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 Equivalency Certificate, a person must be a resident of Missouri 5 CSR 60-100

(with a Missouri mailing address), and meet one (1) of the following requirements:

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 (B) Be seventeen (17) years of age and withdrawn from school for at least six (6) months from the last day of school attendance;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 GED 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 (D) Be sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age, withdrawn from school and: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) Servicemen who are residents of Missouri or who are stationed in Missouri in active military service will be allowed to take the GED tests upon the payment of the regular fee established by the Missouri State Board of Education (the board).
   2. (B) The GED tests are administered under the direction of DESE at centers approved and designated by DESE.
   3. (C) Application forms may be obtained by contacting the GED Office, PO Box 480, Jefferson City, MO 65102. 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, Missouri non-driver ID, or United States Passport 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.
   4. (D) A fee must accompany each application. The remittance by cash, postal money order or cashier’s check must be made payable to the Treasurer, State of Missouri. The fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable. Personal checks are not accepted. The fee for processing applications and issuance of a certificate when achieved will be twenty dollars ($20). An additional application and fee of twenty dollars ($20) will be required each time an individual retakes any part of the test. Processing of an application and issuance of a certificate to an individual who took the test through the United States Armed Forces Institute/Defense Activity for Nontraditional Education Support will be twenty dollars ($20). In addition to the fee paid to the Treasurer, State of Missouri, an examinee will pay the local testing center a fee set by SECONDARY EDUCATION

the local testing center not to exceed twenty dollars ($20) each time the tests are taken. A fee of two dollars ($2), payable to the Treasurer, State of Missouri, also will be charged for each transcript issued other than the original. Replacement certificates may be purchased for a fee of fifteen dollars ($15), payable to Treasurer, State of Missouri.

1. (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.
2. (4) Effective January 1, 2002, a total minimum standard score or two thousand, two hundred fifty (2,250) or above on the five (5) tests of the GED, with no score below four hundred ten (410), is required to qualify for a Missouri Certificate of High School Equivalence. Minimum standard scores are established in accordance with the policies and procedures of the General Educational Development Testing Services (GEDTS) of American Council on Education (ACE).
3. (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 GED Option Program for at-risk youth.

4. (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) If the scores on the reexamination do not meet the minimum certificate requirements, the highest scores above four hundred ten (410) received on all tests taken within the last two (2) years will be compared with the most recent scores. The highest score obtained for each of the five (5) tests will be used as a basis for determining the eligibility for the certificate.
   3. (C) An applicant who has been reauthorized more than twice and fails to take the tests or who fails to take the test within two
5. (2) years after approval must submit a new application and fee.
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. A Missouri Certificate of High School Equivalence will be issued if the standard scores meet the minimum score requirements established by the board.

AUTHORITY: sections 161.092, RSMo Supp. 2002 and 161.093, 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.

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