department of education

Office of the Secretary

FINAL

REGULATORY IMPLEMENTING ORDER

910 General Educational Development (GED)

I. Summary of the Evidence and Information Submitted

The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 910 General Educational Development (GED). The amendments clarify the intent of the regulation and as part of the clarification the title has been changed to Delaware General Educational Development (GED) Endorsement. The number assigned to the regulation remains the same.

Notice of the proposed regulation was published in the News Journal and the Delaware State News on Friday August 18, 2006, in the form hereto attached as Exhibit “A”. Comments were received from Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Children and the State Council for Persons with Disabilities.

The Councils’ concerns about the use of the term “regular high school program “has been addressed in 1.2 and 2.4 by using the words “public or non public school program”. The grammar in 2.3 and 2.5 has been corrected by using the term ‘applicant”. In 2.3 the words “or other comparable and reliable documentation of age” has been added as per the Councils’ suggestion. Concerning the differences in passing scores for the 16-17 year olds and the 18 year olds, the practice tests in 1.3 and 2.6 have the same passing scores. The Scores required to receive the GED Endorsement 3.0 are the same for both age groups but the passing score is different from the practice test because it is a different test.

II. Findings of Facts

The Secretary finds that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 910 in order to clarify the intent of the regulation and as part of the clarification the title has been changed to Delaware General Educational Development (GED) Endorsement. The number assigned to the regulation remains the same.

III. Decision to Amend the Regulation

For the foregoing reasons, the Secretary concludes that it is appropriate to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 910. Therefore, pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122 (b) (18), 14 DE Admin. Code 910 attached hereto as Exhibit “B” is hereby amended. Pursuant to the provision of 14 Del.C. §122(e), 14 DE Admin. Code 910 hereby amended shall be in effect for a period of five years from the effective date of this order as set forth in Section V. below.

IV. Text and Citation

The text of 14 DE Admin. Code 910 amended hereby shall be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “B”, and said regulation shall be cited as 14 DE Admin. Code 910 in the Administrative Code of Regulations for the Department of Education.

V. Effective Date of Order

The actions hereinabove referred to were taken by the Secretary pursuant to 14 Del.C. §122 (b) (18) on October 19, 2006. The effective date of this Order shall be ten (10) days from the date this Order is published in the Delaware Register of Regulations.

IT IS SO ORDERED the 19th day of October 2006.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Valerie A. Woodruff, Secretary of Education

Approved this 19th day of October 2006

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Jean W. Allen, President

Richard M. farmer, Jr., Vice President

Mary B. Graham, Esquire

Gregory A. Hastings

Barbara B. Rutt

Dennis J. Savage

Dr. Claibourne D. Smith

Exhibit B

910 General Educational Development (GED)

The Delaware General Educational Development (GED) Endorsement is given to persons who satisfactorily pass the General Educational Development (GED) Test.

1.0 To be Eligible to Take the GED Test an Applicant Shall

1.1 Be a resident of Delaware or if a resident of another state work in the state for at least one year.

1.2 Have withdrawn from a regular high school program.

1.3 Be 18 years of age or older, or be 16 or 17 years of age and meet the following requirements:

1.3.1 Be a resident of the State of Delaware.

1.3.2 Be officially withdrawn from a regular high school program.

1.3.3 Be at least 16 years of age at the time of application for a waiver.

1.3.4 Make written application to the Director of Adult Education at the Delaware Department of Education showing good cause for taking the test and designating where the test will be taken.

1.3.5 Provide verification of withdrawal from high school and a copy of the GED practice scores.

1.4 Pass the Official GED Practice Test with a score of 2450 or better and not less than 470 on each of the 5 sub test areas.

2.0 Required Scores

An individual shall have a standard score of not less than 410 on each of the five tests with an average standard score of not less than 450 for all five tests and a total standard score of not less than 2250 in order to be issued a GED Endorsement. Forty five days must lapse prior to retesting and instruction is recommended before retesting.

2 DE Reg. 375 (9/1/98)

5 DE Reg. 1285 (12/1/01)

910 Delaware General Educational Development (GED) Endorsement

The Delaware General Educational Development (GED) Endorsement is given to persons who satisfactorily pass the General Educational Development (GED) Test.

1.1 Be a resident of Delaware or, if a resident of another state, be currently employed in Delaware and have been so employed for a minimum of six months prior to taking the test; and

1.2 Certify under his or her signature on the GED application form that he or she [officially withdrew from a regular high school program is not enrolled in a public or non public school program]; and

1.3 Provide an official copy of the GED practice test indicating the applicant has passed the Official GED Practice Test with a score of 2450 or better and not less than 470 on each of the 5 sub test areas.

2.1 Seek a waiver of the 18 years of age requirement by completing a written application to the Delaware Department of Education that includes showing good cause for taking the test early and designating where the test will be taken; and

2.2 Be a resident of the State of Delaware; and

2.3 Verify that they are at least 16 years of age at the time of the application for the waiver of the age requirement using a birth certificate, [driver’s license or a State of Delaware Identification Card; and drivers license, a State of Delaware Identification Card or other comparable and reliable documentation of age; and]

2.4 Provide verification of withdrawal from [a regular high school program the applicant’s public or non public school program]; and

2.5 Provide a transcript [of their school work from the their home school from the applicant’s public or non public school program]; and

2.6 Provide an official copy of the GED practice test indicating the applicant has passed the Official GED Practice Test with a score of 2450 or better and not less than 470 on each of the 5 sub test areas.

An individual shall have a standard score of not less than 410 on each of the five tests with an average standard score of not less than 450 for all five tests and a total standard score of not less than 2250 in order to be issued a GED Endorsement.

Forty five days shall lapse prior to retesting and instruction is recommended before retesting.