GED exams have expiration date

Regarding a recent news release about the GED exam going digital, there is some information I would like to share.

Central Vermont Adult Basic Education offers GED testing in Washington, Orange and Lamoille counties. CVABE runs an extensive schedule of testing sessions at four of its central Vermont learning center locations: Barre, Randolph, Bradford and Morrisville. CVABE provides free preparation (tutoring and practice tests) for students getting ready to take the exam.

CVABE’s testing presently follows the paper and pencil format. We are transitioning to computer-based GED testing. On Jan. 1, 2014, a new generation of GED tests will be offered only in computer format.

The really important thing for students to know is that examinees who have not completed and passed the full battery of five GED tests by the end of December 2013 will have to start over. Individual tests passed under the present edition of the GED will not carry over to the new 2014 version.

We are telling students that, to avoid losing credit for GED tests they have passed, they need to complete the entire battery of five tests by the end of 2013. CVABE anticipates that testing sessions in the last few months of 2013 may become crowded and seats sometimes may not be available. We hope examinees will think about completing the testing process in the near future.

CVABE teachers are ready to help students with free tutoring and practice tests as needed. Students can call any CVABE learning center to arrange for this kind of help or to register for testing sessions. The learning center phone numbers are as follows: Barre Learning Center, 476-4588; Montpelier Learning Center, 223-3403; Waterbury Learning Center, 244-8765; Bradford Learning Center, 222-3282 ; Randolph Learning Center, 728-4492; Morrisville Learning Center, 888-5531. The schedule of upcoming GED testing sessions is available on the CVABE website: www.cvabe.org.

L. Dan Richards

GED chief examiner

Central Vermont Adult Basic Education

Northfield