Testing Policies and Procedures Manual

1 GED Testing Policies and Pr ocedures Manual (for Paper Based Testing of 2002 Series GED Tests) 2011 Edition Published by GED Testing Service November, 2011 ` GED Testing Policies and Procedures Manual 2011 Edition GED Testing Policies and Procedures Manual (for Paper Based Testing of 2002 Series GED Tests) 2011 Edition (Last updated on December 15, 2011) Published by: GED Testing Service 1155 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20036 November, 2011 Copyright 2011 by GED Testing Service LLC Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

2 GED , GED Testing Service , ACE , and American Council on Education are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education ( ACE ). They may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of ACE. The GED and GED Testing Service brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC under license from the American Council on Education. 2 ` GED Testing Policies and Procedures Manual 2011 Edition Table of Contents Pr eface.

3 3 Section 1. GED Testing Pr ogram P olicies .. 7 Section 2. GED Testing Pr ogram Staff: Qualifications, Selection or Replacement, Training, and Responsibilities .. 11 Section 3. Pr ocedures for Opening an Official GED Testing Center .. 21 Section 4. Policies and Pr ocedures for Operating an Official GED Testing 27 Section 5. Confidentiality of GED Test Scores, and Criteria for Credentials .. 35 Section 6. GED Candidate Eligibility and Registration to Take the GED Tests ..38 Section 7. Administration of the GED Tests.

4 43 Section 8. The Essay .. 67 Section 9. Administration of Other Formats of the GED Tests .. 72 Section 10. Accommodated Testing of GED Candidates with Disabilities .. 75 Section 11. Testing Irregularities and Compromises .. 82 3 ` GED Testing Policies and Procedures Manual 2011 Edition Preface Overview By th e te rms of th e GED annual contract.

5 Anyone invol ved in administering th e GED test or any portion of th e test is required to comply with and ca rry ou t th e Policies and Procedures se t forth in this Policies and Procedures Manual . Questions, comments, or suggestions concerning this GED Testing Servic e Policies and Procedure s Manual should be directed to Paper-Based Testing Operations, GED Testing Service, 1155 Connecticut Avenue, 4th floor, Washington, DC 20036. Introduction The proper administration, supervision, and integrit y of th e GED Testing program are joint responsibilities of participating jurisdictional departments or ministries of education, other contracting agencies, and GED Testing Service (GED Testing Service).

6 In the case of federal correctional facilities and military installations, th e GED Testing program is th e joint responsibility of th e federal agency and GED Testing Service. Adherence to th e Policies and Procedures established by GED Testing Service in concert with participating jurisdictions is vital to a successful Testing program. GED Testing Service endorses and abides by th e National Council on Measurement i n Education (NCME) Code of Professional Responsibilities in Educational Measurement. The GED Testing Service joins NCME in encouraging other or ganizations and individuals t o uphold the principles of the NCME Code that are relevant to those aspects of their professions that relates to th e GED Testing program.

7 A copy of th e NCME Code may be viewed on the Internet at Statement of Purpose The GED test was developed by th e American Council on Education (ACE) and is now maintained and delivered by GED Testing Service. The GED test is normed using a national sample of graduating high school seniors. The test is designed to provide an opportunity for adults who have not graduated from high school to earn their jurisdictions high school level educational diploma/certificate by measuring th e major academic skills and knowledge associated with a high school program of study.

8 History The firs t GED test was developed in 1942 to measure th e major outcomes and concepts generally associated with four years of high school education. Initiated by th e United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI), th e original tests wer e administered only to military personnel 4 GED Testing Policies and Procedures Manual 2011 Edition ` so that returning World War II veterans could more easily pursue

9 Their educational, v ocational, and personal g oals. The USAFI examination staff, composed of civilian Testing experts, wor ked with an advisory committee established with th e support and cooperation of th e American Council on Education, National Association of Secondary School Principals, and regional accrediting associations. The opportunity to document th e attainment of high school level academic skills served as a significant aid to th e many service members whose academic careers had been disrupted during the war. During the 1950s, it became apparent that civilians could als o benefit from the program a need that ACE undertook to fulfill.

10 Civilians wer e f irs t allowed to ta ke th e GED tests in 1952. The Veterans Testing Service administered the program from 1945 to 1963. In 1963, in recognition of th e transition to a program chiefly for nonv eteran adults, th e name was changed to th e GED Testing Service. Since that time, th e GED Testing Service ha s guided and directed a program that has served as many as one million candidates annually at more than 3,200 Official GED Testing Centers. Testing is also pr ovided fo r military personnel stationed overseas, people confined in co rrectional and health institutions, and for civilians and foreign nationals overseas.