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| GED (General Educational Development) | |
|---|---|
| Name | GED (General Educational Development) |
| Established | 1942 |
| Type | High school equivalency credential |
| Administered by | American Council on Education; ETS; Pearson |
| Regions | United States, Canada, Mexico |
GED (General Educational Development) The GED is a high school equivalency credential awarded after successful completion of a standardized battery of tests developed to assess knowledge and skills comparable to those measured by secondary school diplomas. It is used by individuals seeking admission, employment, or advancement and interacts with institutions such as United States Department of Education, College Board, Department of Veterans Affairs, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The GED battery comprises subject tests aligned with frameworks shaped by organizations including the American Council on Education, Educational Testing Service, Pearson PLC, and state-level agencies such as the California Department of Education and Texas Education Agency. Credential recognition involves higher-education institutions like University of California, State University of New York, Ohio State University, as well as employers such as Walmart and United Airlines and workforce programs administered through Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act offices. Policy interactions feature legal instruments and agencies including the Civil Rights Act, Higher Education Act of 1965, Federal Trade Commission, and state legislatures like the New York State Assembly.
The GED emerged during World War II when the US Army and organizations like the American Council on Education sought to evaluate the scholastic achievement of military personnel; early adopters included veterans returning under the G.I. Bill. Postwar expansion engaged entities such as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, and state boards of education across jurisdictions including Ontario and Quebec. Major revisions occurred amid influences from standards movements led by figures associated with the National Governors Association and initiatives such as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Common Core State Standards Initiative, prompting test updates by vendors including GED Testing Service and ETS.
Contemporary GED testing comprises four content areas: Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies, each constructed from frameworks influenced by organizations such as the National Assessment Governing Board, American Educational Research Association, International Society for Technology in Education, and curricula exemplars from districts like Los Angeles Unified School District and Chicago Public Schools. Item types include multiple-choice, short answer, extended response, and computer-based performance tasks drawing on source materials comparable to texts found in collections curated by the Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, and The New York Public Library. Scales and competencies align with college- and career-readiness benchmarks promoted by the U.S. Department of Education, higher-education consortia like the Association of American Universities, and trade organizations such as the National Association of Manufacturers.
Administration is managed by testing organizations including GED Testing Service (a collaboration of the American Council on Education and Pearson), with delivery through testing centers overseen by institutions such as Community College of Philadelphia, Tarrant County College, and private vendors like Prometric and Pearson VUE. Scores are reported on a scale set by testing authorities and recognized by credential evaluators such as World Education Services and admissions offices at universities like Columbia University and University of Michigan; passing criteria and concordances relate to college placement policies at institutions including Miami Dade College and Houston Community College. Security and accommodations protocols reference guidelines from the Americans with Disabilities Act and the U.S. Department of Justice and coordinate with agencies such as Veterans Affairs for veteran-specific testing supports.
Eligibility rules vary by jurisdiction, set by state education agencies like the Florida Department of Education and provincial authorities such as Alberta Education, often addressing age, residency, and prior school enrollment with exemptions for populations served by organizations like the Juvenile Court System, Department of Corrections, and Head Start. Accessibility services and accommodations involve coordination with disability advocates and legal frameworks exemplified by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, institutions such as Easterseals, and assistive-technology providers including Microsoft and Apple Inc. for screen readers and adaptive input. Special programs connect GED candidates to workforce and social services via partnerships with entities like Goodwill Industries International, American Job Center, and the Salvation Army.
Preparation resources range from adult-education providers such as American Institutes for Research, Laubach Literacy Action, and ProLiteracy to online platforms offered by companies like Khan Academy, Coursera, edX, and publishers such as McGraw-Hill Education and Kaplan, Inc.. Libraries and community organizations including the New York Public Library, Boston Public Library, YMCA, and Community Action Partnership run classes and tutoring programs; workforce partnerships leverage training funds from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and nonprofit funders such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Test-prep also involves practice tests and study guides produced by ETS, GED Testing Service, and commercial test-prep firms used by students enrolling at institutions like Central New Mexico Community College.
Holding a GED credential can influence access to higher education, job qualifications, and licensing boards such as those associated with State Bar of California pathways, trade apprenticeships under the Department of Labor, and credentialing bodies like the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Research by entities such as the National Bureau of Economic Research, Urban Institute, and Pew Research Center examines earnings, enrollment, and social mobility impacts, while employers and colleges — including General Electric, Boeing, Harvard University Extension School — set variable acceptance and placement policies. International recognition involves credential evaluation by organizations like NARIC and bilateral agreements with governments exemplified by the Government of Canada and Mexican Secretariat of Public Education.
Category:High school equivalency tests