NLA Question: Effects of Raising Minimum GED Test Section

[Sumner_L at cde.state.co.us]

Can't resist speaking to this question; having taught in the correctional 
education system in Colorado and later been an alternate examiner for the 
test while supervising instructional staff it was always our position that 
not only did a student need to score 225 total points but that no one test 
could be under 45 that was especially true for the Math and English. 
Perhaps it is a philosophical difference on our part but we wanted the 
inmates to have every advantage when testing ; I think unlike you most of 
our instructors felt as if the student didn't pass the GED while 
incarcerated the chances of his/her doing so outside the system was greatly 
reduced. The passing percentage rate generally ranged 69-73% sometimes 
higher depending on the facility.  Guess, this is my way of saying I don't 
think the new requirements are too "stringent" at all but rather helps to 
ensure people are taking the GED to pass and not practice. After all I 
think we all realize that after awhile one doesn't necessarily learn more 
but instead becomes test wise.  

Sumner_L at cde.state.co.us


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Original Text
>From Stefan LoBuglio <lobuglio at meol.mass.edu>, on 4/1/97 6:39 PM:
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has examined the effect of the
recent increase of the minimum GED test section score on the percentage of
students passing the GED.

For those not familiar with this issue, the American Council of Education,
who administers the GED test nationwide, raised the minimum test section
score from a point total of 35 to 40.  Students who take the test must now
score a minimum of 40 points in each of the GED test's five sections
(Writing Skills, Math, Literature, Social Studies, and Science).  The
overall test score needed to pass the GED test did not change (225 or an
average of 45 points per section).

In my five years of administering the GED test, I have noticed that a
significant number of students score between the 35-40 point level
particularly in the math and writing skills sections -- always the weakest
areas.  However, heretofore, many have been able to pass the GED test and
achieve the necessary 225 points by scoring in the 50-55 range in the other
three sections of the test which are essentially all reading comprehension
tests.

At the house of correction, our passing percentage for students taking the
GED test was between 50 - 65% last year out of a total number of test
administrations of 150-200.  In the next couple of weeks, I plan to review
the test scores of all these students and determine what the passing
percentage would have been under the more stringent requirements.

Given the increased demand on programs to report relatively high passing
percentages, I wonder if one effect of this policy change will be to
discourage some students from taking the test.  Our program at the house of
correction has always had the philosophy that there is merit in encouraging
students to take the test who score between 215 and 225.  Though they do
not pass the test, they have a base score that can be improved upon in
future re-tests (the GED test is scored cumulatively with the highest test
section scores counted from all tests taken)  Most importantly, it
psychologically puts them on track to pursue the GED even if they are
released from our institution. 

I will post the results to this list.  As I said in the beginning, I would
be interested if anyone else had conducted a similar analysis.

Best Regards,


Stefan


Stefan F. LoBuglio, Director
Inmate Education Division @ House of Correction
Suffolk County Sheriff's Department
20 Bradston Street
Boston, MA  02118

Tele:	   617/635-1000  ext. 1228
Fax:	   617/635-1042
E-Mail:  lobuglio at meol.mass.edu