Up until 2013, the only nationally recognized high school equivalency test in the U.S. was the GED Test, developed and administered by the American Council on Education, or ACE for short, a non-profit organization.  This test was used and recognized in all 50 states and internationally. 

Starting in 2014, this landscape changed dramatically.  ACE, in collaboration with Pearson Education, privatized the GED Test, which is now a product owned, operated and sold by Pearson/GED Testing Service. As a result of the privatization, other big-name companies have entered the marketplace including CTB/McGraw-Hill (with the TASC test) and Educational Testing Service (ETS) (with the HiSET test), and the competition is expected to grow.

No longer does ACE have a monopoly with the GED Test. As each state is independently responsible for the education of its citizens, regulations are also getting updated to reflect this privatization.  As of January 2015, 41 states nationwide still used the GED Test, but 12 also used the HiSET, 6 used the TASC, and 2 others used other tests - 6 states now use multiple tests. (To see what test(s) your state recognizes, a list of each state's Department of Education websites can be found on the U.S. Department of Education's website.)

 

 

What does all this mean for LearnScape?

LearnScape's HSEpathway - the "High School Equivalency Pathway" - which launched this past August and reflects the 2014 GED Test Series standard, is an update to our GEDpathway product, which reflects the 2002 GED Test Series standard (and is used internationally and by people in the U.S. who have special needs).  Both products are designed to help test takers prepare and succeed in earning their high school credential - regardless of which test it is or if it's delivered electronically or on paper.

The bottom line is the dust will eventually settle on the privatization issue and an estimated 700,000 people will continue to take one form or other of the test to earn their high school equivalency credential each year. 

We at LearnScape are committed to continuing to support all students who are preparing to earn their high school equivalency credential, no matter which state they are in, or which test they take, through our prescriptive assessments, pre-tests, lessons, quizzes, post-tests and practice tests.