYMI – Check out the recap of the GED Annual Conference in July 2023 with the theme “YouInspire” in this video. Also, Save the Date for next year: July 23 – 25, 2024 in Long Beach, CA.

• Save on GED Ready – Be sure to tell your students that from September 15 – 22, they can get 50%off. GED Ready with promo code SAVE50 at checkout, valid for single subject purchases and 4-subject bundles.
• MythBuster – Some people in the education world have speculated there will be a new version of the GED Test in 2024 – NOT true! AT GED Testing we are continuously updating our content and looking at innovations to make the GED better suited to test takers but there will NOT be a new version of the GED in 2024.
• ICYMI – Check out the recap of the GED Annual Conference in July 2023 with the theme “YouInspire” in this video. Also, Save the Date for next year: July 23 – 25, 2024 in Long Beach, CA.