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2014 GED??PROGRAMWhat is the 2014 GED??program?We’re facing a national crisis. Millions of adults, without high school diplomas, lack the skills and knowledge to succeed in the 21st century marketplace. This impacts every community in America.That’s why GED Testing Service has built not just a new test, but a new comprehensive program. The 2014 GED??program ensures that an adult’s high school equivalency credential signifies he or she has the skills and knowledge necessary to take the next critical steps in their life.How is the written response scored on GED Ready? - Reasoning Through Language Arts? Is it scored electronically??The written response is not able to be scored on GED Ready? for the Reasoning Through Language Arts content area. Instead, students will receive information in their online score report about what a typical written response should look like. Students will also have a copy of the item prompt and their written response so they can bring it into an adult education center for scoring by a trained educator.Is there documentation on how to process the exceptions queue??Training materials are available for GED Manager? which is where approvers will process the exceptions queue in 2014. Refer to our web page on?Training for the 2014 GED??Program?for more information.Who can/cannot make demographic changes?Students are allowed to modify their profile information such as their email address, password, postal address, testing jurisdiction and request for accommodations. For security reasons, students are not allowed to update their name without contacting 1-877-EXAM-GED directly. Neither students nor state personnel are allowed to make changes to the demographic content captured in the Scheduling Questions after they have been completed. To request a special change, contact 1-877-EXAM-GED.What is the Smart Transcript??The Smart Transcript is available in certain states and jurisdictions that have decided to partner with GED Testing Service for the GED Credentialing? service for transcript and diploma fulfillment. The Smart Transcript provides:Electronic transcript that students can save or email to colleges and employersA description of the skills and abilities students demonstrated on the GED??test through links right on the Smart TranscriptInformation about the GED??with Honors and what it means to be career- and college-readyGED Credentialing? is an optional service available to all states using the 2014 GED??program. Learn more about?GED Credentialing?.How do students and educators access MyGED??Students and educators can access MyGED? at?.How can students and educators use vouchers with the system?GED Ready? vouchers can be purchased in various amounts from Pearson VUE. Learn more about how to?purchase vouchers?as a student and an educator.If I’m not a student, can I sign up for MyGED? at??so I have the experience for myself?Yes, teachers and testing centers are allowed to sign up for a MyGED? account to explore the dashboard and see what the process is like for your students. Please note that you should not, however, take any of the GED??test subjects as that would violate our policies.Is there a calculator for GED Ready??practice test???Yes. Students will be able to use the same embedded calculator on the GED Ready??practice test that is available on the official GED??test. The calculator will be available on the Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies test subjects.On the official GED??test, students have the option to bring a handheld TI-30XS calculator, so students may choose to practice using a handheld calculator if they wish.How will GED Ready? work if we require that the practice test be taken in a proctored environment?GED Ready? is an online practice test that currently has 2 English forms for RLA, Science, and Social Studies; 3 English forms for Mathematical Reasoning; and 1 Spanish form for each test subject (additional forms are in development and will be launched at a later date). GED Ready? can be delivered at home or in a proctored environment at a center. If your jurisdiction requires that students pass GED Ready? before scheduling the official GED??test, your students will be notified of this requirement in their Alerts dropdown of their MyGED? dashboard and will not be able to schedule in the online system until this requirement has been met, according to your jurisdiction’s policies. Home delivery of the GED Ready? is designed for those students who do not participate in adult education programs (historically about 50% of GED??test-takers).To purchase the vouchers needed to deliver GED Ready? in a proctored environment at your center:? is also a computer-based (offline) version of GED Ready? for correctional settings that cannot deliver an online practice test. This computer-based version of GED Ready? is delivered via the same Pearson VUE test driver that is used to deliver the operational GED??test.What is the price for GED Ready? when adult education programs want to purchase multiple copies??Any adult education, testing, or community programs who wish to purchase GED Ready? vouchers should contact one of the approved publishers listed here:?. Every publisher is offering the same vouchers for GED Ready?, but costs may vary from company to company.How many times can an adult education program use GED Ready? when they purchase it online for their students?Students should receive their own vouchers for GED Ready? in order to take the official practice test in the intended environment, receive their own readiness predictions, and personal study plans. Each student will receive an enhanced score report that includes this information every time they take GED Ready?.Will GED Manager? be faster than Credential Manager??GED Manager?, like much of the 2014 GED??program, was built from the ground up based on user feedback and needs. GED Manager? offers many improvements such as additional search fields to find student records, one-click access to approve exceptions, and a comment box for programs to track comments related to exceptions and approvals.What are the GED??score levels??The GED??test will have a passing score of 145 for each subject. Therefore, students will need to reach a score of at least 145 on each subject and a total score of 580 or higher across all four subjects in order to receive the GED??test credential. Students may also earn the GED??College Ready score or GED??College Ready + Credit score if they earn the required score on a test subject. See below for the full score scale:Below Passing: 100 – 144Passing Score: 145?– 164GED??College Ready:?165 – 174GED??College Ready + Credit:?175 – 200How are constructed response questions (extended response and short answer) on the operational GED??test scored—actual people or technology?On the official 2014 GED??test, the three Constructed Response items (one Extended Response item on RLA and two Short Answer items on Science) are all scored using an Automated Scoring Engine (ASE). The ASE is a highly reliable and equitable scoring process that replicates human scoring processes that were established through the extensive field testing and analysis process during the development of the 2014 GED??test. The ASE can readily adapt to new scoring procedures or protocols and greatly reduces the time required to accurately score constructed response items and provide feedback to test-takers.There are a number of quality assurance processes that GED Testing Service employs to further ensure the accuracy of scores on constructed response items:First, during the first few months of 2014, all constructed response items will be scored both by human scorers and the ASE in order to do final validation of the automated scoring models for the adult GED??test-taker population.Second, unique responses by test-takers will be flagged by the system as “outliers” and will always be scored by human readers.Third, human scorers will score a random sample of test-taker responses to ensure the proper operation of the ASE.Finally, an automatic appeal process will be implemented for test-takers who score below the Passing Standard within a certain margin of error. The margin of error will be the score range for which, had the test-takers received additional points from the constructed response questions the test-takers’ score result would have changed from “fail” to “pass.”If a test-taker makes an error online and it is not caught or fixed at the time of testing by checking against an ID, what will happen??GED Testing Service has included and tested with students the multiple reminders about the need to verify personal information. Students are allowed to modify their profile information such as their email address, password, postal address, testing jurisdiction and request for accommodations at any time by logging into MyGED? at?. For security reasons, students are not allowed to update their name without contacting us directly at 1-877-EXAM-GED.If a student has credentialed in a state using the GED Credentialing? service and receives a transcript or diploma with incorrect information on it,?contact GED Testing Service.If a student tests in a jurisdiction maintaining its own database, updated data (e.g., name, address, phone number) will be sent to the jurisdiction in the data feeds from GED Testing Service.Which browsers are officially supported?Currently, supports all of the following browsers:IE 11IE 10IE 9Chrome 40.0.2214.111Chrome 40.0.2214.115Chrome 40.0.2214.109iOS 8iOS 7Android Chrome 40.0.2214.111Android Chrome 40.0.2214.115Android Chrome 40.0.2214.109Android Browser 4ABOUT THE 2014 GED??TESTWhat is the test format?The test is on computer.Will the content change drastically from the current 2002 Series GED??Test?The content of the 2014 GED??test does differ from that tested on the 2002 Series GED??Test. Refer to the resource on our website called “2002 to 2014: A Content Comparison” available at the following link:? is the breakdown of the four tests by time and content?The GED??test will be about seven and a half hours long with the timing for each subject area as follows:The Reasoning Through Language Arts test is 150 minutes long and testing is broken down into three sections:Section 1 (35 minutes*) tests all contentSection 2 (45 minutes) is the Extended Response portion of the testStudent break (10 minutes)Section 3 (60 minutes*) tests all content*The time allotted for sections 1 and 3 may vary slightly, but the total test time will always be 150 minutes.The Mathematical Reasoning test is 115 minutes long and is one single section.Part 1 – (first 5 test questions) calculator not allowedPart 2 – (remaining 41 test questions) calculator