Frequently asked questions about the GED Accelerator.
Developed from the "Questions and Answers" session during the AO-K Proviso and GED Accelerator Webinar on May 9, 2014, below are a series of FAQs about the GED Accelerator. Click here to review the presentation.
- Is the GED Accelerator funding available for students who are only working on a GED, or do students also have to be in the AO-K program?
- Can you clarify the differences between the statement at the beginning of HB 2506 re: individuals who are enrolled in “technical education classes while obtaining a GED using the Accelerating Opportunity program”; GED Accelerator Section 63(a)(1)(A) (which focuses on enrollment); and (C) (which focuses on students who have completed)? There are three different sections and some are more flexible than others. Will there be additional discussion of these differences?
- Can you explain the reason for providing reimbursement of $170 for the GED test? The test currently costs $120. What is the reason for setting the test cost at $150, and why is additional funding provided?
- Does the $170 for the GED have any connection to the practice test or just the final GED test?
- Regarding the $1,000 incentive being used for operating costs or scholarships – can it be used to pay for Adult Education instruction?
- The GED Accelerator incentive payment of $1,000 says it is for eligible students who receive an “identified CTE credential.” What credentials are eligible?
- Will schools in the Eastern Kansas Consortium be eligible for the GED Accelerator at their different locations, even though Neosho is the lead college?
- Institutions need to keep on file the GED student certificates once the students successfully complete the exam. Will arrangements with Parchment be worked out to help with that?
- Is the incentive payment for credentials limited to one incentive payment per student or will we pay for multiple credentials?
- Is eligibility for the incentive payments affected by timing? If the student gets their GED in October and receives their CTE credential in the spring are they still eligible for the incentive?
- Will the $500 incentive eligibility only be for individuals who receive their GED and are also enrolled in a CTE program?
- If our college doesn’t have an adult basic education program but works with an ABE provider, what do we need to do to create the required partnership between those two entities?f our college doesn’t have an adult basic education program but works with an ABE provider, what do we need to do to create the required partnership between those two entities?
- This is not a grant, right? Is it correct that institutions don’t have to apply, just provide these services and the data reports to Kansas Regents, and that’s how they get the funding?
- Are “Dream Act” students eligible?
- Will the GED Accelerator reimburse in-state or out-of-state tuition?
- If a USD or Community-based organization (CBO) operates the GED program in a certain area (like Topeka, for example) are those non-postsecondary institutions eligible to receive the incentive dollars? Can the CBO receive the $500 for the GED and reimbursement for the testing and the college receive the $1,000 when the student receives the industry credential?
- Will the information you provided today be available to us?
- What should I do if I have additional questions?
1. Is the GED Accelerator funding available for students who are only working on a GED, or do students also have to be in the AO-K program?
The GED Accelerator incentive provisions and AO-K Proviso have separate but sometimes overlapping requirements. Students do not have to be in the AO-K program for institutions to be eligible for GED Accelerator incentives. However, students must be pursuing a GED (cannot have previously attained a high school diploma or GED) and be enrolled in a CTE program for institutions to be eligible for these incentives.
In addition, to receive funding for the $170 incentive, institutions must verify that the student is enrolled in Adult Education at a partnering Adult Education program or provide other evidence the student is pursuing a GED; e.g., practice test scores.
2. Can you clarify the differences between the statement at the beginning of HB 2506 re: individuals who are enrolled in “technical education classes while obtaining a GED using the Accelerating Opportunity program”; GED Accelerator Section 63(a)(1)(A) (which focuses on enrollment); and (C) (which focuses on students who have completed)? There are three different sections and some are more flexible than others. Will there be additional discussion of these differences?
The AO-K Proviso (Section 24) refers to students pursuing a GED while enrolled in an approved AO-K pathway.
The GED Accelerator, Section 63(a) (1)(A) refers to students who receive GEDs while enrolled in CTE and (C) is to pay for the testing costs for students pursuing the GED while enrolled in a CTE program. (Also refer to AO-K Proviso #12)
3. Can you explain the reason for providing reimbursement of $170 for the GED test? The test currently costs $120. What is the reason for setting the test cost at $150, and why is additional funding provided?
The cost of the GED test was a moving target during the legislative session, but was estimated at $150. The actual cost is $33 per test module. There are four modules (Reasoning through Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Mathematical Reasoning) which students must pass to earn a GED.
Any amounts remaining after the cost of the GED test is paid may be used by the college to pay for the GED Ready practice tests or for recruiting.
4. Does the $170 for the GED have any connection to the practice test or just the final GED test?
There is no differentiation in the legislation between practice (GED Ready) and official GED® 2014 Test. Students must take all four of the official modules in order for the institution to be eligible for the $170 payment.
