172.00.13 Ark. Code R. 008
PURPOSE OF THIS MANUAL
The GED® Program Policies Manual provides information to help you operate an effective and efficient GED® testing program. Throughout the manual, all GED® topics are printed in boldface type preceding the descriptive text.
The GED® Program Policies elaborate and explain how to better implement the regulations for operating GED® testing programs on the local level. These policies were approved by the State Board of Career Education and should be considered a part of your contract with the Arkansas Department of Career Education.
If you want more information on guidelines to follow for establishing and operating a GED® testing program, the Policies and Procedures Manual published by GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE provides specific information.
GED® Testing Program
Three Capitol Mall
Luther S. Hardin Building
Little Rock, AR 72201-1083
Telephone: (501)682-1980
Fax: (501)682-1982
INTRODUCTION
This manual contains the policies for administration of the GED® test, a program of the American Council on Education (ACE) /Pearson VUE. The policies are approved by the State Board of Career Education which is the policy-making body for all programs of the Arkansas Department of Career Education.
The proper administration, supervision, and integrity of the testing programs located in sites approved as test centers are joint responsibilities of the chief administrative officer for that institution, the person signing the official contract, the Test Administrator for GED® Testing, and the Arkansas GED AdministratorT. All persons involved in the administration of the GED® test should become thoroughly familiar with the contents of this manual and the Policies and Procedures Manual published by GED Testing Service®.
For policy questions or clarifications, please contact Arkansas GED® Testing, Three Capitol Mall, Luther S. Hardin Building, Little Rock, AR 72201 or call (501)682-1980 or visit our website at http://ace.arkansas.gov.
ADMINISTRATION OF THE GED® TEST
POLICY: Only Test Administrators may administer the GED® tests and inspect or have access to tests.
Test Administrators must meet Pearson/Vue requirements, take certification test and recertify yearly.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: This regulation is established in accordance with GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6,1993, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
QUALIFICATIONS FOR EXAMINERS
POLICY: Test administrators must meet all Pearson VUE test administrator requirements. Test administrators are required to pass the Pearson VUE Administrator Certification Exam to become a test administrator and recertify each year. No one directly involved in GED® instruction, secondary education program staff, adult secondary program staff, adult basic education, adult literacy, alternative high school education program staff and developmental education staff can serve as a test administrator in a Pearson Vue Testing Center.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: This regulation is established in accordance with GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE. Section 3.3 of the Policies and Procedures for administering the GED Test on Computer (2002).
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6,1993; January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR TESTING
POLICY: The GED® test may be administered to eligible test-takers only. Individuals must be at least sixteen years of age and not currently enrolled in an accredited high school. Only persons who do not have a standard high school diploma are eligible to take the GED® test. Under no circumstances may the GED® test be administered to persons less than 16 years of age. Test-takers must present proof of positive identification that shows name, date of birth, address, signature and photograph. Valid drivers' licenses, passports, military, or other forms of government-issued (national and foreign) identification that shows required information are all acceptable forms of identification, unless there is reason to question their authenticity. Test-takers must be legal residents of Arkansas. The term 'legal resident" has been clarified by the Arkansas Department of Career Education to mean a person who spends most of his/her time in Arkansas, who pays property taxes, or who possesses a valid Arkansas driver's license.
GED® Test Administrators must obtain a written statement confirming eligibility, GED Test Candidate Rules of Agreement, and GED Test Non-disclosure Agreement from each test-taker. Such written confirmation must include the GED® test-taker's signature and must be retained for use in verifying that the test-taker is eligible.
Prior to taking the Official GED® test, test-takers must pass the official GED ReadyT Test with minimum scores established by the Adult Education Division/GED Testing Office of the Arkansas Department of Career Education. This test must be administered through an approved adult education program or a GED Testing CenterT.