allowedStudents must submit their answers before moving on to the rest of the test. These parts are not timed separately.The Social Studies test is 70 minutes long and is one single section..The Science test is 90 minutes long and is one single section. There are two Short Answer questions included on the test, but they are not timed separately. Students are expected to manage their time and spend about 10 minutes on each of the Short Answer questions.Is keyboarding speed an issue? How does this influence test time?The time given is adequate for students to construct their answer and key in their response. Field testing has demonstrated that even test-takers with minimal keyboarding skills have adequate time.Are questions linear or computer adaptive?Linear.Will there still be multiple versions (forms) of each subject test?Yes, as in any high quality standardized testing program, multiple equivalent forms of the test will be administered to test-takers to ensure that test security is maintained and to offer multiple testing opportunities to test-takers who might not pass on their first attempt. The 2014 GED??test offers three forms in English and three forms in Spanish.Can students take the same form of the test over again?The system will have 3 forms of the test and make sure that a student does not take the same form twice. Please Note: Students can re-test on the same form after 60 days since the last test.If a student tests in both English and Spanish, will the 60-day wait period still apply after they test three times?Retake rules are enforced for test-takers retesting in different languages. For example, if a test-taker takes an English test three times, then moves to a Spanish test, the GED Testing Service 60-day wait period is enforced. If a jurisdiction has additional retesting requirements, these requirements will also be enforced.STANDARDIZATION, NORMING, AND PASSING STANDARDSHow hard is the test?The test is aligned with today’s high school standards. The difficulty level needed to pass the GED??test is the same difficulty level as needed to pass high school today.Since the test is being normed on high school graduates, will there be much of a difference in passing rates?The Passing Standard for high school equivalency was set based on the performance of a national sample of high school graduates from the class of 2013. The cut score for high school equivalency was set at a performance level such that the passing rates on the individual content-area tests are comparable to those that are currently in place for the 2002 Series GED??Test. The Passing Standard on each content area test has been established at a scaled score of 145 on a scale of 100 to 200.What is the cut score for passing the GED??test?The cut score for passing each content area test has been established at a scaled score of 145 on a scale of 100 to 200.Any word on scoring cut points for GED??vs. career- and college-ready pass scores?The cut score for the GED??College Ready, representing performance consistent with readiness for career and college, wasset at a scaled score of 165 on a scale of 100 to 200 for each content area test. The GED??College Ready cut scores was based on the performance of a national sample of high school graduates from the class of 2013 who participated in the Standardization and Norming Study (SNS) in the summer of 2013.Will the 2250 minimum score still be utilized for passing the GED??test?No. The test will be on an entirely new scale of 100 to 200 points with a Passing Standard of 145 points on each test content area. In 2014, test-takers will need to reach a score of at least 145 on each of the four content areas (Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies) in order to be eligible to receive a high school equivalency credential. There is no longer compensation between the test content areas to offset lower scores on one test with higher scores on another test as there was on the 2002 Series GED??Test.Will the new scoring reflect whether or not students are college and/or job-force ready?Yes.If 145 equates to high school equivalent, what is the score needed for assessing college/career readiness?The score needed for career and college readiness has been established at 165 on a scale of 100 to 200 for each subject. This score is based on performance data of a national sample of high school graduates from the class of 2013 who participated in the Standardization and Norming study in the summer of 2013.How is the 2014 GED??test scored and what score is passing?The 2014 GED??test is scored by computer. The passing standard on each content area has been set at a score of 145 on a scale of 100 to 200 scaled score points for each of the four content areas.Why is this shift happening at this time and not in the future when it is more in line with current curriculum?The shift to the Career and College Ready standards is happening nationwide at the current time. By shifting the content of the test now, but keeping the passing standard for high school equivalency matched with performance of graduating high school seniors in 2013 who have not yet had instruction in career- and college-ready content, we enable adult test-takers to achieve a high school equivalency diploma on the same basis as their current high school graduate counterparts, and yet provide them with performance feedback and information on their demonstration of skills consistent with readiness for career and college. This information provides them with guidance that will be useful as they chart their course forward into postsecondary education or the workforce, which will require skills beyond what is currently required for high school equivalency.When GED Testing Service increased the time to the GED??test - Mathematical Reasoning, did it impact the standardization and norming of the test?When GED Testing Service added 25 minutes to the math test in February 2014, it did not impact the standardization or norming of the test. The passing score for high school equivalency remained the same.Standardization and norming is the process of administering the GED??test to recent high school graduates to see how they perform on the test, and then setting the performance levels for the GED??test based on the performance of the high school graduates. During standardization and norming, the high school graduates are given the same test questions included on the GED??test, thus measuring the same skills. Giving GED??students additional time to complete the test means they are still demonstrating the same skills, just with additional time.DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGEIs GED Testing Service working to develop Depth of Knowledge (DOK) question banks for teachers to use within their classrooms?GED Testing Service is working with a number of publishers that will be creating a wide range of materials to support the 2014 GED??test. These include sample and practice test questions that will incorporate Depth of Knowledge references.Are different DOK levels weighted differently?The DOK level is an attribute of each test item, and, as such, is not an element of the test that can be weighted.What percent of DOK level 1 is on the 2014 GED??test?Twenty percent of the items on the test will be at DOK level 1, which is sometimes referred to as the “recall” level.Do you have a breakdown of DOK levels 2 and 3 as they add to 80 percent?GED Testing Service is not specifying the numbers of items or score points that will fall into DOK level 2 vs. DOK level 3 since the DOK levels are dependent on the specific Assessment Target being measured. Refer to the specific content area Assessment Targets in the Assessment Guide for Educators, Chapter 2, pages 2.11 through 2.43 for guidance on how the targets reflect the DOK levels.How do DOK levels apply to the different cut scores connected to high school-equivalency and career and college readiness?The DOK levels do not relate directly to the cut scores for high school equivalency, since the passing standard has been set through reference to the empirical performance of a national sample of high school graduates from the class of 2013 who participated in the Standardization and Norming Study (SNS) in the summer of 2013. The Performance Level Descriptors, which were derived from a content analysis of the performance data from the SNS, describe the specific knowledge targets and, by extension, DOK levels, relate to the performance standards. Information about this aspect of the test will be available in the technical report that is released subsequent to the launch of the test in 2014.I understand that DOK and Bloom’s Taxonomy are different but will all levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy still show up on the test?Bloom’s Taxonomy is not being used as a framework for the 2014 GED??test, so no information relative to Bloom’s will be set for the new test.ITEM TYPES AND ITEM SAMPLERSAre drop-down items no longer part of the Science module?Drop-down items are still included as part of the Science module.Will the Reasoning through Language Arts (RLA) contain both an extended response and two short answers?No, only one extended response item will appear on the RLA test.What are hot-spot questions and are there examples?See Chapter 1 of the?Assessment Guide for Educators?for a description and examples of “hot-spot” items.What happens if you try to add an extra bar on a drag-and-drop graph item beyond the set number of bars that there is a place for on the question?On drag-and-drop items where a test-taker drags bars and places them on the graph, dragging an extra bar beyond the number required on the graph will replace whatever bar was in place on the graph with the new bar, and then return the original bar to the “inventory”.How many short answers are on the Social Studies?There are no short answer items on the Social Studies exam. Short answer items only appear on the Science exam and require the equivalent of about a paragraph as a response.Are short answer questions considered the same as fill in the blank?Short answer items are different from fill-in-the-blank items. Fill-in-the-blank items usually consist of one word or number that needs to be entered into the blank, as opposed to an entire paragraph.Will GED Testing Service provide a percentage breakdown for the item types on each test?GED Testing Service is not specifying the total numbers of each item type on the 2014 GED??test. Instead, we are selecting the item type most appropriate for the particular content that is being assessed. However, more than 50 percent of the items on each test form will be multiple choice. The assessment targets, however, do have targeted coverage percentages. See the?Assessment