The overall design and framework of the GED Program is centered around providing measurements and tools documenting and promoting student achievement. More information about the test itself and the underlying documentation and validity framework may be found in the GED test Technical Manual on the GED Testing Service website. The philosophy…

Ever since achieving a high school credential by passing the GED[R] test became widely institutionalized through adult education programs in the United States, outcomes for GED test credential recipients have continued to be of great interest to the adult education community and the general public. Very few studies of GED test credential…

Since the 1990s, a wealth of literature has compared the benefits of having a GED[R] test credential versus a traditional high school diploma or no high school credential, with an early emphasis on economic impact. One advantage of passing the GED test lies in its ability to open doors to the postsecondary system. Nearly two-thirds of U.S.…

In this qualitative research study, we sought to better understand the experiences of adult learners in adult education centers. We conducted eight focus groups with 104 adult education students from 25 adult learning centers. Five groups were made up of English-speaking ABE students; learners in the three ESL groups spoke Spanish. We used an…

The extant literature offers little to describe the processes for screening students in adult basic education (ABE) programs for potential learning disabilities, referring adult students for diagnostic assessment, or barriers to obtaining diagnostic assessment for a learning disability. Without current documentation of a learning disability, ABE…

This report presents information about selected characteristics and experiences of high school sophomores in 2002 who subsequently dropped out of school. It also presents comparative data about late high school dropouts in the years 1982, 1992, and 2004. Three data sources provide the information for the report: the High School and Beyond…

This article describes an action research at an alternative high school which explores drop-out prevention strategies with first-year students. Student retention is extremely challenging for alternative schools. Because their mission is to provide a second chance to students who could not succeed in a regular setting, those schools regularly must…

Young female dropouts may make several kinds of educational investments, all of which enhance earned income. Completing the General Educational Development (GED) Test increases income 25%; GED plus 1 year of training or college increases it 50%. How4ver, the increase in earnings is not enough to lift a family out of poverty. (Contains 312 notes…

Compared recidivism rates of inmates who earned their General Educational Development (GED) certificate while incarcerated (n=2,330) with those who were released with no degree (n=9,419) and those who already had a high school diploma (n=4,868). Findings indicate that those who earned a GED had a significantly lower recidivism rate. (Contains 13…

Describes study of 60 high school students that examined the relationship between mathematics performance, students' attitudes toward computers and calculators, and whether the relationship is similar for males and females. Results indicate that both male and female students with more positive attitudes toward computers and calculators perform…

A series of follow-up studies were conducted to examine the employment, education, and training activities of persons who had taken the General Educational Development (GED) Tests in the spring of 1980. The first two studies, conducted in the fall of 1981 and the spring of 1982, were nationwide surveys that analyzed the survey responses of 458 and…

This packet contains five issues of "GED Profiles" that examine various aspects of the characteristics and motivation of adults who take the General Educational Development (GED) tests and the effects of completion. These topics are explored: "GED Candidates in the Workforce: Employed and Employable" (Janet Baldwin, Henry…

Teacher perspectives on the adult education profession were examined in a national survey designed to improve understanding of the current cadre of "professional" adult educators and assess their experiences, needs, and preferences for professional development. A 31-item questionnaire, called the Professional Development Kit Needs…