1. Molly Corbett Broad, President GED ® 21 st Century Initiative Hunt Institute & State Higher Education Executive Officers May 10, 2011 Chapel Hill, NC

2. 450,000 earn GED ® credential The High School Drop-out Crisis

3. GED ® 21 st Century Initiative Learning Pathways New GED Assessment Post-Credential Transition Network Research-tested preparation materials, good practice information, professional community Aligned with Common Core standards, certifies high school equivalency and career/college readiness Supports for candidates to make a successful transition to postsecondary education and career opportunities

4. To Content aligned to 1999 high school curriculum Passing standard empirically set based on norm-referenced performance of graduating high school seniors Non-standardized paper-based test delivery channel Few instructional programs that demonstrate significant promise in accelerating proficiency gains Rigorous content aligned to common core state standards Proficiency levels based on criterion-referenced performance standards for both high school and career/college readiness Standardized computer-based test delivery channel More instructional programs with evidence-based practices demonstrating accelerated proficiency gains From Vision for Evolution of the GED Program

5. The GED Assessment, Common Core, and Adult Education Benchmark knowledge/skills adult learners will need to be career- and college-ready. Provide clear guidelines for adult educators. Link GED preparation to developmental education.

6. The New GED Testing Service: A Winning Partnership A new corporate entity formed jointly by ACE and Pearson: GED Testing Service, LLC. Co-managed by ACE and Pearson The new effort will concentrate the expertise and resources of each partner to: –Ensure the future quality and integrity of the GED Test –Adapt the GED Test to meet 21st century needs –Provide a driver to transform adult education

7. Panel Discussion