WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--GED Testing Service and Kaplan Test Prep have partnered to deliver the market’s first-ever official, live online preparation for the GED Testing Service. These mobile-friendly online programs will prepare students for the General Educational Development (GED) exams — a group of four subject tests that comprise the country’s leading high school equivalency certification. The partnership also establishes Kaplan as the official partner for live online prep for the GED test.
GED Live™ will for the first time offer adult education programs the opportunity to incorporate live online instruction into their education programming, which will be particularly useful to meet the needs of independent learners, working adults or adults in more rural communities. The GED Live™ program provides teacher-led, interactive learning and GED preparation to students studying for the GED test. This new product offers users convenient access through a computer, tablet or smartphone. GED Testing Service and Kaplan will be working closely with adult educators to make the GED Live™ program sufficiently flexible to best integrate the learning into adult education classrooms.
“In adult education we are continuously being asked to do more,” said Valerie Fischer, director of adult education for North Dakota. “This interactive live program from GED Testing Service and Kaplan Test Prep gives us the flexibility to offer both classroom use and independent access to our adult learners; it’s nice to have multiple avenues to support them as they prepare for the test.”
Online and blended learning have proven to be necessary and helpful options to help adult learners. In a recent survey conducted by GED Testing Service of 600 educators, 81 percent report losing GED students due to scheduling and logistics issues. Most survey respondents would like to see a blended learning model of in-classroom and online education, as they see this option helping to address scheduling and logistics challenges. Live focus groups are planned for adult educators in August and September 2017 to demonstrate the range of capabilities and gather feedback on how best to leverage GED Live™ within their programs.
“Colleagues from adult education programs across the country have been asking for our assistance to help them recruit and retain students. This partnership with Kaplan will provide educators with a valuable new tool that will allow them to meet the needs of students with schedules that might preclude regular class attendance and to attract students from outlying areas where regular classroom attendance proves difficult,” said Randy Trask, president of GED Testing Service.
“We’re excited to partner with GED Testing Service to help more adult learners pass the GED exam, so they can secure higher paying jobs and create better futures for themselves and their families,” said Lee Weiss, vice president of K-12 and college admissions programs for Kaplan Test Prep. “In an increasingly competitive global economy, America needs the most educated workforce possible and Kaplan remains committed to helping everyone reach their full potential. We’re excited about launching our new course later this summer and working with GED Testing Service to help even more adult learners succeed.”
More than 800,000 learners created a GED account and started studying for the test(s) during 2016. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median usual weekly earnings of someone without a high school diploma is only $493, compared to a median usual weekly earnings of $678 for someone who does have a high school degree. The BLS also reports that those without a high school diploma have the highest unemployment rate of any educational attainment group, at 6.1 percent, compared to those with a high school diploma, at 4.7 percent.
GED Live™ will be available for purchase on GED.com beginning in early fall. For more information about GED Live™, go to http://bit.ly/GEDLivePrep. For information about GED students and data on their study needs, go to bit.ly/GEDLiveInfographic. Kaplan currently offers GED test prep books and an online, self-paced study program.
Visit www.ged.com for more information about the official GED test program. To take the GED test, you must register with an official GED testing center. There are more than 3,400 testing centers across the United States and Canada operated by community colleges, local school boards, and adult education centers.
About GED Testing Service
The GED test has opened doors to better jobs and college programs for more than 20 million graduates since 1942. The GED test is accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges and employers. As the creator of the one official GED test, GED Testing Service has a responsibility to ensure that the program continues to be a reliable and valuable pathway to a better life for the millions of adults without a high school diploma. GED Testing Service is a joint venture between the American Council on Education and Pearson.
About Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 100 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.
Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE:GHC)