Guide for Educators, July 2013 update, for more information.Can you tell me how the test-taker uses the answer explanation or is that function only on test samples?Yes, the answer explanation is an instructional feature of the Item Samplers and the free practice test and don’t appear on GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test or the operational GED??test. The answer explanations are inteded to show the correct answer and explanations for all possible answers.PREPARATION AND PRACTICE TESTIs an official practice test available online?Yes, GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test is available through MyGED? at? an online version (delivered over the Internet).Will students have to pay to take a practice test?GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test is available from our publishing partners for a nominal fee – $4 per subject for adult education programs and $6 per subject for individual students not participating in adult education programs. It is also available through MyGED? at?. The test is primarily available in an online version, although a non-Internet computer-based version is available for use in corrections settings where test-takers are not allowed Internet access.Are there free online practice tests?GED Testing Service offers a free practice test on our web site at? are publishing companies going to start having prep materials available?Publishers have released and will continue to release materials through 2014. To learn more about the publishers working with us, visit our?2014 GED?program publishers page.Is there a charge for the computer-based prep materials and if so, what will the mechanism for paying for the use of computerized materials be?Yes, there will be a fee for preparation materials purchased from commercial publishers, just as there always has been. Various publishers have different methods of charging for their materials, and you would have to check with them for details. To learn more about the publishers working with us, visit our?2014 GED??program publishers page.Are there materials printed to use in the classroom?Study materials are expected to be available in a wide variety of formats, including printed materials. To learn more about the publishers working with us, visit our?2014 GED??program publishers page.Are study materials available only through Pearson or do other publishers carry them?Study materials are available from a wide range of publishers. Many of those materials are available for students on??To learn more about the publishers working with us, visit our?2014 GED??program publishers page.Do libraries carry GED??study materials?It is likely that libraries have materials related to the 2014 GED??program.What sample tests are available?A variety of sample materials are available, including:Sample items at? free practice test at? Ready?: The Official Practice Test is available through the MyGED? portal at?How can someone get a good idea of how he or she would expect to score at each level?GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test is now available to adult learners through the MyGED? portal at?. Individuals taking GED Ready? receive a detailed score report with a scaled score indicating their likelihood of passing the operational GED??test. Test-takers will receive a score within one of three levels: Red Zone (not likely to pass), Yellow Zone (too close to call), or Green Zone (likely to pass). Their score report also includes descriptions of the skills they have demonstrated at their performance level, and descriptions of the skills that they need to work on to move into the next performance level.Who scores GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test?The computer scores all items on GED Ready? with the exception of the constructed response items, which are scored by adult educators using the scoring tools that are available on our web site at? GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test available on pencil and paper?The GED Ready? is not available in a paper format. Since the 2014 GED??test is a computer-based test, the GED Ready? must also be computer-based, in order to prepare test-takers appropriately for the test-taking experience and to provide them with a score that is predictive of the score they may receive on the operational GED??test.Will practice tests be available in Spanish?Yes. The free practice test is available in Spanish at?freepracticetest. GED Ready? is available in Spanish on MyGED? at?.Will there be a secure practice test that can be used as a required qualifier for GED??testing?Yes, GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test can be used to qualify individuals to take the GED??test. Test takers who receive a score in the 'green' zone on a GED Ready subject area test are likely to pass at the high school equivalency level on the corresponding subject of the operational GED test. Test-takers who earn a score of 145-200 on the GED Ready??practice test score in the 'green' zone and are considered "Likely to Pass" the GED??test.Can GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test for corrections be used in the classroom or only in testing area?GED Ready? in corrections or otherwise may be used in an instructional setting, keeping in mind that for the score to be truly predictive of how a student will score on the operational GED??test, the administration conditions need to be as similar as possible to an actual testing environment. GED Ready? is available offline for correctional facilities.How many practice test forms will there be?As of 8/2015, we have 4 versions of each GED Ready??subject area test in English, 3 versions of the Math test in Spanish, and 2 versions of RLA, Science and Social Studies in Spanish. New versions of Spanish are in development. Tests are updated each year, and some versions may be retired over time. If you choose to take the same subject area test over again, note that you will most likely see a different version of the test each time. This is determined by the email address you use to take the test, and how many times you are re-taking the same subject area test.Is there an offline version of the 2014 GED??test tutorial?Yes, there is an offline version of the tutorial for use in corrections and other locations without Internet connectivity. The computer skills tutorial is available on our web site at? both English and Spanish language versions and in both online and offline versions for each language.Is GED Ready?: The Official Practice Test a full-length practice test?We have no plans to offer a full-length practice test. The 2002 Series full-length test was not widely used, as it was deemed too lengthy for practical use in adult education programs in general. GED Ready? is a half-length test.Is the computer tutorial free?Yes, the computer tutorial for the 2014 GED??test is available free of charge on our website at? the tutorial available to those preparing to test or at the time of testing?The computer-skills tutorial for the 2014 GED??test must be accessed prior to the actual testing appointment. For the 2014 GED??test, the tutorial is available 24/7 on MyGEDTM?at??under Test Tips.Will there be software that teachers can use to help students practice computer skills before the test?The computer skills tutorial is available from GED Testing Service at no cost at? GED READY??TEST VOUCHERSDo GED Ready??test vouchers expire?Yes—GED Ready??test vouchers have different expiration dates depending on how you purchased them.Vouchers purchased through a publisher expire 18 months from the purchase dateVouchers purchased through?GED Marketplace??expire 12 months from the purchase dateMy student got a notice saying he has 120 days to take the practice test. What’s the difference between this expiration date and the 12/18-month expiration date?Once a student redeems a GED Ready??test voucher, he has 120 days to complete the practice test. This allows for the student to start or stop the practice test, which may be required in some study environments.My student entered his GED Ready??voucher code, but it didn’t accept the code. What’s wrong?If a voucher code isn’t working:Make sure the student entered all the voucher code digits correctlyMake sure the voucher hasn’t expiredMake sure the voucher hasn’t already been usedIf you’re still having issues redeeming your voucher code, contact customer service of the publisher that you purchased the vouchers through; if you ordered your vouchers through?GED Marketplace??contact?StoreHelp@?for assistance.Most GED Ready??test vouchers are for one test subject. Can I get a voucher for multiple test subjects?Yes! You can order a multi-use voucher that a student can use to take 4 GED Ready??practice test subjects from GED Marketplace?.Can more than one student use a multi-use voucher code?Not usually. A GED Ready??test voucher is typically tied to a student’s email address. If this is how voucher codes work your program, then only one student can use a voucher code.One of my unused GED Ready??practice test vouchers that I ordered through a publisher has expired. Is it possible for me to still use it?It’s important to pay attention to the expiration dates for your GED Ready??test vouchers to make sure you’re using vouchers before they expire. If you have an unused GED Ready??practice test voucher, contact?help@?for assistance.If I order a GED Ready??test voucher as part of a special promotional offer, will the expiration dates be the same as a full-priced GED Ready??test voucher I bought from a publisher?Not usually. Limited time promotions typically mean that the GED Ready??voucher can only be used during the time frame that the promotion is going on. Be sure to pay attention to the expiration dates for your GED Ready??test vouchers to make sure you’re using vouchers before they expire.Sometimes my students have trouble typing in a fill-in-the-blank answer. What should they do?This will sometimes happens if your students are taking the GED Ready??test in an older web browser (IE 8 or earlier). Have your students click to refresh the browser, and then they can use “tab” key to type their answers for the fill-in-the-blank items.REGISTRATION AND SCHEDULINGDo students register & schedule online for the 2014 GED??test?Yes. Most students register & schedule online for the 2014 GED??test using MyGED? at?. Students may also register and schedule by phone at 1-877-EXAM-GED. Dedicated call center agents for Spanish-speakers and adults with accommodations are available.What will the new registration process consist of?The registration process for the 2014 GED??test is much simpler. Students are required to sign up for a MyGED? account at??and then they are able