GED changes passing score, thousands eligible for high school equivalency

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- The GED Testing Service, responsible for administering high school equivalency exams, is lowering the passing score for the test after researchers found students who passed the test were performing better in college than high school graduates.

The drop could allow thousands of people who previously failed the GED test to receive a diploma retroactively. Researchers found a large number of GED students had better academic success than those who received a traditional diploma. The passing score will be lowered from 150 to 145.

GED Testing Service plans to implement the change in March, but it is up to individual states to make the ultimate decision. The company will recommend some 25,000 test takers who scored between 145 and 149 since 2014 be eligible to receive their GED.

Randy Trask, GED Testing Service's president, said the test will not be changed in any way, just the scoring.

"If high school performance starts to improve, we can adjust our cut scores as well, but we want to make sure we are holding adults to the same standards" as those required for traditional high school students, he said.