Changes being made to the GED starting in 2014

Since I first posted about KM needing to get her GED in order to attend cosmetology school I have received many questions about the test and the process of prepping and taking it, so when I heard that the test would be changing in 2014 I thought I should share some of what I have learned. 

Although colleges and universities will accept home educator's transcripts, if your child is thinking of attending any sort of trade school they require - with no wiggle room due to their licensing procedures - that the students have a recognized accredited diploma or GED. In 2014 the GED test will be significantly changing - content as well as presentation of testing - so for anyone who is thinking ahead to their child(ren) taking the GED test I wanted to share the following information I received in an email correspondence I had with the GED Testing Service - 

----- Original Message -----
Subject: Re: ? regarding 2013 testing

Thanks for your inquiry. Because the 2014 test is significantly different in structure from the current 2002 test, test-takers who have not passed the entire battery by the end of 2013 will need to start over and retake all content areas beginning in 2014. As a result, it is extremely important for test-takers who have started the test battery to complete it prior to 12/31/2013.

Publishers are currently working on materials that will support the 2014 test, and those should begin to be released in 2013. For insight into what is changing on the test, please visit our web site and click on any of the links for the 2014 test. In particular, you might want to take advantage of the content comparison document that we have created, which shows the main differences in content between the two tests. That can be downloaded from the following link: http://www.gedtestingservice.com/uploads/files/2487f6e1ca5659684cbe1f8b16f564d0.pdf.

Regards,

Martin D. Kehe
VP, Products
GED Testing Service

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Good Day -
I am curious how those who take the test in 2013 would be effected if they fail a portion of the test?
For instance a student takes the test in the fall of 2013 and passes the science and math, but fails the social science and english portions, would they be grandfathered into the old test or would they have to retake the social science and english in the new format?
When will the 2014 test prep materials be released or is it not enough of a significant change in materials to warrant any concern in this area?
Thanks for you timely response.
Gina

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This could make a large impact on those who are planning ahead and I will be sure to update as more information on test prep resource become available.

Here are some links that explain some of the new information -
http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/new-assessment
http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/home

http://www.gedtestingservice.com/testers/