Results of the Deterrents to Participation Scale completed by 119 General Educational Development participants aged 16-23 revealed the following: (1) no differences between black and white students; (2) statistically significant differences between men and women and urban and rural residents; and (3) family constraints as the only factor with…

The majority of candidates who take the Tests of General Educational Development (GED) take those tests within 2 years of leaving school, but this study highlights the demographic profile and performance of candidates who, for a variety of reasons, waited anywhere from 24 to 54 years to attempt to obtain the GED high school equivalency credential.…

A study used data from a long-standing examination system, the General Educational Development (GED) certificate, to illustrate that the details of examination systems have marked impacts on the number of test takers who obtain the desired credential and on the racial/ethnic composition of passers. Data provided by the Florida Department of…

This report introduces the General Education Development Testing Services (GEDTS) Administrator screening model for adults with learning disabilities. The screening model is designed to identify adults whose educational achievement is significantly below overall potential due to an informational processing deficit and who are thus eligible for…

A study examined evidence of any labor market payoff for school dropouts and if they acquire cognitive skills, and studied whether the payoff differs by gender and race/ethnicity. It analyzed data containing information on the universe of school dropouts in New York and Florida who took the General Educational Development (GED) exams between…

The effect of item context on differential item performance based on gender on mathematics test items was studied, using 404 male and 375 female adults. The analyses were based on a modified one-parameter item response theory methodology. Gender differences emerged; however, they may be due to chance. (TJH)

In an attempt to draw valid conclusions concerning the ways in which American Indian/Alaskan Natives who took the General Educational Development (GED) Tests differed from the non-Indian examinee population, questionnaire responses of 319 candidates who identified themselves as American Indians/Alaskan Natives were compared with those of 11,583…

The reasons why undereducated individuals choose not to participate in adult education were examined in a comparative, qualitative case study that was conducted in eight nonmetropolitan sites (including the pilot site) in diverse economic regions across Kentucky. Data were collected from the following sources: in-depth interviews with 84 adults…

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…

Differences in education and labor market outcomes across groups completing high school at different ages and by different means (e.g., by graduation as compared with receiving a general education development diploma) may be due to a variety of factors, including all those that influence a person to leave school early. For an early school-leaver,…

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…