Our first State of the GED event was an opportunity for GED Testing Service to share what we’ve been up to over the past year and what plans we have moving forward as an organization.

During the event, Vicki Greene, Adora Beard, Danielle Wilson, and Kiara Perez, covered updates including the progress GED Testing Service has made in product and resource offerings, our DE&I initiatives and strategies, partnerships, changes to our board and the development of our transformation team.

One significant update is our move to the Workforce Skills division within our parent company, Pearson. This move will allow us to focus on the learner with more options to upskill, reskill and provide opportunities with larger employers. Our focus will continue to be on evolving as a learner-centric organization focused on the overall success of GED students and graduates. This includes connecting them with the training and education opportunities they need to succeed in the workforce.

We also shared that the new GED+ product allows independent study students to access personal advisors in an all-inclusive model similar to GEDWorks.

GED Testing Service’s official statement on diversity, equity, and inclusion is featured on our “About Us” page on GED.com. We’ve also added photos and bios of members of the GED Testing Service team, leadership, and board members.

Our partnership and alliance work continues as discussions are being held to formalize working with two community-based organizations that support GED students in Kansas City, Kansas, and Baltimore, Maryland.

The GED Testing Service Board of Directors welcomed two new members, Phyllis Kelley and Kellie Blair Hardt, in January 2021. The GED Transformation team was created earlier this year to advise GED Testing Service on how to enhance the GED test program and its impact through fairness, equity, and inclusion solutions.

We also shared that our annual conference returns in July 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia.

You can watch the entire event and view the presentation under the “Tuesdays for Teachers” section on our site: https://ged.com/educators_admins/teaching/professional_development/webinars/

As your students advance through their prep and start taking their GED subject tests, we are here to help you understand the GED test performance level descriptors.

This will help you guide students through the skills they need to demonstrate on the GED® test, corresponding with each performance level on the test. These performance level descriptors also apply to scoring on the GED Ready® practice test.

There are four levels:

• Below Passing
• Passing for High School Equivalency
• GED® College Ready
• GED® College Ready + Credit

Each level builds in complexity regarding the extent to which students can understand and work with content in each subject.

For Mathematical Reasoning, the main areas being assessed are:

• Quantitative problem solving with rational numbers
• Quantitative problem solving in measurement
• Algebraic problem solving with expressions and equations
• Algebraic problem solving with graphs and functions

For Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA), the main areas being assessed are:

• Analyzing and creating text features and techniques
• Analyzing relationships within texts at a limited and/or inconsistent level
• Using evidence to understand, analyze, and create arguments
• Applying knowledge of English language conventions and usage

For Science, the main areas being assessed are:

• Analyzing scientific and technical arguments, evidence, and text-based Information
• Applying scientific processes and procedural concepts
• Reasoning quantitatively and interpreting data in scientific contexts

For Social Studies, the main areas being assessed are:

• Analyzing and creating text features in a social studies context
• Applying social studies concepts to the analysis and construction of arguments
• Reasoning quantitatively and interpreting data in social studies contexts

You can learn more through the detailed descriptions in this comprehensive pdf download and in this chart.

We also have an assessment target comparison table for your reference.

All of these materials are available in English and Spanish. Learn more on our teaching resources page for adult educators.

May is a month of celebration, a fresh start to hard work, and a time to congratulate GED graduates.

We want to recognize the incredible effort and resilience of our GED learners. This past year had more obstacles than any of us could have ever imagined, and yet our graduates persevered while preparing for the next milestones in their lives.

Next week is our official GED Grad Week celebration, but we want to use this month as a time to reflect on the grit and determination of our graduates. They not only had to study during a pandemic, but many were working multiple jobs and caring for children that may have been home. In many situations, financial burdens surrounded their every move.

This class of graduates succeeded while navigating virtual learning, social isolation, and limited in-person test and preparation options, all while experiencing the uncertainty of what was to come. Many of these new graduates are also the first to be credentialed through the Online Proctored GED test. They are a testament to why we created the remote testing option and how it is helping students start and complete their journey despite uncontrollable circumstances.

We all enter this graduation season with more awareness about the world we live in, the shortcomings of opportunities for those from historically marginalized communities, and our duty to make this a better place for all. Despite their background and where they started, all GED graduates should know that they have a bright future ahead of them and have educators, colleagues, friends, and family members who are rooting for their success every step of the way. We are all committed to being advocates for GED graduates and their dreams.

Educators, we could not do this without you. I want to thank you for how you have been a part of your learners’ journeys. Your support and dedication have not gone unnoticed. These times have introduced so many challenges to how you reach and connect to your learners. This includes, but is not limited to, adopting virtual learning while balancing the demands of your own families and other commitments during a pandemic. You have been a source of confidence for your learners, and your consistency and adaptation are admirable. We know that you have gone above and beyond, and we are grateful for you.

Let each of us connect with and continue to support our graduates in a way we haven’t in the past. Our graduates have made a monumental achievement in a world turned upside down—a milestone worth celebrating and an inspiration to us all. The sky is truly the limit.

Stay well, stay connected, and let’s keep changing the world one learner at a time.

