GED 2014 Has Some Bite

Three months into the new GED series, instructors and students are discovering the increased rigor of the tests: reading selections have doubled in length; science and social studies questions requires a basic knowledge science and history; extended answers assume a working knowledge of the structure of an argument; math is liberally sprinkled throughout science and social studies questions; and the math test questions range from decimals, fractions and percent and end with Algebra II: polynomials, linear equations and simplifying quadratic expressions.

I have taken the GED Ready tests and have, retaining some academic pride, scored in the green "Likely To Pass" category on all of them. Unfortunately, I have heard that other instructors have not done as well. I'm not really worried about that right now, because I remember when I started to teach in the Basic Ed classroom, I had forgotten the basics of how to divide fractions. Good instructors know how to fill in deficits and learn new material quickly and efficiently. I am more concerned about my students.

Initial national reports confirm my classroom observations about the increased difficulty of the series. When GED 2014 was given to recent high school graduates as a comparison sample, only two-thirds passed on the first try. In last year's version, the pass rate was, I believe, about 70-78-percent. In other news, the new math test has been extended 25-minutes, from 90-minutes to 115-minutes (almost a 28-percent allowance) because too many students were not completing the test in time. And, I am hearing from colleagues on a local and regional level that more students than last year are not passing tests or the rate of testing has slowed dramatically.

This does not mean I am giving up on GED 2014, and I am certainly not advocating for an easier test. Last year's GED needed to be updated and the update needed some bite in order to maintain its credibility. I believe those who pass the GED 2014 series will be better prepared for career opportunities and post-secondary classrooms than previous graduates. Going easy is not the solution, but everyone -- instructors, students, employers, family and friends -- will have to adjust expectations.

At one time, average to high-level students could expect to complete the series in a good semester of work, about 50 hours. Some could successfully test more quickly. Now, I expect that most of my students will need two or more semesters in order to successfully pass the test. GED students who come to me now will need patience, persistence as well as hard work. The GED has upped its game. Students and instructors will need to do the same.