EXCEPTION: Persons 16 (sixteen) and 17 (seventeen) years old will be approved to take the Official GED® test after having met the provisions specified in Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law- Annotated Code 6-18-201.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: This regulation is established in accordance with the American Council on Education (ACE) /Pearson VUE for GED Testing Service®, Arkansas Acts 30 and 31 of 1994, Act 1659 of 2001, Act 604 of 2003 and Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law- Annotated Code 6-18-201 which allow, after certain provisions have been met, for persons ages 16 and 17 to enroll in adult education programs or take the GED® test.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 10, 1995; August 2001, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE OFFICIAL GED READYT TEST
POLICY: All applicants wishing to take the GED® test are required to take and pass the Official GED ReadyT Test with minimum scores established by the Adult Education Division/GED Testing Office of the Arkansas Department of Career Education. This test must be administered through an approved adult education program or GED Testing CenterT.
EXCEPTION: Persons 16 (sixteen) and 17 (seventeen) years old will be approved to take the Official GED® test after having met the provisions specified in the Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law - Annotated Code 6-18-201.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: This policy is not to be viewed as an encouragement for students sixteen and seventeen years of age to drop out of traditional public school but should be considered as an alternative method to obtain a high school diploma. This policy is also in accordance with Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law- Annotated Code 6-18-201 which allows school districts to provide waivers to this requirement, provided adult education rules and regulations are met by individuals aged 16 and 17 wishing to enroll in adult education classes or take the Official GED® test.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6, 1993; August 2001; January 2002, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
TESTING OF A SIXTEEN/SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD
POLICY: Persons sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) years old will be approved to take the Official GED® test after having met the provisions specified in the approved Adult Education Program policies and/or meeting the requirements set forth in Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law -Annotated Code 6-18-201.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: Policies for the "Minimum Age for Adult Education Enrollment" and "Attendance for Sixteen (16) and Seventeen (17) Year Old Students" were approved by the State Board of Vocational Education on November 14,1994. The approval of these policies granted permission for the sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) year olds to enroll in adult education programs after having met certain provisions. This policy is also in accordance with Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law- Annotated Code 6-18-201 which allows school districts to provide waivers to this requirement, provided adult education rules and regulations are met by individuals aged 16 and 17 who wish to enroll in adult education classes or take the Official GED® test.
Arkansas GED® Testing policies for sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) year olds follow state law and procedures/regulations established by GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education (ACE)/Pearson VUE.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 10,1995; August 2001, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
POLICIES REGARDING SIXTEEN (16) AND SEVENTEEN (17) YEAR OLDS
INFORMATION/RATIONALE:
Attendance /Enrollment As a result of Arkansas Acts 30 and 31 of 1994 policies for the "Minimum Age for Adult Education Enrollment" and "Attendance for Sixteen (16) and Seventeen (17) Year Old Students" were approved by the State Board of Vocational Education on November 14, 1994. The approval of these policies granted permission for the sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) year olds to enroll in adult education programs after having met certain provisions as a result of Arkansas Acts 30 and 31 of 1994. Arkansas Act 1659 of 2001, Act 604 of 2003 and Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law - Annotated Code 6-18-201 revised enrollment and testing provisions for 16 and 17 year olds enrolled in private, parochial or home schools.
Act 1148 of 1997 amended Arkansas code to reduce the number of Adult Education class hours that employed students are required to attend. Adult Education Programs shall require, for continued enrollment, a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week of class and instruction; provided, however, that a minimum ten (10) hours shall be required for any student who is employed for thirty (30) hours or more each week.
Home School and Private Schools. In April of 2001 Act 1659, Act 604 of 2003 and Arkansas Compulsory Attendance Law - Annotated Code 6-18-201 restructured the requirements for private, parochial, and home school students preparing to take the GED® test. If these students want to attend an adult education program, application must be made for enrollment. The application process includes a meeting between the parents/guardians and the adult education administrator, a review of the student's records, and a written agreement detailing attendance requirements. Students who do not fulfill attendance requirements must re-enroll in the private, parochial or home school program within five days.
Students enrolled in private or parochial schools who desire to take the GED® test must provide a letter from the principal or administration of the institution to verify enrollment. Home school students wishing to test without enrolling in Adult Education must provide to the test center a notarized copy of the notice of intent to home school submitted to the superintendent of the local school district.
EFFECTIVE DATES: Varied
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
RETESTING OF APPLICANTS
POLICY: Test-takers scoring at least 149 points on each area of the first Official GED® test may retest at the next scheduled test date without retaking the Official GED® ReadyT Test.