to access the dashboard full of information about studying, test tips, scheduling, scoring, and college and career opportunities. When students are eligibile to schedule, they can go log in 24/7 to?, click “Start scheduling” on their dashboard, complete the demographic questions, schedule one test or multiple tests at a time, and pay for their appointment. These steps are explained in our?student guides, available for free download.Will test takers still be able to schedule one test at a time on different dates?Yes. Test takers can test on what they want, when they want, and where they want. This way they feel prepared every time.REASONING THROUGH LANGUAGE ARTS (RLA)Which form of language will be used on the scoring of the short responses: formal or American standard?The language standard expected in constructed responses to test items is the level appropriate for “on-demand, draft writing.”We do not hold test-takers to a standard of very formal conventions at all. Rather, we understand that they have minimal time for proofreading and that we can accept diction that is significantly more casual than, for example, what might be required on a resume cover letter. The language performance expectations are not as high “Edited American English.”Will the RLA contain grammar questions?The RLA content includes testing in the area of Language, which includes some concepts and skills sometimes known as grammar.Verb tenses were not mentioned on the content of the new test. Will there still be questions involving tenses?Yes, verb tense is one of the skills tested via the 2014 test via Extended Response Scoring Rubric Trait 3 only (Assessment Guide for Educators, page 2.70)Will there be a vocabulary resource for the 2014 GED??test?There may be such a resource in the works by one of the publishers, but GED Testing Service has no plans to create those materials.Are there any poems on the 2014 GED??test?Poetry does not appear on the 2014 GED??test.Is there a compilation of the “Great American Conversation” recommended texts?No. The “Great American Conversation” is a continuing work-in-progress, with historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution constantly being supplemented by contemporary articles and sources.Can you give us an idea what measures of text complexity will be used, and what the range might be?Passages are chosen primarily by similarity to the exemplar passages as indicated in the Assessment Guide for Educators. However, a number of different measures are also used to document the complexity of materials (e.g., Dale-Chall, Lexile, and Flesch-Kincaid). Different measures are used because the different readability models look for differing attributes of text and so can produce fairly divergent results.Can students pass the test without doing any writing?Writing is an extremely important section of the test and is a key part in determining career and college readiness.EXTENDED RESPONSE (ER)Will there be a requirement on the RLA test for students to write a passing essay, similar to the requirement on the current Writing test?Students will need to gain as many points as possible on the RLA ER item, but even if a low number of points are obtained, all of those points will be counted towards the test-takers’ score, unlike on the current writing test.What is the minimum score for the extended response that is passing?There is no concept of “passing” the ER item. Students earn score points on each constructed response item that contributes to their overall module score, and that module score is then compared with the passing standard of 145 to determine whether the test-taker has passed or failed.How important will grading the grammar of non-native speakers affect short and extended response questions?Language usage is one of the elements of language arts identified in the GED??test Assessment Targets and is also an important aspect of the career- and college-readiness content standards that the new GED??test reflects. However, the grammar and usage rules and conventions that are assessed in the extended response items have been limited to a finite set. Those criteria are detailed in the extended response rubrics for the Reasoning through Language Arts test, and can be found in the?Assessment Guide?for Educators, July 2013 Update, on pages 3.10 and 3.13. Even students who are non-native speakers of English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in critical dimensions of language.MATHEMATICAL REASONINGHow will the content change on the math test?Please refer to the Assessment Guide for Educators at? information on the math content changes.What basic math skills will be required to pass this math test at the lowest skill level?Mathematics knowledge and skills required to achieve the Passing Standard for high school equivalency are outlined in the Performance Level Descriptors for Mathematics, available on our web site at? is Assessment Indicator A.12.a? Where do I access this reference or others like it on the Item Samplers?For the references to the Assessment Targets contained in the Item Samplers, download the Assessment Guide for Educators and refer to Chapter 2 and its appendices for a complete listing of the Assessment Targets. The guide is available at? data analysis (charts and graphs) be included in the Mathematical Reasoning test?Yes, items that include aspects of data analysis of charts, graphs, tables, and diagrams will be included in the Mathematical Reasoning test.How will the spacing for fill-in-the-blank issues be graded?The computer removes all extraneous spaces prior to evaluating and scoring a response, so use of different spacing has no impact on the scoring of a fill-in-the-blank test item.Are handheld calculators allowed on the Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies tests?Yes, test-takers can bring a TI-30XS Multiview Scientific Calculator to use on the GED??test. An embedded, on-screen calculator is also available for all test-takers.Will GED Testing Service provide the handheld calculators or will testing centers provide them?Test-takers who want to use a handheld calculator must bring it with them to the testing center. Pearson VUE Testing Centers will NOT provide handheld calculators. However, if a jurisdiction has GED?-only testing centers, the jurisdiction may elect to provide handheld calculators at the expense of the jurisdiction. In all cases, test-takers will be informed that GED Testing Service will continue to provide the on-screen calculator embedded in the test for each test item for which it is appropriate for use, and that they should bring in their own handheld calculator if they wish to use it.What handheld calculator can test-takers use?Test-takers can only bring a TI-30XS Multiview Scientific Calculator to use on the Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies tests.What parts of the Mathematical Reasoning test allow for the use of the handheld calculator?The Mathematical Reasoning test includes two distinct parts - Part 1 and Part 2 with a brief, three-minute break in between. Part 1 includes the initial test items that do not allow the use of any calculator. Part 2 still includes the embedded on-screen calculator, but now test-takers have the option to use a handheld calculator.So Mathematical Reasoning will be one test now and not two parts?The math test is in two sections, one short calculator-prohibited section and a longer calculator-allowed section. Both sections are part of a single Mathematical Reasoning module with total testing time of 115 minutes.Will there be a reference sheet for the symbols? Or will students need to know what each of the symbols mean?Yes, a reference sheet for the symbol selector has been?posted to our website.If mathematical fluency in basic operations is important, why allow the calculator on almost all the test? Most of my students are deficient so why would they want to learn how to divide if they can use a calculator?Career- and college-readiness standards do require that students be able to demonstrate fluency in mathematical calculations. However, the reality is that most individuals will have a calculator available at most times in school or on the job, and the focus of the test is on reasoning skills, not on calculations. If we were to prohibit the calculator on the entire test, we would need to allow extra time for calculation by hand, thus either requiring extended testing time or being unable to test the full range of higher order thinking skills that are a key component of the test.On the Mathematical Reasoning test, what is the content of the questions that don’t allow the use of a calculator?The test questions test foundational arithmetic skills including the four basic operations (addition, subtractions, multiplication, and division), exponents, roots, and basic number sense.Can a student come back to these non-calculator questions when they finish the rest of the test?No. Students can move back and forth between the first few questions, but they have to submit their answers to those questions before moving on to the rest of the test. This prevents students from using the calculator on a later test question to calculate the answer to one of the calculator-prohibited questions.Are the non-calculator test items separately timed?No, the non-calculator test items are not timed separately. It is up to the student to manage their time and to complete both the non-calculator and calculator parts of the test within the allotted 115 minutes.I heard that time was added to the math test. Is this true?Yes. As of Friday, February 21, 2014, the standard time allowance on the GED??test - Mathematical Reasoning was increased by 25 minutes. The time allowance for GED Ready? - Mathematical Reasoning was also increased by 13 minutes.Why are you adding time to the math test?Analysis of the first 6 weeks of testing showed that test-takers may not have enough time to properly work through the test items and demonstrate their skills on the last one-third of the Mathematical Reasoning test.How do you know it’s not that the test is too hard?As a test sponsor, it’s our responsibility to ensure that all test-takers have the time they need to demonstrate the critical-thinking and problem-solving skills that colleges and employers require.Will test center compensation go up?Testing centers are typically compensated by the hour ($5 per hour in most locations). Payments to centers will reflect the new, longer test time, so they will not loose any testing center compensation as a result of the extended time. Test-taker fees will not change.What happens to students that have taken the GED??Math test or are scheduled to take it?For those students that already took the Math test, they are eligible for a free math test. Students should call 1-877-EXAM-GED to schedule their free test. In the event the student paid for additional Math retakes, they will be refunded those fees.CalculatorHas the new calculator been field tested in any Pearson VUE centers?Yes, the TI-30FX was used during all the 2012 field-testing and the calculator has also been in use since September 4, 2012, on the operational 2002 Series GED??test on computer.Is there an updated online site for Texas TI 30XS? The previous site mentioned during the science webinar is not available any longer.Here is the site: percentage of problems are test takers able to use a calculator to solve?The calculator-prohibited items are limited to only 5 items on each form of the Mathematical Reasoning test. All of the other items in that module allow the use of the calculator. Keep in mind that the calculator is also provided on certain items in the Science and Social Studies tests where it would be useful to test-takers in answering those items.Are handheld calculators allowed on the Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies tests?Yes, test-takers can bring a TI-30XS Multiview Scientific Calculator to use on the GED??test. An embedded, on-screen calculator is also available for all test-takers.Will GED Testing Service provide the handheld calculators or will testing centers provide them?Test-takers who want to use a handheld calculator must bring it with them to the testing center. Pearson VUE Testing Centers will NOT provide handheld calculators. However, if a jurisdiction has GED?