ged 21 st century initiative ncta conference september 23, 2011
TRANSCRIPT
GED 21st Century Initiative™ NCTA Conference September 23, 2011
Presented by:
• Debi K. Faucette
Senior Director, Field Outreach
• C. T. Turner
Director, Public Affairs
GED Testing Service ®
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Agenda
• Overview of the New GED Testing Service®
• Highlights of GED 21st Century Initiative™
– Implementation of Computer-based Testing• CBT: 2011-2013 – The Next 27 months
– Highlights of the Next Generation Assessment– Transition to Career and/or College
• Questions, Comments, & Next Steps
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The GED® Reality
More than 39 million U.S. adults without a high school credential
10.5 Million are age 18-34
1.3 million U.S. high school dropouts annually
~ 770,000 GED®
Test Candidates
~ 472,000credentials
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What’s Needed
• A new test that certifies not only high school equivalence but
also career and college readiness
• An integrated system in which testing plays an important
role, but is a transitional step to college or career opportunities
• Diagnostics and additional tools—to provide more
information to candidates and adult educators to drive
preparation
• Technology-based delivery platforms (CBT) to ease access
and capacity issues
The GED Testing Service® Response
GED 21st Century Initiative™
A holistic framework
focused on adult learners
that facilitates the transition to careers and college
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To
• Content aligned to 1999 high school curriculum
• Passing standard empirically set based on norm-referenced performance of graduating high school seniors
• A disjointed, fragmented system that challenges both adult learners and educators
• Rigorous content aligned to Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and prevailing state standards
• Proficiency levels based, in part, on empirical data obtained by performance of graduating high school seniors to identify skills and competencies reflected by the scores/sub-scores
• Comprehensive, easily accessible system of supports that empower both adult learners and educators
From
The Transformation of GED® Testing
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The GED Testing Service ®
Created: March 11, 2011
Focus: Adult learners
Mission: To achieve the vision of the GED®
21st Century Initiative
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The GED 21st Century Initiative Goal Facilitate pathways to achieve career & college readiness and increase PSE attainment & career success
PerformPrepare Progress
Nationally AccessiblePreparation Programs
New Assessment
Post-testTransitionNetwork
Facilitate development of broadly accessible, multi-platform, accelerated approach to learning
Test aligned with CCSS, certifying preparedness for careers & college
Foster creation of a comprehensive network for successful transition to PSE & career opportunities
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COMPUTER-BASED TESTING (CBT)
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GED® Testing: Today’s Challenges
• Paper-based process is labor-intensive
• Multiple approaches to test delivery, scoring, data management, and reporting--making it difficult to achieve economies of scale
• Limited access (proximity, testing center hours, and scheduling)
• Time to receive credential after the exam
• Lack of flexibility in making changes to the exam
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The Benefits of CBT
• Provides benefits to test-takers including:• Rapid turnaround of test results• Ultimately greater choices of when and where to take
the tests• Ease of registration• Increased test security• Possibility of shorter test times for many test-takers
• Part of GED Testing Service® commitment to serving more test-takers, and providing an accessible, valid and reliable testing process.
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Why Now?
• Well-traveled road with many successful examples
• Usability and Comparability studies were conducted with
successful outcomes for test-takers
• Prepares the way for the next generation
assessment launching in 2014
• All states must move to CBT by the end of 2013 to
continue to administer the GED® Test
27 months
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Base Pricing Overview
• The base price: $24 per content area test• The base price is $24 per test whether the
battery is completed in five appointments or one.
• The re-testing base price is also $24.
Test-taker fees will continue to be determined by jurisdictions – Each jurisdiction will continue to have flexibility to discount fees or add additional fees to the base price.
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This flat-rate approach is easier for everyone to understand.
