"GED 2002" Implementation Time Frames and Guidelines

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this memorandum is to outline the time frames and major events which must be accomplished in order to successfully implement the "GED 2002" test initiative. The target date for implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery, according to GED Testing Service (GEDTS), is January 1, 2002. Given that target date, the time frames and major events are structured to correspond accordingly.

TIME FRAMES AND MAJOR EVENTS

Time Frame Major Event

September 18-26, 2001 ABE Coordinator and GED Teacher Orientation Regional Meetings: Sally Schroeder and Margie Ranch will conduct four regional meetings to orient ABE coordinators and GED instructional staff about major changes scheduled for the "GED 2002" test battery and suggested instructional strategies. The GED Chief Examiners and GED Record's Specialists may attend the regional meetings. However, please remember the main emphasis will be on the instructional component and not the test administration component. The regional meetings are scheduled for the following dates and locations: (1) September 18, 2001/ Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny/ Conference Center, Oak room, (2) September 20, 2001; Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux City, (3) September 25, 2001/ Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, (4) September 26, 2001/ North Iowa Area Community College, Mason City. Sally and Margie will provide specific information at a later date.

October 10, 2001 GED Chief Examiner and GED Record's Specialists "GED 2002" Test Administration Orientation. This meeting, to be held at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), is designed to provide Chief GED Examiners and GED Record's Specialists with the required orientation, as mandated by GEDTS, in order to administer the "GED 2002" test battery. The target populations for this meeting are GED Chief Examiners and GED Record's Specialists. Since space will be limited for this orientation, only GED Chief Examiners and GED Record's Specialist are being invited to attend. This orientation is designed as a "train the trainers" session. The GED Chief Examiners will, in turn, be responsible to provide the same orientation for all GED alternate examiners, proctors and other personnel directly involved with GED test administration. There will be specific information on the October 10, 2001 orientation meeting disseminated at a later date.

October 11-November 15, 2001 GED 2002" Test Administration Orientation Sessions with GED Test Personnel. These orientation sessions will be conducted by the Chief GED Examiner with all personnel associated with GED testing within each community college district. This is a required orientation to be conducted prior to implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery. Sally and Margie will be available to assist with local orientations.

November 9-19, 2001 Scheduled Shipping Time Frame for Iowa GED Test Centers to Receive the "GED 2002" test materials. GEDTS has designated this time frame for Iowa's GED Test Centers to receive their "GED 2002" test materials as specified on each test center's U.S. GED Order Form.

December 3-12, 2001 Final Test Administration with Current GED Test Battery. This time frame is designed for all GED candidates to finish testing (either initial test or retest) with the current battery. The cutoff date of December 12, 2001 will allow local test center adequate time to send essays to Bud Wood for scoring and transmitting the score reports back to local centers. Each GED Chief Examiner should establish a "drop dead" cutoff testing date during this time frame.

December 6, 2001 Submission of Diploma Information to Sandy Jones for Issuance of the November-early December, 2001 Iowa High School Equivalency Diplomas. This time frame is designed to continue Iowa's tradition of allowing an extra week past the usual diploma submission date in November 2001 for GED Record's Specialist to transmit their diploma information to Sandy Jones. This extra week allows candidates to complete the current test battery and receive their diplomas in time for Christmas. This time frame also allows the GED Record's Specialists to mail the diplomas to the GED candidates prior to the Holiday break.

January 7-31, 2002 Transition Time Frame for Implementation of the "GED 2002" Test Battery. This time frame is designed to allow adequate time for all GED testing personnel (i.e. Chief GED Examiners, GED Record's Specialists, Alternate GED Examiners, Proctors) to prepare for the implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery. During this time frame, there will be a moratorium on all GED testing with either the current GED test battery or the "GED 2002" test battery. In other words, the state of Iowa will "close shop" to all GED testing activities during this time frame so everyone can focus on preparing for the implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery.

January 31, 2002 Final Submission of Diploma Information for GED Candidates Who Completed the Current Test Battery. This date will be the final submission of GED diploma information to Sandy Jones for those candidates who successfully completed the current GED test battery. The 16 and 17 year old GED candidates who would normally be eligible to receive their diplomas in either May or June 2002 should be included in this final submission. The GED Records Specialists can hold the diplomas until their eligibility date. The diploma issue date will, however, be a February 2002 date. It is absolutely critical that all eligible candidates be included on this final submission. This date is the final "drop dead" date for issuance of diplomas based on the current GED test battery. Once this date is passed, there will not be any "retroactive diplomas" issued based on the current GED test battery results.

February 1-15, 2002 Implementation of the "GED 2002" Test Battery. This time frame is designed for each community college district to formally implement the "GED 2002" test battery. Each GED Chief Examiner has the authority to establish a specific implementation date within the two week time frame.

March 29, 2002 First Issuance of the Iowa High School Diploma based on successful completion of the "GED 2002" Test Battery. This date will mark the first time that diploma information will be processed on those eligible GED candidates who successfully completed the "GED 2002" test battery. This time frame should allow a reasonable amount of time between implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery for completion of initial testing and processing of diploma information. The first diplomas issued, based on successful completion of the "GED 2002" test battery, will have an April 2002 issue date.