–Vicki Greene, President of GED Testing Service

Graduation season is in full swing, and we’re excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our GED graduates during our weeklong event.

On our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), we will be sharing posts from students, graduates, educators, employers, family, and friends to celebrate GED graduates worldwide.

This year we’re asking graduates to share what kept them motivated and pushed them to succeed despite the many challenges presented during the pandemic.

We need your help to make this year’s event a success! Please share your words of encouragement, shoutouts to your grads, and congratulatory messages through videos and posts using the hashtag #GEDGradWeek and tagging @GEDTesting.

We have created a social media toolkit to give you step-by-step instructions on sharing your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts. By tagging us and using the event hashtag, we can see your posts and reshare our accounts. This year we’ve even created GED giphy stickers to add to your Instagram story posts.

You can access the toolkit here: https://ged.com/wp-content/uploads/Grad-Week-Social-Media-Guide.pdf

We also encourage you to join our Facebook event page, where you can join fellow educators and GED graduates worldwide sharing posts all week long.

We’re looking forward to seeing all your posts in celebration of GED graduates!

Engaging your adult learners in advocacy is one of the best ways to garner support for adult education programs.

The COABE Ambassador Training program has helped educators and student leaders become advocates for adult education funding and resources at the local, state, and federal levels. It not only helps garner support for adult education programs, but also provides real world opportunities for learners to practice and apply their skills and knowledge.

The award-winning program was started in Arizona through Pima Community College’s Adult Education program and has since been adopted by COABE to help educators and learners across the country.

The training program consists of four major components that help with skills and knowledge development:

• Awareness–learning statistics and research that support advocacy for adult basic education and high school equivalency credentials.
• Stories–sharing student experiences that highlight the life-changing impact of adult education programs.
• Public speaking–how to best share your story in-person, on social media, or by phone; what to say based on who you are talking to.
• Meeting with officials–how to set up meetings; participating in mock meetings with public officials, how to continue relationships with officials after a meeting.

Students of all education levels are encouraged to sign up to become ambassadors. The program is designed to be flexible and incorporates teacher support throughout the process. Student ambassadors participate in COABE’s Capitol Hill Day events, state and local days on the Hill, and other activities. Many of the students graduate and continue ambassador work, utilizing their leadership skills as they are the best example of how adult education programs change lives for the better.

GED graduate and college student Megan Linzy shared her story:

I attended the Adult Basic Education and Literacy program at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges: West Davenport Center (EICC: WDC). After three years of studying, I graduated with my GED diploma in 2013.

In 2020, the Dean of Adult Basic Education and Literacy at EICC: WDC Scott J. Schneider nominated me to represent Iowa as their Adult Basic Education Ambassador. I attended COABE’s Ambassador Training virtually in June of 2020.

Due to my learning disabilities, I suffer from anxiety that has improved with education, but speaking in public was still a fear that I face even today. The Ambassador program gave me the tools that helped me build my confidence over time.

As Adult Basic Education students, we must speak up if we want to create change in how adults are educated. The COABE Ambassador program is a course where you will learn how the government system works, who your representatives are, and how you can tell your story to help impact changed within your own personal communities and at a federal level.

Since my graduation with my GED in 2013, I enrolled at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges to earn my associate degree in Education in Davenport, Iowa. Today, I am enrolled in online courses at Bellevue University, where I am earning my bachelor’s degree in Adult Education and plan to be completed in 2022. Today I am also employed full-time at the EICC: WDC as an Office Coordinator. I oversee the registration process of our Adult Basic Education students.

Every day, students like Megan share their stories and show how powerful adult education is and the necessity to have funding to keep programs running and available to others.

The COABE Ambassador Training program is currently accepting new ambassadors and being offered in an online format. Please share this information with your students and encourage them to participate. To get involved, email Jessica Wabler at ambassadorcoordinator@coabe.org.

If you’re looking for ways to promote your adult education program or classes, check out our free marketing materials.

GED.com has a dedicated section for Educators and Administrators. Under “Teaching the Test,” you can view Free Classroom Materials, Teaching Resources, Professional Development, and Prep Products.

The “Promote Your Program” section links to printable flyers that you can customize for your program. They are available as pdf downloads in English and Spanish.

You can also visit the GED PrintHub site to order professionally designed brochures, flyers, pamphlets, and more. All materials are free outside of the shipping and handling costs.

We are always looking to update our resources for educators and programs. Let us know what marketing materials you would like to see added to our website in the comment section.

We’ve put together all you need to know to help your students prepare for the Online Proctored GED test.

Over the last year, we have developed resources to help both students and educators prepare for and navigate the online testing process. Students can find information about eligibility, what states are offering the option, how the online GED test works, exam rules, available tools during the test and much more here: https://ged.com/take-the-ged-test-online/

We recommend that students explore this page to find out all they need to know before signing up for the online GED test subjects.

Educators can also find information related to preparing students for the test on our website. We have included webinars that give an overview of the pilot program, policy fact sheets and demos of the full system check, onscreen whiteboard and calculator tutorial. You can find all that information here: https://ged.com/educators_admins/test_admin/

We also have some recent Tuesdays for Teachers webinars that cover teaching strategies and frequently asked questions related to the Online Proctored GED test. The full archive can be found here: https://ged.com/educators_admins/teaching/professional_development/webinars/

If you missed a session or want a second look at one of our presentations, here’s the full lineup of everything we offered at this year’s COABE conference.