-only testing centers, the jurisdiction may elect to provide handheld calculators at the expense of the jurisdiction. In all cases, test-takers will be informed that GED Testing Service will continue to provide the on-screen calculator embedded in the test for each test item for which it is appropriate for use, and that they should bring in their own handheld calculator if they wish to use it.What handheld calculator can test-takers use?Test-takers can only bring a TI-30XS Multiview Scientific Calculator to use on the Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies tests.Will the calculator be available for all math portions? Or will it be similar to the current test where part of the math section you can use the calculator, and the other you cannot?The on-screen calculator will be available for all but the first few items on the Mathematical Reasoning test — though there will be a handful of items that are calculator-prohibited, testing basic computational skills that are incorporated into the career- and college-readiness standards and (by extension) the GED??test Assessment Targets. In addition, the calculator will also be available for certain items in the Science and Social Studies tests.Is using the electronic calculator quicker/slower than using a hand-held calculator? Has someone timed and compared answer response using both methods?The onscreen calculator is just as responsive as a hand-held calculator and has been used by tens of thousands of test-takers in our 2012 field-testing program with no performance issues.Will the calculator tutorials include videos that do not require YouTube? Many schools block YouTube at school.The videos are in YouTube format because that is a format that is universally accessible on the widest range of computers and mobile devices. If your institution blocks the videos you could consider accessing them from another location such as from home or from a public library.FormulasOn the formula sheet will the area of a circle, circumference of a circle, and area of a triangle be listed?Yes, the formulas listed on the?Formula Reference sheet?as presented in the Item Samplers and the Assessment Guide for Educators are provided.Will students need to memorize formulas for area of rectangle/triangle/circle, or have those questions been eliminated from the test completely?No, students will not need to memorize these formulas. They will be able to use the?Formula Reference sheet?on test day.SOCIAL STUDIESAre short answer questions timed separately from the rest of the test like the Social Studies test?Short answer items only appear on the Science module. They are not timed separately, and the 10-minute response guideline is only a suggestion to test-takers. The items are included within the overall timing of the Science module.How much time is allotted for the entire Social Studies exam?The Social Studies exam will be timed at 70 minutes.SCORE REPORTS AND SCORINGWill different questions be worth different values?Yes, different questions on the test will be worth different score points. So, for example, a test item with two drop-down selections would be worth two points, since the test-taker is being asked two separate things about one set of stimulus material.Will feedback on how a test-taker performed be available for their instructors too?Students may choose to share their score report with instructors, either online or by printing it out.Are sample score reports available for review?Sample score reports will be available soon as part of the Enhanced Score Report page on our web site at? kind of actionable information will be available to the prep program that candidates attended if they fail a section of the test?Participants will receive information regarding the skills they have demonstrated on the test, as well as the skills they need to attain to get to the next level of performance. Examples of the Enhanced Score Report are available on our web site at? the information regarding students’ strengths and weaknesses be available to instructors to refine instruction?Yes, if the test-taker prints out their report or gives permission to the adult educator to see the test-taker score report, adult educators will certainly be able to use this information to tailor instruction to the student. We expect this to be the case more often than not, which is why the score reports on the new test underwent significant usability testing with both test-takers and adult educators to ensure maximum value-added for each group.How long do you expect we will wait for scores?Scores will be returned from the test within 24 hours of completion of each subject.?I took my GED??test today, but haven’t received my scores yet. Why not?Same-day scoring is a feature of the 2014 GED??test; however, there are a few circumstances where your scores may be delayed.If you tested during the first few weeks of 2014. GED Testing Service is validating test scores during the first few weeks of 2014 to ensure scores are consistent and fair for all test-takers. During these first few weeks of the new test launch, tests are scored twice by two different methods. This dual scoring may result in your test scores being delayed one to two business days.If the testing center didn’t upload your test data immediately. While not common, sometimes a testing center may not upload your test data to the scoring system right away, which may cause a delay in receiving your test scores.If your test was flagged for manual scoring. After the first few weeks of 2014 there may be circumstances that require some tests to be manually scored. The occasional test that requires manual scoring may take up to three business days to be available to you on MyGED?. We expect that only 3% of tests will require manual scoring.When students have to select more than one answer, as in the examples given, will they receive partial credit if they get some of the answers right but not all? For example, if they chose 2 of the correct graphs, but not the third?The concept of partial credit depends on the particular item and how many points that item is worth. The example item cited is a one-point item, and on that one the item would be marked as either correct or incorrect, no matter how many selections are involved.How many questions will be on each test?The new test forms do not specify numbers of test questions—they are based on raw score points instead, since all items are no longer worth just one point each. The final raw score point totals are as follows:Reasoning Through Language Arts – 65 raw score pointsMathematical Reasoning – 49 raw score pointsScience – 40 raw score pointsSocial Studies – 30 raw score pointsRemember that scores from the 2014 GED??test are transformed to a common scaled score metric, to make the scores easier to use and interpret across the content areas. The 2014 scale runs from 100 to 200, with 145 scaled score points as the Passing Standard for high school equivalency; 165 scaled score points as the GED??College Ready score level, reflective of readiness for career and college; and 175 scaled score points as the GED??College Ready + Credit score level.Is the evidence of college-and-career-readiness based on the percentage of questions answered correctly?Yes, roughly.Is the 145 an average score needed for total passing or a minimum score required for passing of each test?There is no average score needed for total passing.Are all questions worth one point?Not all questions are worth one point. The raw scores on the test are translated into a scaled score on the scale 100 to 200.Will points from one test be able to help boost another test for the passing average like the 2002 Series GED??Test?No. The scoring model specifies the minimum score that needs to be attained on each subject, and higher score points from one subject will not compensate for lower scores on another module.The 2002 test gave credit for only correct responses, thus allowing for guessing. Is this the case for the new test?Guessing is not penalized or prohibited on the 2014 test.Will the grading procedure be the same for unanswered questions? Will a skipped question be brought to the test-taker’s attention?There is no penalty for a wrong answer, meaning that test-takers should attempt to answer all the questions on the test. The Item Review screen at the end of the test shows test-takers which items they have answered, which items they have answered but flagged to come back to and review, and which items have been left unanswered. Test-takers can go directly to those items from the review screen without having to page through all the items in the test.What if I think my student’s constructed response was scored wrong? What options are available?While the system GED Testing Service uses to score constructed responses is highly reliable and accurate, we understand that sometimes test-takers may believe they deserve a higher score on their constructed responses. If a test-taker wants to challenge their constructed response score, they can contact customer support at 1-877-EXAM-GED to request a re-score. The fee is $50 per challenged response. If the challenge results in a score