If the score is 130-148 on any area of the test or the test-taker has been retested one or more times, the test-taker must wait three months OR complete 30 hours of instruction through an approved Adult Education program AND pass the Official GED ReadyT Test with a score of 155 in each area to be retested.
If the score is 129 or below on any area of the test the test-taker must wait six months OR complete 60 hours of instruction through an approved Adult Education program AND pass each part of the Official GED ReadyT Test with a score of 155 in each area to be retested.
NOTE: A test-taker is required to take only the part(s) of the Official GED ReadyT Test to be administered on the GED® test.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: In accordance with the rules, regulations, and guidelines as established by GED Testing Service® as set forth in the Policies and Procedures Manual'for the GED® test.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2002, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
SCORING OF TESTS
POLICY: A preliminary score report will be printed at the end of the test. The score report will include an unofficial pass/fail score. Official results will be distributed by Arkansas Department of Career Education, GED® Testing Program.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: The above policy is established in an effort to ensure efficient/effective scoring services by the Arkansas Department of Career Education, GED® Testing Office.
Test-takers who pass the GED® test will automatically receive an electronic, secure, smart transcript delivered immediately after their test is scored. Test-takers can view, print and request a professionally printed diploma from the transcript. Test-takers can send documents to employers or colleges of their choice. Colleges and employers can search for and order documents on behalf of students.
Test Administrators may view results via a secure website, but results are not official until received on official transcript/credential paper issued by the Arkansas GED® Testing Office.
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 2001, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
MINIMUM SCORE REQUIREMENTS
POLICY: Effective January 1, 2014, the requirements to pass the GED® test are a minimum score of 150 on each test in the battery AND a total score of 600.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: In accordance with GED Testing Service®, each state that contracts to use the GED® test establishes its own minimum score requirements for diplomas and credentials provided that the scores are at least the minimum set by GED Testing Service®.
PREVIOUS PASSING GED® TEST SCORES:
1945 - December 1962: A minimum Standard Score of 35 on each of the five tests OR an average of Standard Score of 45.
January 1963 - December 1972: A minimum Standard Score of 40 on each of the five tests OR an Average Standard Score of 50.
January 1973 - December 1974: A minimum Standard Score of 35 on each of the five tests OR an Average Standard Score of 45.
January 1975 -June 30.1987: A minimum Standard Score of 35 on each of the five tests AND an Average Standard Score of 45.
July 1987 - December 31. 2001: A minimum Standard Score of 40 on each test in the battery AND an Average Standard Score of 45.
January 1. 2002 - December 31. 2013: The requirement to pass the GED® test is a minimum score of 410 on each test in the battery AND an average score of 450. Scores earned prior to January 1, 2002, cannot be combined with the 2002 series of test.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED®Testing Office (501)682-1980
REQUESTING INFORMATION ON TEST SCORES
POLICY: For records before January 1, 2014 a request for information on GED® scores must be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Career Education, GED® Testing Office, in writing and signed by the test-taker.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: In accordance with GED Testing Service®, the test scores of individual test-takers are confidential information. Subject to limited exceptions for verifying scores by telephone, fax or email, an individual's score should be reported to educational institutions, adult education teachers, employers, correctional facilities, military recruiters, only for test-takers who have submitted written and signed requests to that effect.
A request for a GED® transcript/credential must contain verifiable information including
The Arkansas GED® Testing office will fax or email scores to a third party (i.e., employers, military, educational institution, correctional facility etc.) for test-takers who provide written permission to do so; faxed or emailed copies are unofficial. Test-taker's permission must be accompanied by verification from the third party that a faxed or emailed copy of scores satisfies an immediate need for hiring, enlistment, enrollment or release.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6,1993, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
CONFIDENTIALITY/PRIVACY POLICY
Test scores and results of individual test-takers are confidential information. An individual's scores will be reported to educational institutions, adult education teachers, military recruiters, employers, correctional facilities, and others only for test-takers who have submitted requests to that effect. Because some test-takers do not wish their credential award to be a matter of public record, names of credential recipients should not be released until individuals have permission to do so. The fact that a person has or has not taken the GED® test should also be treated as confidential.