You can download pdf versions of each presentation below. Those registered for the COABE conference can watch the recorded sessions through their website.

Marketing and PR Strategies to Promote Your Program
Presenters: Eliza Wong and Danielle Wilson
PDF of presentation

Resources for ABE/GED Classrooms in Correctional Facilities
Presenters: Susan Pittman and Debi Faucette
PDF of presentation

The Online Proctored GED® Test: Everything You Need to Know
Presenters: CT Turner and Scott Salesses
PDF of presentation

GED Tools and Essentials for New Educators, Program Directors and Test Proctors
Presenter: Adora Beard
PDF of presentation

Meeting the Challenge of Taking the Online Proctored (OP) GED® Test
Presenters: Debi Faucette and Susan Pittman
PDF of presentation

Best Practices for Corrections Test Administrators
Primary Presenter: Mellissa Hultstrand
PDF of presentation

Harnessing Apps to Promote Mathematical Reasoning
Presenter: Ronald Cruz
PDF of presentation
Resource workbook

Building Writing Skills While Addressing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in the GED Classroom
Primary Presenter: Susan Pittman
PDF of presentation

Committing to Inclusive Learning Environments and Support Systems for Adult Learners
Presenters: Danielle Wilson and Adora Beard
*Panel event, only available through recording on COABE conference site

News and updates for April 2021:

• Two Adult Educators Join the GED Testing Service Board: We’re excited to welcome Phyllis J. Kelley and Kellie Blair Hardt to the GED board. Read the official announcement here.
• Congratulations to our GEDWorks Student of the Month Jessica! Jessica started the GEDWorks program through KFC in September 2020. After earning her GED credential, she was promoted to franchise manager. Read more of her story here.
• Nominate your student for GED Graduate of the Month: Each month we’re selecting a GED graduate with an inspiring story about their GED journey. Winners receive an iPad and are featured on our social media channels.

News and updates for April 2021:

• Two Adult Educators Join the GED Testing Service Board: We’re excited to welcome Phyllis J. Kelley and Kellie Blair Hardt to the GED board. Read the official announcement here.
• Congratulations to our GEDWorks Student of the Month Jessica! Jessica started the GEDWorks program through KFC in September 2020. After earning her GED credential, she was promoted to franchise manager. Read more of her story here.
• Nominate your student for GED Graduate of the Month: Each month we’re selecting a GED graduate with an inspiring story about their GED journey. Winners receive an iPad and are featured on our social media channels.

Students can sign up April 19th through 30th and receive an extra month of GED Flash access for free.

The GED Flash study tool can be used on a phone, tablet or desktop and offers thousands of interactive GED practice questions. Students using the tool can receive immediate feedback and step-by-step explanations on questions covering concepts they need to know to pass.

They can choose from any of the GED test subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, or Math.

No promo code is needed.

May 17-21 is GED Grad Week. We are celebrating GED graduates and encouraging students still on their journey to continue working hard.

Throughout the week we will be sharing inspirational videos and encouraging messages, including those submitted by fellow educators and graduates, on social media. We have asked recent graduates to share how they overcame obstacles while obtaining their credential and what advice they have for other students.

Social Media Tips

In the weeks leading up to GED Grad Week, we would like you to encourage your students to use our hashtags and personalized giphy stickers when they share their GED stories online.

Next month we’ll share a full Social Media 101 guide that will include all you need to know about sharing on the social media platforms. Here are some tips from that guide on how to share, tag, and use hashtags when participating in GED Grad Week:

Facebook:

Click the “Share” button that is below the post. A drop-down menu will appear as a result.

Choose the “Share to a Page” option and make sure you select the correct page. This opens a “New Post” window in which you can share the post on one of the pages you manage. You can then add text to the post if needed then click on the “share” button.

Twitter:

How to Retweet (share tweet as it is)

1. Click the Retweet button

1. A pop-up will show you the Tweet you’re about to Retweet.

1. Click the Retweet button.

Instagram:

1. Tap below the photo or video in Feed.

1. Tap Add post to your story.

1. Tap Send To.

1. Tap Share next to Your Story, then tap Done.

How to use Giphy Stickers (IG)

1. Tap the Sticker button (a square with a smiley face) to open the sticker tray.
2. Type in “GED” to find the sticker you want and tap it.
3. Use one finger to drag and drop the sticker into the desired location.
4. Use two thumbs to pinch or expand the sticker into the desired size.
5. Finish creating your Story and post.

How to Tag

When writing a caption or posting on your story, type the “@” symbol within your post, and then type out the name of our page (@gedtesting)

How to Use Hashtags

When creating a post, make sure to include the hashtag #GEDGradWeek and #GED. You can do this but typing the “#” symbol before typing out the phrase. You may also click on these hashtags to see other posts.

Keep in mind that you cannot add spaces or punctuation in a hashtag, or it will not work properly.