change, the $50 will be returned to the student. If the challenge does not result in a score change, GED Testing Service will keep the fee.How do I access my 2002 Series GED??test scores if I tested on computer?You can access scoring information for 2002 Series GED??tests taken on computer at?ged.. Note:?Although the page says it is for Canadian and International test takers only, if you took the 2002 Series GED??test on computer in the U.S., you can still access your scores by logging into your account on this page.How can I update my personal information for my 2002 Series GED??test records?Since the 2002 Series GED??test has concluded, U.S. test takers cannot update their personal information at?ged.. You must contact your state’s GED??testing office to change your information, if the state will allow it. If you are a Canadian or International test taker, you can still make changes to your personal information through?ged..I teach in New York and my students want their GED??test scores. How can they access them?New York test-takers (who tested in 2013 and earlier) can access their GED??test scores at?. Since your students took the test on paper, the New York State Education Department will have their records. If they cannot find their record on this site, your students should?contact the New York State Education Department office?for more information.ACCOMMODATIONSHow will test-takers request accommodations in 2014?Test-takers seeking accommodations will register at?. During the registration process, test-takers seeking accommodations will select, “yes” when asked if they intend to apply for testing modifications (accommodations) based upon a documented disability. After selecting “yes,” test-takers will receive an email with specific information on where to submit their accommodations request, which will include a link to the accommodations website? Testing Service will make all accommodations decisions beginning in 2014. Test-takers will be notified in writing of the accommodations decision, usually within 30 days. If approved, test-takers will be given specific instructions for how to schedule their accommodated GED??Tests with the Pearson VUE Accommodations Scheduling team. If not approved, test-takers will be advised about the appeal procedures. Either way, test-takers will then have the ability to call to discuss the accommodations decision.If test-takers indicate “yes” to the accommodations question during registration (they do want to take their GED??tests with accommodations), but they later change their mind and do not want to request accommodations, what should they do?Test-takers can log into MyGED? at? withdraw their intention to apply for accommodations.Can candidates schedule their GED??tests with accommodation online?No. After test-takers are approved for accommodations, they will get an email with instructions to contact the Pearson VUE Accommodations Scheduling Team.If a test-taker was approved for accommodations prior to 2014, will the accommodation be valid in 2014?Usually. Accommodation approvals are generally valid for one year, regardless of whether the test-taker takes the GED??tests in 2013 or 2014.If a test-taker was approved by the GED??jurisdiction for accommodations prior to 2014, how will the accommodation approval “transfer” so GED Testing Service knows about it?If a test-taker was approved for accommodations by the jurisdiction prior to 2014, the test-taker should go to the accommodations website and complete the?Accommodations Transfer to 2014?form. Once GED Testing Service receives this form, we will contact the jurisdiction for confirmation of prior approval and notify the test-taker of his or her next steps.How do Pearson VUE test centers plan for accommodated GED??tests?After GED Testing Service approves an accommodation, Pearson VUE’s Accommodations Scheduling Team handles the logistics of all accommodated exams, including scheduling exams with extra time, a private room, a reader or scribe, and all other approved accommodations.What is the role of the jurisdictional administrator with accommodations in 2014?Jurisdictional administrators will largely provide a supportive role for test-takers and the field. This may include steering candidates towards the website and assisting testing centers and adult educators with understanding the application process.Do jurisdictions need to keep and maintain accommodation approvals for candidates?Records prior to 2014 should be maintained by the jurisdiction, but 2014 records and beyond will be maintained by GED Testing Service.What accommodations will be available for test-takers in 2014?Most of the accommodations available for the 2002 Series GED??Test will still be available with the 2014 GED??test, including: 25%, 50%, and 100% extended time, stop-the-clock breaks, private room, scribe, reader, etc. In addition, development is underway for screen reading software to be available for blind test-takers, and zoom/magnification will be available for low-vision test-takers. These enhancements are expected to be available by mid-2015.All test-takers will have the ability to alter the color/contrast settings and increase the font size of their exam. These options will be available to all test-takers without the need for accommodations. The audiocassette test will not be available in 2014.What features are available to help test-takers who have trouble reading the GED??test on the computer screen?The 2014 GED??test includes several features that are available to all test-takers that make it easier for them to read and highlight text. These features include:On-screen color combinations?– Test-takers can choose from 11 different background/text color combinations to make the test screen easier to readText size?– Test-takers can use the “Custom Font” button to change the text size on the testHighlighting text?– Test-takers can select text and click the “Highlight” button to highlight test questions and passages. Use the?computer-based testing tutorial?to get hands-on experience with this feature.What allowances will be available for test-takers who need accommodations for special needs when testing?Test-takers with approved accommodations will be able to receive those when taking the test.Is the same color-pattern expected to hold, i.e., blue, green, yellow with white?The standard blue color palette is shown on the Item Samplers, but test-takers have the choice of a number of different color palettes, in order to provide a visual display that is most comfortable for the test-taker. While the choice of a different color display can be an accommodation for particular test-takers, in general, the color choices are accessibility features and are available to all test-takers.Is listening to the test in auditory mode an accommodation on the new test?Yes. The Screen Reader functionality will be available as an accommodation by approximately mid-2014. Prior to its availibility, an individual requiring that accommodation will be provided with a human reader.Will candidates or jurisdictions have to pay for readers or scribes?No. Pearson VUE will arrange for these services, at Pearson VUE’s expense.Are the zoom and background color change features available to all testers or just those with specific accommodations?Features such as zoom and the screen color palette are accessibility features available to all test-takers, not just those with approved accommodations.How are learning accommodations applied?Once an individual has approved accommodations, their testing appointment will reflect those accommodations (including, for example, having a longer testing appointment if extended time is an approved accommodation). The test-taker then will receive most accommodations directly from the computer interface, generally without additional human intervention.What kind of accommodations will be available for students with learning disabilities?The same accommodations that are available today are available with the 2014 GED??test.For students that qualify for untimed tests, will that still apply in 2014?No students qualify for untimed tests, currently or in the future. Students may receive an extended-time accommodation if that is warranted and approved, and that accommodation will be automatically administered and time adjusted appropriately by the computer-based testing system.Will a paper test be available in 2014?Yes. This will be exclusively for candidates with a disability that makes the use of the computer impossible. This accommodation is not for comfort, convenience, or a lack of computer skills.Can test-takers request other computer devices that may assist their ability to access the computer based test?Yes. If test-takers have a documented disability and present a need for adaptive equipment (ergonomic keyboard, track ball mouse, etc.), the equipment will be provided by Pearson VUE at no charge to candidates or the jurisdiction.What type of process will be used for the visually impaired test taker?Accommodations for the visually impaired are built into the computer-based testing interface. Blind students will still be able to take advantage of a version of the test in Braille.Will the test be available in Braille?Yes, the 2014 GED?test in Braille format will be available in February.How will blind students have adaptations?Students who are blind will be able to take a Braille test, or, if they are not proficient in Braille, will have the test read to them via screen-reader technology. The screen reader accommodation will be available by approximately mid-2014.If I still have questions, whom should I ask?Send an email to?accommodations@. A GED Testing Service representative will get back to you promptly.CORRECTIONSAny comments regarding limitations or accommodations for testing in corrections?Most correctional institutions will be offering the 2014 GED??test on computer. Certain institutions, however, may be granted a waiver to continue administering the 2002 Series test on paper for a limited period of time while they improve their computer infrastructure. Check with your local GED Administrator? for more information on the Transitional Waiver Program in your jurisdiction and institution.Will the web resources be downloadable for correctional education?Yes.How long will correctional facilities have before they will be required to offer computer based testing?This decision is being made on a case-by-case basis based on waiver applications submitted by jurisdictions to the GED Testing Service. Check with your local GED Administrator? for more information on the Transitional Waiver Program in your jurisdiction and institution.What about programs for those incarcerated and computers are not an option because of security?Most