5. Regarding the $1,000 incentive being used for operating costs or scholarships – can it be used to pay for Adult Education instruction?
Yes, the $1,000 incentive and the $500 incentive may both be used to support Adult Education instruction.
6. The GED Accelerator incentive payment of $1,000 says it is for eligible students who receive an “identified CTE credential.” What credentials are eligible?
The qualifying credentials list for SB 155 and credentials identified as the established exit points for aligned programs will be considered as “identified CTE credentials.” Kansas Regents will post the GED Accelerator list on the Kansas Regents website as soon as possible.
7. Will schools in the Eastern Kansas Consortium be eligible for the GED Accelerator at their different locations, even though Neosho is the lead college?
Yes. However, for each qualifying student, consortium colleges will need to designate which institution will claim each of the different incentives. Only one institution may claim the $500 for GED completion, only one may claim the $1,000 for credential attainment, and only one may claim the $170 to cover the cost of the GED test. More than one institution cannot claim the same incentive for an individual student.
8. Institutions need to keep on file the GED student certificates once the students successfully complete the exam. Will arrangements with Parchment be worked out to help with that?
For students who have been entered into AESIS, i.e., enrolled in an AEFLA-funded Adult Education program, Kansas Regents can verify that they have received a GED certificate while enrolled in an eligible CTE program. Students not enrolled in AEFLA-funded Adult Education program will need to request that Parchment send a copy of their transcript to the college. Institutions must keep the GED transcripts on file for auditing purposes.
9. Is the incentive payment for credentials limited to one incentive payment per student or will we pay for multiple credentials?
Institutions may receive only one incentive payment per student. However, a college may receive both the $500 incentive payment for a GED credential and the $1000 CTE credential for the same student.
10. Is eligibility for the incentive payments affected by timing? If the student gets their GED in October and receives their CTE credential in the spring are they still eligible for the incentive?
Funding for incentive payments has been provided for one academic year. The GED and CTE credential must each be earned between July 1, 2014 and May 15, 2015 (deadline for data collection certification) to receive funding. As long as students complete the GED during the time they’re enrolled in the CTE program the institution will be eligible to receive an incentive payments for the GED.
Students will need to complete the CTE credential before the end of the academic year in order for the institution to receive the incentive payments for the CTE credential.
For payment and reporting purposes, the institution will need to verify the student did not have a GED or high school diploma prior to enrolling in a CTE program and that the student did earn a CTE credential on the GED Accelerator credential list.
11. Will the $500 incentive eligibility only be for individuals who receive their GED and are also enrolled in a CTE program?
Yes, students are required to be pursuing a GED at the same time they are enrolled in courses in a CTE program.
12. If our college doesn’t have an adult basic education program but works with an ABE provider, what do we need to do to create the required partnership between those two entities?
For the purposes of the GED Accelerator, agreements may vary but must at a minimum address the method used to verify the student’s participation in adult education courses. For AEFLA-funded Adult Education Centers, verification is available through AESIS.
For non-AEFLA-funded adult education programs, the agreements must indicate how enrollment will be documented and how Kansas Regents can verify it.
13. This is not a grant, right? Is it correct that institutions don’t have to apply, just provide these services and the data reports to Kansas Regents, and that’s how they get the funding?
For the GED Accelerator, all institutions (except Johnson County Community College) are eligible. (Also refer to AO-K Proviso question #9.)
14. Are “Dream Act” students eligible?
Neither the AO-K Proviso nor GED Accelerator addresses “Dream Act” students. As a result, the institution’s existing admission requirements apply.
15. Will the GED Accelerator reimburse in-state or out-of-state tuition?
The GED Accelerator does not provide reimbursement for tuition. The GED Accelerator provides incentives to colleges for serving students who are admitted to and enrolled in courses in a CTE program while pursuing a GED. However, incentives earned by the institution can be used to assist students. Eligible students need to meet the residency requirements established by the institutions.
16. If a USD or Community-based organization (CBO) operates the GED program in a certain area (like Topeka, for example) are those non-postsecondary institutions eligible to receive the incentive dollars? Can the CBO receive the $500 for the GED and reimbursement for the testing and the college receive the $1,000 when the student receives the industry credential?
The legislation only identifies community colleges, the technical colleges, and Washburn Tech as being eligible to receive incentive funding under the GED Accelerator. Although funds cannot be distributed directly to CBOs or USDs from Kansas Regents, the eligible institutions may negotiate agreements to share incentive funding to support of adult education programs at partnering organizations.
17. Will the information you provided today be available to us?
All of the materials from the May 9 Webinar have been posted on the GED Accelerator webpage on Kansas Regent’s website.
18. What should I do if I have additional questions?
Please continue to send your questions in writing by using the contact us form.