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Research: Impact of the GED

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Cognitive Skills Matter in the Labor Market, Even for School Dropouts
J. Tyler, R. Murnane and J. Willitt, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2000
Looks at the relationship between cognitive skill levels of high school dropouts and their earnings. Data are drawn from 16- to 21-year-old students in New York and Florida who took the GED exams between 1986 and 1990. Among the findings: higher-level basic skills improved yearly earnings for high school dropouts.
http://www.ncsall.net/?id=666

Estimating the Labor Market Signaling Value of the GED
J. Tyler, R. Murnane and J. Willett, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2000
Synopsis of a report that combines demographic and earnings information with GED test score data (for a national sample of 1990 test-takers) to examine the economic impact of the GED. New methodology takes into account variability between states in GED passing standards in order to avoid selectivity bias issues. Provides executive summary and outlines data collected, methodology, results and conclusion. Full report available from NCSALL by request.
http://www.ncsall.net/?id=667

Helping Adult Learners Make the Transition to Postsecondary Education
J. Alamprese, Abt Associates, Inc., 2005
This Adult Education Background Paper examines the challenges facing adult education programs in providing transition services, offers examples of emerging transition efforts, and discusses the implications for policy and practice of these efforts to encourage more adult learners to pursue higher education.
Download/view: PDF (98KB) | HTML

Is the GED a Valuable Credential? Myths and Realities #10
B. Lankard Brown, ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career and Vocational Education, 2000
Compares the skills and accomplishments of GED recipients with high school graduates, analyzes the benefits of GED attainment for high school dropouts, and examines the postsecondary education and training opportunities available to those who obtain GED certificates.
Download/view: PDF (131KB)

What Can Employers Assume About the Literacy skills of GED Graduates?
D. Kaplan and R. Venezky, University of Delaware for National Center on Adult Literacy (NCAL), March 1995
Found large and reliable differences in literacy skills between those who drop out of high school and do not study or pass the GED test and those who obtain a GED diploma.
Download/view: PDF (94KB)

Who Benefits from Obtaining the GED? Evidence from High School and Beyond
R. Murnane, J. Willett, and J. Tyler, National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), 2002
Using evidence from a group of male sophomores from the 1980 High School and Beyond study, researchers examined the labor market benefits of a GED credential to a variety of high school dropouts.
http://www.ncsall.net/?id=658

Who Passed the GED Test: 2004 Statistical Report
The American Council on Education, GED Testing Service, 2006
A statistical analysis of the overall results from the 2004 GED test, describing who passed the test, why they took it, and trends in participation. Available for purchase from
Download/view: PDF (4.4MB)