prisons will be able to offer the test on computer. Prisons not able to offer computer-based testing will continue to offer the 2002 Series GED??Test on paper for a limited approved amount of time. Check with your local GED Administrator? for more information on the Transitional Waiver Program in your jurisdiction and institution.Will students from the correctional education setting be included in norming sample this year?The test has been normed on a national sample of high school graduates from the class of 2013. As such, students from corrections, who are typically adults, were not included in this sample.Can practice tests for corrections be used in the classroom or only in testing area?Practice tests in corrections or otherwise may be used in an instructional setting, keeping in mind that for the score to be truly predictive of how a student will score on the operational test the administration conditions need to be as similar as possible to an actual testing environment.Will there be an offline version of the 2014 GED??test tutorial?Yes, there is an offline version of the tutorial for use in corrections.CLOCK AND BREAKSWill the test-taker have a clock to let them know how much time they have left so they can edit or proofread their response?Yes, the testing software contains a test-timer that the test-taker can minimize or maintain in view at their option. However, the timer cannot be minimized during the final few minutes of the test, in order to make certain that the test-taker is aware that time is running out and that they will need to complete their test and submit it.Where is the time clock located? Is it on the test?The clock appears in the upper right-hand corner of the test software display.Will the break be managed by a computer timer?Yes, the computer manages the all of the timing on the test, though the test administrator has a role in logging the individual in and out of the test workstation.I have heard that the RLA test would be 150 minutes with a ten-minute break. How will that break be handled? Will students be stretching or will they be able to interact?The RLA module is in three sections, with a break occurring after the second section. The first section is approximately 35 minutes and consists of a variety of item types. The second section consists of one 45-minute Extended Response (ER) item,. The ER item is followed by a 10-minute break, during which test-takers are still in a secure testing environment and will not be allowed to interact with one another, should their breaks occur at the same time. (Keep in mind that because computer-based test administrations are individual administrations rather than group testing such as has traditionally occurred in the paper-based testing environment, it is likely that a test-taker will be on break at a time different from other test-takers in the testing center.) The break is managed by the computer, and the final approximately 60-minute section begins automatically after 10 minutes, so test-takers will need to be aware that they must be back at their testing station in time to be ready to begin the last section of the RLA module.AUTOMATED SCORING ENGINEWill the automated scoring engine take into account the common issues that non-native speakers will have with Edited American English?There are certain expectations regarding a level of fluency with language conventions, and test-takers will be expected to have a command of these, no matter what their background, in order to obtain the highest scores. Keep in mind that the standard that responses are evaluated against represents on-demand draft writing. Because of the time limitations on a standardized assessment like the GED??test, responses are not expected to be completely error-free, and as a result the responses are not held to as high as standard as Edited American English.Will the short and extended response questions be scored mechanically?An Automated Scoring Engine (ASE) that replicates human scoring will be used to score the constructed response items. This is not “mechanical” scoring, since the engine uses sophisticated algorithms to faithfully and reliably replicate human scoring processes.I understand the extended response will be computer-scored. How will a computer understand validity claims or the appropriateness of citations to a test-taker’s argument?The Automated Scoring Engine (ASE) is trained to replicate the human scoring process, and this training is based on a computer evaluation of the characteristics of hundreds of test-taker responses that align with all possible score points on the rubric. The validity of claims and the appropriateness of evidence are two examples of characteristics of a writing sample that are evaluated by the computer.Will the extended response items be evaluated by humans or computers?Humans score extended response items during the field-testing process. These human scoring materials and results are used to train a computer Automated Scoring Engine (ASE) in order to replicate the human scoring process. In addition, humans always score a sample of responses as part of the quality assurance process, and responses flagged as unusual or unique by the scoring engine are automatically kicked out as “outliers” and forwarded to human scorers for evaluation and scoring.ERASABLE NOTE BOARDSWill students be allowed to have scrap paper?Erasable note boards are available during your GED??test instead of scratch paper to use as an organizational and planning tool for each of the four GED?test subjects. Each test-taker will be allowed to have a package of three (3) erasable note boards for them to prepare their answers during testing. The note boards are designed to be used with an erasable marker and can be wiped clean after each use.The noteboard is pictured on our website at?. In addition, similar noteboards are available from GED Testing Service through Brand Central for use in classrooms.How will the note board impact left-handed students if it is erased as they write?Left-handed students can successfully use the erasable noteboard as the boards do not erase that easily—they use the same kind of dry-erase technology in use for decades in offices and classrooms, which requires more pressure to wipe off than would generally be the case with a test-taker’s hand lightly brushing across the noteboard as he or she writes.Why are note boards being used instead of the traditional scratch paper?Erasable note boards are being used to increase test security (scratch paper can easily be taken out of the testing center) and to minimize environmental impact by implementing a reusable resource.Will there be an additional cost to test centers for the erasable noteboards?No, the erasable noteboards are provided free of charge by Pearson VUE.Will students be able to write the extended response on paper/pencil and then enter after?Test-takers may use the erasable noteboards and dry-erase marker to plan and draft their responses to constructed response items and for other purposes.FIELD TESTINGWhat does it mean to field test items?Field-testing is when we include newly developed items on the GED??test to gauge how test-takers will perform on each item. It’s a standard part of proper test development and makes it possible for additional forms to be created. Test-taker responses to field test items do not count toward their score. Field-testing allows us to ensure that possible new items on the test are clear and measure the skills and abilities they are intended to measure.Which test subjects will be impacted by field-testing?We’re beginning field-testing on three of the four GED??test subjects this fall. The Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies test subjects will include a very small number of field test items. Field-testing on the Reasoning Though Language Arts test will begin in 2015.Why do we need field test items in the test?Field test items are a standard part of the test development process and make it possible for additional test forms to be created. Additional test forms may allow test-takers to attempt the test more times in a single year, and will increase the security of the GED??test and the integrity of the GED??credential.Does field-testing impact the scoring scale or test time for the test subjects?No, neither the cut score nor the test time will change as a result of field testing.Did the field test include ESOL Adult learners?The field test included test-takers from a wide variety of backgrounds, including adults for whom English was not their first language.Will you be doing any field testing with the ESOL population?Field testing included a robust sample of the testing population that considered a number of key demographic characteristics including language. Without question, in order to prepare and test, proficiency in the English language will be important for ESOL students who speak languages other than English. Nevertheless, no matter what their backgrounds, adults will need to attain certain levels of performance in order to receive a GED??test credential. There is no doubt that this will be more difficult for some test-takers than others, just as it is today.PRICINGHow can you justify raising the cost to triple the cost of the current test?GED Testing Service categorically is not tripling the cost of the current test. The total cost of the current paper-based test is in the range of $100 to $150 per test battery administration, depending on local circumstances. The cost of the 2014 GED??test will remain at $120 per test battery administration, and includes a much more robust assessment with much richer reporting and data management capabilities. For more information about the complete 2014 GED??program, visit our web site at? the extreme increase in price? Haven’t you considered that the population that takes the test may not be able to afford this hike in price?The price being charged to jurisdictions is not an extreme price increase. Most jurisdictions currently have costs that are comparable to the $120 per battery charge when all costs of administration, scoring, reporting, credentialing, and data management are considered. The price charged to test-takers is a separate matter, and that is set by individual jurisdictions, varying from $0 to nearly $400 for the current GED??test. In addition, our offering in 2014 is a complete program, of which the test is only one component. For more information about the complete 2014 GED??program, visit? there funding available to help offset the costs?Studies conducted in 2011 by GED Testing Service demonstrated that funding to help students offset the cost of testing is available from a variety of sources nationwide.What is the price breakdown per test?The 2014 