GED Testing Service Moves to Assist Katrina Evacuees, Restore Services  

WASHINGTON

The American Council on Education's General Educational Development (GED) Testing Service announced a range of temporary policies regarding candidates and testing centers in the gulf states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

In a message to state administrators, the GED Testing Service urged greater flexibility in dealing with issues such as identification and residency requirements. The GED Testing Service also pledged to expedite requests for establishing new testing centers and replacing test batteries and to provide financial assistance to jurisdictions that experience a significant increase in testing volume due to an influx of hurricane evacuees. The new rules are in effect through Dec. 31, 2005.

"Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast and inflicted a significant toll on the residents, institutions and services available in the region," said Benjamin F. Quillian, senior vice president of the American Council on Education. "By adding more flexibility to our policies and procedures, and working to expedite requests for new testing centers and replacement materials we hope to help the states in the gulf region restore GED testing for interested candidates."

Among the specific steps taken by the GED Testing Service:

• Urging test administrators to advise candidates evacuated from storm-damaged areas and how to obtain new identification documents;
• Encouraging jurisdictions to waive residency requirements for evacuees previously residing in Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama;
• Encouraging jurisdictions with additional state-specific requirements or tests (e.g. state citizenship) for awarding a high school credential to waive the additional requirements for evacuees from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama;
• Agreeing to expedite inspections of new testing sites in evacuation centers and in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama;
• Granting testing centers the opportunity to exceed test usage regulations due to increased demand for testing services;
• Agreeing to replace test batteries destroyed by the storm, based on the anticipated volume of testing through the end of the year;
• Identifying telephone contacts for evacuees to access their scores from previously completed tests; and
• Establishing a grant program for state GED programs that experience an increase in test volume due to an influx of evacuees from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.