Video: GED Scores Lowered Nationally, EMCC Shares Reaction

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MAYHEW, Miss. (WCBI) – Some GED test takers might have some good news heading their way.

The company is lowering its passing test score, after more failing grades and some research.

In 2014, A new GED test was put in place and since then there have been a number of complaints.

“It passed me, I got so excited, I didn’t know what to do,” said student Gregory Doss.

That’s Doss’ reaction when he found out he passed the GED test.

Doss was trying to improve his writing score when he learned final results will be lowered across the country.

“You know it really means a lot for me, it benefits me because you know before this change happened I have been working on this writing for several several months. You know its been a challenge,” said Doss.

The GED Testing Service says it’s lowering the minimum passing score from 150 to 145.

“They determined that their scoring standards may have been a little too rigorous that the GED graduates were competing at a level equal to the high school graduates. So after much research they decided that this change was necessary,” said Jim Bearden, Director of Adult Education at EMCC.

Bearden says since the score was lowered, EMCC has been identifying students who now have a passing score.

“We’ve already identified 10 additional graduates and we’re looking at close to 40 students who have passed parts they didn’t know they had passed,” said Bearden.

Bearden says he supports the change and thinks it can have a positive impact on students.

” We’re just really excited about this change. We’re hopeful that this will be a catalyst, maybe to jump-start them, and give them a little success, and help motivate them to completion,” added Bearden.

It’s left up to each state on whether or not to adopt the new standards.

Mississippi put the new scores into place immediately.