Time Frame	Major Event
September 18-26, 2001	ABE Coordinator and GED Teacher Orientation Regional Meetings: Sally Schroeder and Margie Ranch will conduct four regional meetings to orient ABE coordinators and GED instructional staff about major changes scheduled for the "GED 2002" test battery and suggested instructional strategies. The GED Chief Examiners and GED Record's Specialists may attend the regional meetings. However, please remember the main emphasis will be on the instructional component and not the test administration component. The regional meetings are scheduled for the following dates and locations: (1) September 18, 2001/ Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny/ Conference Center, Oak room, (2) September 20, 2001; Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux City, (3) September 25, 2001/ Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, (4) September 26, 2001/ North Iowa Area Community College, Mason City. Sally and Margie will provide specific information at a later date.
October 10, 2001	GED Chief Examiner and GED Record's Specialists "GED 2002" Test Administration Orientation. This meeting, to be held at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), is designed to provide Chief GED Examiners and GED Record's Specialists with the required orientation, as mandated by GEDTS, in order to administer the "GED 2002" test battery. The target populations for this meeting are GED Chief Examiners and GED Record's Specialists. Since space will be limited for this orientation, only GED Chief Examiners and GED Record's Specialist are being invited to attend. This orientation is designed as a "train the trainers" session. The GED Chief Examiners will, in turn, be responsible to provide the same orientation for all GED alternate examiners, proctors and other personnel directly involved with GED test administration. There will be specific information on the October 10, 2001 orientation meeting disseminated at a later date.
October 11-November 15, 2001	GED 2002" Test Administration Orientation Sessions with GED Test Personnel. These orientation sessions will be conducted by the Chief GED Examiner with all personnel associated with GED testing within each community college district. This is a required orientation to be conducted prior to implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery. Sally and Margie will be available to assist with local orientations.
November 9-19, 2001	Scheduled Shipping Time Frame for Iowa GED Test Centers to Receive the "GED 2002" test materials. GEDTS has designated this time frame for Iowa's GED Test Centers to receive their "GED 2002" test materials as specified on each test center's U.S. GED Order Form.
December 3-12, 2001	Final Test Administration with Current GED Test Battery. This time frame is designed for all GED candidates to finish testing (either initial test or retest) with the current battery. The cutoff date of December 12, 2001 will allow local test center adequate time to send essays to Bud Wood for scoring and transmitting the score reports back to local centers. Each GED Chief Examiner should establish a "drop dead" cutoff testing date during this time frame.
December 6, 2001	Submission of Diploma Information to Sandy Jones for Issuance of the November-early December, 2001 Iowa High School Equivalency Diplomas. This time frame is designed to continue Iowa's tradition of allowing an extra week past the usual diploma submission date in November 2001 for GED Record's Specialist to transmit their diploma information to Sandy Jones. This extra week allows candidates to complete the current test battery and receive their diplomas in time for Christmas. This time frame also allows the GED Record's Specialists to mail the diplomas to the GED candidates prior to the Holiday break.
January 7-31, 2002	Transition Time Frame for Implementation of the "GED 2002" Test Battery. This time frame is designed to allow adequate time for all GED testing personnel (i.e. Chief GED Examiners, GED Record's Specialists, Alternate GED Examiners, Proctors) to prepare for the implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery. During this time frame, there will be a moratorium on all GED testing with either the current GED test battery or the "GED 2002" test battery. In other words, the state of Iowa will "close shop" to all GED testing activities during this time frame so everyone can focus on preparing for the implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery.
January 31, 2002	Final Submission of Diploma Information for GED Candidates Who Completed the Current Test Battery. This date will be the final submission of GED diploma information to Sandy Jones for those candidates who successfully completed the current GED test battery. The 16 and 17 year old GED candidates who would normally be eligible to receive their diplomas in either May or June 2002 should be included in this final submission. The GED Records Specialists can hold the diplomas until their eligibility date. The diploma issue date will, however, be a February 2002 date. It is absolutely critical that all eligible candidates be included on this final submission. This date is the final "drop dead" date for issuance of diplomas based on the current GED test battery. Once this date is passed, there will not be any "retroactive diplomas" issued based on the current GED test battery results.
February 1-15, 2002	Implementation of the "GED 2002" Test Battery. This time frame is designed for each community college district to formally implement the "GED 2002" test battery. Each GED Chief Examiner has the authority to establish a specific implementation date within the two week time frame.
March 29, 2002	First Issuance of the Iowa High School Diploma based on successful completion of the "GED 2002" Test Battery. This date will mark the first time that diploma information will be processed on those eligible GED candidates who successfully completed the "GED 2002" test battery. This time frame should allow a reasonable amount of time between implementation of the "GED 2002" test battery for completion of initial testing and processing of diploma information. The first diplomas issued, based on successful completion of the "GED 2002" test battery, will have an April 2002 issue date.

SUMMARY

The following action steps should be implemented to insure that all interested parties receive the information contained in this memorandum:

Disseminate this memorandum to all GED instructional staff;
Disseminate this memorandum to all GED testing staff (i.e. GED Alternate Examiners, GED Record's Specialists, Proctors, etc.);
Disseminate this memorandum to all referral agencies and organizations;
Post a copy of this memorandum in all GED classrooms and GED testing centers.
Inform the local media about implementation time frames.

The time frames contain room for GED Chief Examiners to establish key cut off dates for specific activities and events. It is absolutely critical that all timeframes and major events be implemented in a timely manner to insure the successful transition to the "GED 2002" test battery. This memorandum will be posted at the Iowa Literacy website at http://www.readiowa.org. If there are questions, please contact me.

John Hartwig,
Iowa GED Administrator
August 8, 2001