SOP_NUMBER: 108.04
TITLE: High School Equivalency Testing Centers
REFERENCE_CODE: VC01-0104
DIVISION: Inmate Services Division (Education)
TOPIC_AREA: 108 Policy-Education/Vocational Education
EFFECTIVE_DATE: 2025-05-01
WORD_COUNT: 673
POWERDMS_URL: https://public.powerdms.com/GADOC/documents/106500
URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/108.04/

SUMMARY:
This policy establishes procedures for administering High School Equivalency (HSE) and General Education Development (GED) testing to incarcerated individuals in Georgia Department of Corrections facilities. It covers the selection of testing sites, contracting with adult education centers, security protocols, offender qualification requirements, examination procedures, and record-keeping responsibilities. The policy applies to all GDC facilities, private prisons, and county prisons where HSE testing is provided.

KEY_TOPICS: High School Equivalency testing, GED testing, General Education Development, HSE diplomas, educational assessment, test administration, offender education, testing security, contract services, TCSG, adult education centers, testing qualifications, test rosters

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|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS<br>Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|
|**Policy Number:** 108.04|**Effective Date**: 05/01/2025|**Page Number:** 1 of 3|
|**Authority:** <br>Commissioner<br>|**Originating Division:** <br>Inmate Services Division<br>(Education)|**Access Listing:**<br>Level I: All Access<br>|


**I.** **Introduction and Summary:**





Facilities within the Georgia Department of Corrections provide for the High School
Equivalency Testing of offenders, to include the General Education Development
(GED) Test.

**II.** **Authority:**

A. O.C.G.A.§§ 42-5-64, 42-5-57; 42-5-5.1; 42-9-42, and 42-8-35.1;


B. GDC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): 210.04 Inmate Probation Boot

Camp - Rights and Standards; and 408.01 Contract Services;


C. Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) Policies;


D. The General Educational Development Testing Service (GEDTS) Policies; and


E. ACA Standard: 5-ACI-7B-01.


**III.** **Definitions:**

As used in this SOP, these terms are defined as follows:

A. **The State Repository of Information System (SCRIBE)**    - GDC’s official

offender records management system.

**IV.** **Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:**

A. Central Office will make the determination as to the selection of High School

Equivalency (HSE) testing sites and services.

B. Contracts:


1. Central Office, in consultation with local facilities, enter agreements with

local adult education centers for the provision of HSE testing.


|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS<br>Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|
|**Policy Number:** 108.04|**Effective Date**: 05/01/2025|**Page Number:** 2 of 3|
|**Authority:** <br>Commissioner<br>|**Originating Division:** <br>Inmate Services Division<br>(Education)|**Access Listing:**<br>Level I: All Access<br>|



2. Contracts are generated in the Central Office and are sent to local adult

education centers for signatures.

3. Contracts are valid when signed by the designated authority from the adult

education center and the Commissioner's designee.


4. Contracts with local adult education centers provide GDC staff members who

are hired for the sole purpose of administering the HSE testing to provide
testing at facilities when the local adult education center cannot provide
services.

5. Contracts will be in place before GDC staff members test offenders at private

prisons and county prisons.


C. Security:


1. On designated test day(s), only test administrators and/or GDC staff will have

access to the test equipment setup.

2. The HSE testing materials and equipment are inventoried before and after

each test administration by the test administrator or approved alternate
examiner.


D. Offender Qualification Procedure


1. The GED teacher or other authorized staff member at the offender's

institution verifies that the offender is prepared to take the HSE exam by
meeting the set requirements of an approved assessment, such as a minimum
of 145 for the applicable subtest on the official GED practice test, or other
approved measure.

2. Teachers must obtain approval from the Regional or Central Office education

staff to make exceptions to the minimum requirements.


|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS<br>Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|**Policy Name:**High School Equivalency Testing Centers|
|**Policy Number:** 108.04|**Effective Date**: 05/01/2025|**Page Number:** 3 of 3|
|**Authority:** <br>Commissioner<br>|**Originating Division:** <br>Inmate Services Division<br>(Education)|**Access Listing:**<br>Level I: All Access<br>|



E. Examination Procedure:


1. The Test Administrator, or approved alternate, administers the GED exam

per the procedures outlined in the Examiner's manual for the Tests of the
General Educational Development.

2. Test Administrator, or approved alternate, verifies the identity of the

examinee by state I.D. card or by a legible photocopy of the personal
information page with a photo located in Scribe.


3. A test roster is maintained for each testing session.

F. Record Keeping and Reporting:


1. TCSG issues the HSE diplomas to each examinee.


2. Copies of HSE transcripts and diplomas are maintained in the school and

institutional files, but requests for copies of official transcripts must be made
to TCSG.

3. Each facility submits a report on HSE testing to Central Office Education

Services through SCRIBE and any other required data collection format.

**V.** **Attachments:** None.

**VI.** **Record Retention of Forms Relevant to this Policy:** None.