PURPOSE: The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) determines applicant eligibility, arranges for testing, establishes minimum standard score requirements, issues certificates, approves reexamination in accordance with the policies and procedures of the General Educational Development Testing Services (GEDTS) of the American Council on Education (ACE). DESE cooperates with the Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support (DANTES) and United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) testing programs.

1. (1) To be eligible to take the General Educational Development (GED) Tests and earn a Missouri High School Equivalence Certificate, a person must be a resident of Missouri (with a Missouri mailing address), and meet one (1) of the following requirements: 5 CSR 60-100

   1. (A) Be eighteen (18) years of age or older;
   2. (B) Be seventeen (17) years of age and withdrawn from school for at least six (6) months from the last day of school attendance;
   3. (C) Be currently enrolled in school and qualify as a participant in an approved Missouri Option Program for at-risk youth; or

   4. (D) Be sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age, withdrawn from school and:

      1. 1. Have the written permission of the

superintendent or principal of the school last attended;

1. 2. Have written permission of the parent

or legal guardian, if home schooled; or

1. 3. Be incarcerated or have the written

permission of the juvenile judge if under the court’s jurisdiction.

1. (2) Arrangements for Taking the GED Tests.

   1. (A) The GED Tests are administered under the direction of DESE at centers approved and designated by DESE.
   2. (B) Application forms may be obtained by contacting the GED Office, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480. The completed form is to be returned for approval. Only approved applicants may take the examination. Positive identification in the form of a current Missouri driver’s license or Missouri non-driver ID must be presented by the examinee before being allowed to take the GED Test. The local testing center is responsible for positive identification of examinees.
   3. (C) A fee approved by the State Board of Education (board) must accompany each application to cover the cost of administering the program. An additional fee payable to the local GED testing center is required prior to testing. These fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable and will be required each time an individual retakes any part of the test. Additional transcripts and replacement certificates are available for additional fees.
2. (3) Local testing centers will assign testing dates to applicants who have been authorized by DESE to take the test or to retake all or part of the test. The following areas are covered by the tests: Language Arts-Writing, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts- Reading and Mathematics.
3. (4) The Missouri Certificate of High School Equivalence is awarded on the basis of the successful completion of the GED Tests. Minimum standard scores are established in accordance with the policies and procedures of the General Educational Development Testing Services (GEDTS) of the American Council on Education (ACE). SECONDARY EDUCATION
4. (5) Certificates of High School Equivalence are issued only by DESE. Public high schools are not permitted to issue these certificates nor are they permitted to issue a diploma on the basis of the GED Tests unless the district is part of the Missouri Option Program.

5. (6) Reexamination.

   1. (A) An applicant who fails to qualify for the certificate on the first testing may be approved for additional attempts, but only if a minimum of two (2) months have elapsed since the previous attempt. Application and fee are required each time tests are taken.
   2. (B) The highest score obtained for each of the five (5) tests within a two (2)-year period will be used as the basis for determining eligibility for the certificate in accordance with GEDTS standards and procedures.
6. (7) GED Tests given by DANTES or USAFI are recognized by Missouri. A completed application form, fee and an official transcript of GED scores must be submitted to the GED Office, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0480. A Missouri Certificate of High School Equivalence will be issued if the standard scores meet the minimum score requirements established by the board.

AUTHORITY: section 161.092, RSMo Supp. 2007 and sections 161.093 and 161.095, RSMo 2000.* Original rule filed Oct. 10, 1969, effective Oct. 20, 1969. Amended: Filed Oct. 14, 1976, effective Feb. 1, 1977. Amended: Filed Feb. 13, 1978, effective May 15, 1978. Amended: Filed June 28, 1985, effective Oct. 14, 1985. Amended: Filed Sept. 25, 1987, effective Jan. 29, 1988. Amended: Filed Jan. 28, 1992, effective Sept. 6, 1992. Amended: Filed Oct. 31, 1996, effective June 30, 1997. Amended: Filed March 24, 1998, effective Oct. 30, 1998. Amended: Filed March 21, 2001, effective Oct. 30, 2001. Amended: Filed Sept. 24, 2002, effective April 30, 2003. Amended: Filed Nov. 28, 2007, effective June 30, 2008.

*Original authority: 161.092, RSMo 1963, amended 1973, 2002, 2003; 161.093, RSMo 1977; and 161.195, RSMo 1977.