DOE’s GED program offers opportunities for high school students

A high school education opens the door to opportunity. High school completion is an important part of entry into the job market, the military, tech school, or college. Sometimes, however, life circumstances get in the way of a student being able to earn their diploma.

For students at risk of not graduating on time or dropping out of school, another path is available: the GED credential. The General Education Development, or GED, certificate is a high school equivalency credential that can be earned when graduation from high school is out of reach. Whether a student is looking to jump directly into the workforce or preparing for further education, the path becomes possible with a GED.

“For students who qualify, getting a GED high school equivalency credential may be a good option to support high school completion,” said Kristin Larson, a GED administrator with the Department of Education (DOE). “Schools can support students by providing school-based high school equivalency preparation services for these students. Students who receive this extra support while still in school are more likely to earn their credential.”

South Dakota law allows schools to support students 16 years old and older in earning their GED credential. School based programs assist students throughout the process of preparing for and completing their exams. These programs have proven to be highly effective in helping students earn their GED: 90 percent of test-takers aged 16-18 who are part of a GED prep program are able to earn the credential.

The GED credential is earned when a student successfully completes exams in all four subject areas of the GED: reasoning through language arts, social studies, science, and mathematical reasoning. The exams may be taken as often as necessary, and they may be taken on different days, months, or even years.

The paths to successful GED completion don’t always look the same. “Preparing for the GED credential is a highly personalized process that can take as little or as much time as the student needs to successfully study for and pass all four GED content tests. Some students may be able to earn their credential in just weeks. In 2024, the average amount of time it took for someone to earn their GED credential in South Dakota was five months,” said Larson.

If a school believes they have a student who qualifies for and would benefit from earning their GED credential, the first step is to have the student take the GED Ready practice exams. “These are official practice tests that determine a student’s readiness level for taking the official exams, and provide a detailed score report and study guide,” said Larson. “Schools can use this information to create personalized alternative learning plans to help students earn their credential.”

Schools who wish to help students attain a GED credential can find information about programs offered by the DOE on the DOE’s website.