* Pricing is for the current 2002 series GED Test
Base Pricing Overview (continued)
Services Included in CBT Delivery Mode:
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Test Battery Leasing Internet, In-person, Phone Registration & Scheduling Fee Collection Test Scoring Instant Unofficial Score Reports for Multiple Choice Tests Reporting Data Management Data Transfers Flexible Testing Schedules Test Security Proctoring
Base Pricing Overview – Test Center Compensation
Testing Center Payment – From the $24 per test, testing center will be paid $5 per appointment hour
• For example, if the Science test is scheduled for two hours the testing center will receive a minimum of $10.
• The test center will receive $10 even if they finish the test in a shorter amount of time
• In the case of additional time needed for accommodations, testing centers will still receive $5 per hour. For example a double time appointment for Science would be four hours, so the testing center would receive $20.
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Pearson VUE Authorized Testing Centers and the GED® Test
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CBT Coverage for GED Testing
• Work with each jurisdiction to determine CBT coverage
• Build CBT capacity for GED testing
• convert existing PBT centers to CBT centers as
Pearson VUE Authorized Testing Centers (PVTC)
(aka academic centers)
• add new CBT centers by allowing existing PVTCs
centers to offer GED® testing
THE NEXT-GEN ASSESSMENT:THE FUTURE OF CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS FOR ADULT LEARNERS
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Guiding Principles of the Assessment Design
• The GED® assessment targets will focus and build on– What matters most for postsecondary success– The strongest evidence in the CCSS in order to
predict readiness in career, college, and life
• The four subject-level assessments will reinforce core masteries (e.g., use of evidence) that strongly predict career and college readiness
• Provide a framework to provide clear guidelines for adult educators responsible for preparing test-takers
Component
• Fall 2011/January 2012
• July 2012
• Fall 2013
• January 2014
• 2015
• Content Standards are set for Literacy and Math/ Social Studies and Science
• Item Sampler release
• Readiness Test release• Cut Scores are set
• New Assessment launch
• Diagnostic Test release
Date
Assessment System Components/Timelines
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Rethinking Performance Levels & Credentials
CURRENT…The 2002 assessment is – Pass-fail and – Doesn’t provide information about skills that
examinees demonstrate at different levels
FUTURE… Each test in the next-generation exam will – Provide information to the test-taker and the test-
user (i.e., PSE and/or employers) about the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities that the candidate has demonstrated
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Proposed Performance Levels
• Level 1. Does Not Meet the Standard for HS Exit
• Level 2. Ready for High School Exit
• Level 3. Career- and College-Ready
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Next Generation Assessment Performance Standards – An Illustration
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2002 Series GED® TestsN
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Next generation Assessment
Performance Standard 3 … tied to college-readinesswith corresponding PLD
Performance Standard 1 …tied to pre-GED® performance levelwith corresponding PLD.Performance at this leveldoes not earn a credential,but does receive performance feedback.
Sc
ore
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Passing Cut Score for High School Exit
No
Cred
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Cre
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Performance Standard 2 …tied to present level ofhigh school exit with corresponding PLD
Passing Cut Score for High School Equivalency
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The Four Subject-level Assessments
Literacy
• Focus: demonstration of the ability to read and comprehend a range of complex texts, especially complex nonfiction
• Writing tasks will require test takers to analyze given source texts, using evidence
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The Four Subject-level Assessments
Math
• Focus on the material in CCSS that is most important for a wide range of postsecondary outcomes
• Includes material from the career and college ready standards that is introduced in grades 6-8, but reinforced and mastered in grades 9-12
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The Four Subject-level Assessments
Science
Social Studies
• Focus on each test: Literacy and quantitative reasoning skills in context of the content
• Includes assessment of selected core content in each subject area
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Resources – about CBTwww.GEDcbt.org
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Resources – about GED Testing Servicewww.GEDtestingservice.com
Contact InformationDebi Faucette
Senior Director, Field Outreach
C. T. TurnerDirector, Public Affairs
Websites:
For test-takers: www.GEDtest.org
For educators: www.GEDtestingservice.com
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Questions, Comments, and Next Steps
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