GED??test including all the standard elements of the 2014 GED??program costs jurisdictions $30 per each of the 4 modules, for a total of $120. The price that test-takers pay is set by jurisdictions, and varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. For more information about the complete 2014 GED?program, visit our web site at? POLICIESAre there requirements for students to participate?GED Testing Service does not have any participation requirements. Normal state policies and requirements apply.Do students have to pay for all of the tests at once?GED Testing Service has no requirement that test-takers pay for all tests at one time. One of the advantages of the 2014 GED??program is the flexibility that it allows test-takers to register and take only the subjects for which they are prepared, instead of testing on a schedule that is built primarily for the convenience of the test administrator.Can students still take tests separately on different dates?Yes, this is one of the key advantages of computer-based registration, scheduling, and testing, so that test-takers can take the test according to their preferred schedule, rather than having to adhere to a paper-based testing schedule set by an examiner primarily for the convenience of the examiner doing a group administration.Will requirements be the same? Taking only three times in a calendar year… etc.GED Testing Service allows individuals to take the test three times without any waiting period. After the third attempt, test-takers must wait 60-days after their last attempt before they can test again. This will result in test-takers having up to eight opportunities to test in a year, should they require that many attempts.If a student fails any one section of the test, he/she will have to take the whole battery again, even the average of all sections is above the passing score? True or false?False. If a test-taker obtains a passing score on one of the modules, he or she is finished with that module and need not take it again, even if other modules have not been passed and need to be retaken. Of course, if someone wishes to obtain a higher score and obtain feedback on his or her skills and competencies, there is nothing that prevents retaking the test, but that is certainly not required.How do my students schedule their discounted retakes?They can use their discounted retakes by simply logging into their MyGED? account and scheduling their GED??test the same way they scheduled their initial test. When students start the scheduling process, they’ll see the non-discounted test price. Once they select their test, test time, and testing center, they’ll be taken to the checkout screen where their price will automatically reflect the discount. Students can also contact the call center and schedule directly over the phone.Students can take sections of the new GED??test in any order they want to. Do they pay as they go?Yes, one of the advantages of the computer-based registration and scheduling system is that students can register, schedule, and pay for only those parts of the test that they are ready to take.Will there a timeframe for a student to complete all four test? Will this be set by each state or by the GED Testing Service?The GED Testing Service does not have policies stipulating a minimum timeframe within which all four GED??test modules must be completed. However, certain jurisdictions do have policies around this and those jurisdictional policies would need to be complied with if they apply to a test-taker’s circumstances.Can a student take the test one part at a time or do they need to take the test all at the same time?Students may take any or all parts of the test at their option and convenience, limited only by the availability of testing appointments on the date and time of their choosing.Are there a number of days in which a student needs to complete all four tests?GED Testing Service does not make any restrictions on that.Does the test have to be taken on a Pearson VUE computer?No, they just need to meet basic security and technology requirements.2002 SERIES CLOSEOUT CAMPAIGNIs it true that any scores that students have had from the 2002 Series GED??Test will be wiped out of the system once the 2014 GED??test comes out?Yes, all 2002 Series scores will expire at the end of 2013 and cannot be carried over to the new test.In what month will they stop taking applications for the 2002 test?This varies by jurisdiction, and you would need to check with your individual jurisdiction to find out when they are discontinuing registrations for the 2002 test.I know that whoever did not pass the GED??test in December 2012, will lose all the scores for the subjects that the individual previously passed. Does this include also the Constitution Test in Illinois?Test-takers who have not taken and passed all of the content area tests by December 31, 2013 will forfeit scores earned for the 2002 Series GED??Test. The Illinois Constitution Test is a state credentialing requirement that the GED Testing Service does not have jurisdiction over. You would need to check with the Illinois GED Administrator? for any specific information about that test.BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGEWith the old GED??test students could answer questions just from the information given on the test! How does this new test differ? Will all the information required to answer question be found in the passage?Students will need to come into the 2014 GED??test with some level of content knowledge at a “definitional level.” To understand this aspect of the new test, please refer to the Assessment Guide for Educators, July 2013 Update, posted on our website at? the science and social studies tests, how will background knowledge be measured?Background knowledge is not being measured per se. Background knowledge will be necessary to score at the highest levels on the test.OFFER GED TEST ON COMPUTERHow much is it going to cost to set up a testing center with the technology needed for the test?If you are interested in becoming an authorized Pearson VUE Testing Center, the first step would be to talk with your state/jurisdiction’s GED Administrator?. The GED Administrator? is responsible for overseeing the network of testing centers and understands the big picture of the jurisdiction, its needs, and the demand for testing.Will IT be available for glitches while the students are taking the tests?Yes, Pearson VUE testing centers have access to a wide range of technology support during testing. Testing centers must be qualified and approved as Pearson VUE testing centers in order to be able to administer the GED??test on computer. Pearson VUE Testing Centers have access to an extensive support system to ensure that technical issues are kept to a minimum and any issues that arise are quickly resolved.What are the training requirements for test examiners?The only restriction is that the test administrator cannot be a ABE instructor; there are no other requirements in terms of education, experience, etc. Test administrators do need to pass a Pearson VUE certification examination, however, but that is an open-book exam.For the 2014 GED??test how many proctors and examiners do you recommend to administer the tests?The administration of a computer-based test in a Pearson VUE Testing Center (PVTC) is a completely different test administration model than the paper-based model. In paper-based testing, relatively large groups of individuals are brought together for a group administration, requiring additional examiners and proctors depending on the size of the group being tested. In computer-based testing, there is a relatively small testing center (typically no more than 15 seats), in which test-takers are administered the test individually – each with their own starting and stopping time, etc. Because of this, the testing center has the appropriate number of administrators to handle the number of seats in the testing center, depending on its size.DIAGNOSTIC TESTWill there be a new diagnostic test to replace TABE?GED Testing Service does not currently have a timeline for the development of a diagnostic test – we are focusing our efforts on the launch of the practice test and the operational test.Will that not affect our enrollment and attendance if they don’t need to come to class to be able to access those tests?The availability of a practice test for test-takers who are not enrolled in adult education programs is not expected to impact adult education enrollments. Rather, it is a service to the approximately 50 percent of adult test-takers who currently do not participate in adult education programs and who, until recently, have had no access to practice test materials from the GED Testing Service. The GED??testing program is currently serving less than approximately two percent of the estimated target population of 40 million adults.CREDENTIALAre there actually two different certificates/diplomas that will be awarded depending on the average score of all four tests?No. There is one credential that will result from the 2014 GED??test – the high school equivalency certificate or diploma. Test-takers will receive feedback, however, on their progress towards career- and college-readiness skill levels no matter what their level of performance on the test.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTWill there be any state trainings coming out any time soon, or about the same time as the other informationWorkshops have been available to states since 2013 and can still be arranged. Contact your local GED Administrator? or State Director of Adult Education for more information.ASSESSMENT GUIDE FOR EDUCATORSI looked at stuff during the summer, if material is updated, does it give a table of contents and tell us what is new to look at so we don’t have to go through the whole thing if we already did it or has it completely changed?Yes, each chapter includes a “What’s new” guide to indicate changes in the AGE since the last update was made.About GED Testing ServiceWhat we doHistory of the testFAQsEventsVideosSubscribe to emails???GED Testing Service is a joint venture of the?American Council on Education?and?Pearson?VUE.GED??and GED Testing Service??are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education and may not be used or reproduced without express written permission. The GED??and GED Testing Service??brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC under license from the American Council on Education.?2015 GED Testing Service??? 1919 M Street, NW - Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036 ? 5601 Green Valley Drive, Bloomington, MN 55437 ? 1-877-392-6433 ................
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