. Confidential information should only be released after an individual has made a request and only after the test-taker in question understands that s/he may choose not to allow the release of said confidential information. According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, enacted as Section 438 of the General Education Provisions Act, student information that is considered "private" may not be shared with anyone who is not designated on a release of confidential information.
. Each institution or GED Testing CenterT must establish what information can be released based on the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act of 1974. Information that can be released is "directory information," and is regarded as information contained in an education record of a student which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. It includes, but is not limited to, the student's name, address, telephone listing, date and place of birth, dates of attendance, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended. Local programs must adhere to their affiliated institution's policy for directory information. Furthermore, each test-taker must sign a release that verifies their knowledge that the institution can release directory information.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
ISSUANCE OF A GED® TRANSCRIPT/DUPLICATE DIPLOMA
POLICY: Official reports of test scores can be issued only by the Arkansas Department of Career Education, GED® Testing Office.
Each test-taker who completes the GED® test will receive a copy of his/her scores. This initial set of credentials is at no charge to the GED® test-taker. A test-taker may be charged a fee to have a duplicate official credential sent to a representative of a business, educational institution, military, correctional facility or other organization, or to themselves by making a written request to the Arkansas GED® Testing Office including appropriate information and the test-taker's signature.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: The records of GED® tests in Arkansas are maintained by the GED® Testing Office of the Department of Career Education. To protect the confidentiality of GED® test-takers, initial score reports and/or diplomas are sent directly to the individuals.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6, 1993.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
ISSUING THE ARKANSAS HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
POLICY: Individuals receiving an Arkansas High School Diploma must attain a minimum standard score of 150 on each of the four subtests and a total score of 600 on the GED® test.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: This regulation is established in accordance with the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE for GED Testing Service®. Each state shall determine the minimum test score requirements and other qualifications for issuing a high school credential based on the GED® test provided that the scores are at least the minimum set by GED Testing Service®.
EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2002, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED®Testing Office (501)682-1980
PROGRAM EVALUATION
POLICY: GED® Testing Programs and/or Test Centers will be evaluated and monitored by the Arkansas GED AdministratorT using a GED® Site Visit Form that was developed in accordance with the policies established in the Policies and Procedures Manual for the GED® test and Pearson/Vue.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: The GED Testing Service® requires that approved Test Centers be evaluated according to guidelines in the Policies and Procedures ManualTor the GED® test.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6, 1993, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
FEES AND/OR OTHER CHARGES
POLICY: Fees for GED® testing are set by the Department of Career Education, Adult Education Division, GED® Testing Office in accordance with the policy and fee structure established by GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: The Arkansas Department of Career Education feels that providing an opportunity to Arkansas citizens to take the GED® test and issuing official GED® credentials is a way of encouraging the achievement of a literate and educated population. Act 1063 of 2013 allows the State Board of Career Education to charge a fee for administering the GED® test.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6, 1993, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
PURCHASE OF TESTING MATERIAL
POLICY: All official testing materials are provided by the Arkansas Department of Career Education through the GED® Testing Office, GED Testing Service and Pearson/Vue.
It is the responsibility of the testing centers to ensure the security of test materials according to procedures listed in the Policies and Procedures Manual.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: This policy is in accordance with the policies established by GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6,1993, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
COOPERATION AND SUPPORT AMONG ALL GED® TESTING CENTERS IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF GED® TESTING PROGRAMS
POLICY: All educational institutions/entities approved as GED® Testing Centers will be governed by the same rules, regulations, policies, and procedures as established by the Arkansas Department of Career Education and GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE. All approved testing centers must have received the same credentials to operate and administer a testing program and should be viewed as an official entity.
INFORMATION/RATIONALE: This policy is in accordance with the policies established by GED Testing Service® of the American Council on Education/Pearson VUE. This policy is also a part of the Pearson/Vue contract signed by the Arkansas Department of Career Education with GED Testing Service® according to rules and regulations stated in the Policies and Procedures Manual.
EFFECTIVE DATE: December 6, 1993, January 1, 2014
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: GED AdministratorT, GED® Testing Office (501)682-1980
172.00.13 Ark. Code R. 008