Nearly 39 million adults in the United States lack a valid high school credential and face a significant barrier to both higher education and employment opportunities. High school equivalency exams, primarily the General Educational Development (GED) exam, are the primary gateway to college for high school dropouts, but relatively few people are…

Utilizing a data set of over 900,000 enrollees in adult basic education programs in New York State between 2005 and 2013, we examine the college enrollment of GED® passers. Upon enrollment in an adult basic education program, participants were asked whether they wanted to attend college after completion; almost 13,000 students both indicated a…

Nationwide, close to 40 million adults lack a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) credential. About a quarter of high school freshmen do not graduate in four years, and while many high school dropouts eventually do attend GED preparation classes, too few ever pass the GED exam or go on to college. Students with only a…

Many community colleges, along with some public-school districts and family-literacy programs, are overhauling their GED curricula and support services. Nearly 40 million American adults do not have high-school or GED diplomas, according to 2009 data from the American Council on Education, which developed the GED test. Another of the council's…

For the nearly 39 million U.S. adults who do not have a high school diploma, the General Educational Development (GED) programs and exam have served as the main avenue for improving individuals' skills and helping them earn a high school credential. However, few students who start these programs ever get this credential, and even fewer advance to…

This article reports on the development and implementation of a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program in a county jail system in New York State. The program is funded through the Carl D. Perkins Career & Technical Education Act, which reserves a pocket of funds for individuals in county correctional institutions. This program integrated…

New York City's College Access and Success Initiative (CAS) focuses on improving the odds of success for young people who have graduated from failing high schools, are recent immigrants, or who have dropped out and then attained a GED. Begun in 2004, it demonstrates how colleges and community organizations can integrate education and youth…

This article discusses competing perspectives on the value of the General Educational Development (GED) credential. Although scholars and journalists debate the worth of the credential, urban youth continue to pursue the GED, especially as proxy for inadequate schooling. Using qualitative data from a participatory action research project, the…

The purpose of this study was to explore and describe what factors contributed to interrupted persistence among international students, in a General Education Development (GED) preparation course, in an adult continuing education department, in a community college setting, located in an urban area in New York City. The study utilized a qualitative…

A study was undertaken to determine the impact of the new writing component pioneered by New York State on General Educational Development (GED) performance or passing rates. Data were collected in two phases: Phase I dealt with passing rate data prior to the introduction of the writing sample to the writing subtest; Phase II was begun during the…

The New York State High School Equivalency Testing Program is for adult residents of the state who have not completed their high school education in the regular manner. An adult who obtains satisfactory scores on the High School Level tests of General Educational Development (GED) Tests is eligible to receive a New York State high school…

As stated in this guide, the overall goal of the General Educational Development (GED) Program is to provide a practical program of diagnosis, prescription instruction and test readiness for adults so that they may obtain their High School Equivalency Diplomas. Guidelines are herein provided by the New York State Education Department for the…

For high school dropouts who last attempted the General Educational Development (GED) test in Florida and New York in 1989-1990, earnings of those without GEDs, least-skilled GED holders, and highest-skilled GED holders were compared. Higher GED scores were associated with higher earnings, except for white males. These earnings differences were as…

This handbook is a guide for an adult education program for the student who desires a New York State High School Equivalency Diploma. It covers areas ranging from the scope of the programs in grammar and usage, literature, social studies, mathematics, and sciences, to the background and purpose of the General Educational Development Tests. Special…

In this article, the author reflects on her teaching experience at the Onondaga County Justice Center, a maximum-security facility where she taught in the women's pod. She says that every day she encountered students who were eager to learn and glad for the simple materials she brought. She rediscovered pure, joyous teaching. In that stark…