9 Miss. Code. R. 3-10.1 - Mississippi High School Equivalency Program State Policy

1. Title of State Credential: Mississippi High School Equivalency Diploma

2. Current Approved Options:

a. GED Test, General Education Development, Pearson Vue

b. HiSET High School Equivalency Test, Educational Testing Service

c. Mississippi Competency-Based High School Equivalency Option

d. Total Transcript, intra-state and inter-state framework for integrated, multiple publisher high school equivalency testing and credentialing

3. Eligibility Requirements for Testing:

a. Eighteen (18) years of age or older

b. Has not earned a high school equivalency diploma

c. Not enrolled or required to be enrolled in secondary education under the compulsory school law

4. Residency Requirements: None

5. Age Exceptions for Testing:

a. Sixteen (16) and seventeen (17) year olds must:

i. not be currently enrolled in K12 school.

ii. provide documentation (withdrawal form) signed by the superintendent/designee certifying the applicant has been released from compulsory school attendance by the school board.

iii. have consent from parent or legal guardian.

6. Other Exceptions:

a. Home School examinees: proof of registration as a home schooled student from local school district or home school association.

b. An applicant with documentation verifying any one of the following conditions:

i. incarcerated in a correctional institution, correctional youth center, training school for adjudicated youth, or similar institution;

ii. confined as a patient or resident of a state-operated hospital or alcoholic rehabilitation center;

iii. enrolled in or has completed a program of instruction provided by the Job Corps or other such agency, or an apprenticeship training program;

iv. married with minor status removed;

v. a member of the United States Armed Forces; or

vi. an emancipated minor. (Court order with case number)

vii. an applicant who is enrolled in an official Option/alternative education program as stipulated in Senate Bill #2855 from the 1997 legislative session.

viii. an applicant with extenuating or extreme personal circumstances showing proper documentation. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. an illness of long-range duration;

2. sole support of family; or

3. untenable situation at home which required the person to leave school to earn a livelihood.

Note: Any situation in which the local Chief Examiner cannot render a determination on granting a waiver will be referred to the State High School Equivalency Office for guidance.

7. Assessment Options:

The below prices and policies are established by the vendor.

A. GED© Test, Pearson Vue

a. Computer-Based Test Only

b. Passing Scores

i. GED Passing Score: 145 on each subject area test

ii. GED College Ready Score: 165-174

iii. GED College Ready + Credit Score: 175-200

c. Cost:

i. GED Testing Service offers in-person testing as well as online proctoring options for students. The cost for both options are listed below:

Description	In-Person GED Test	OP GED Test
Jurisdiction Fee	$0	$0
Base Test Price	$30	$36
Test-Taker Fee	$30	$36
Full GED Test Test-Taker Fee	$120	$144

d. Re-Take Fees

i. GED Testing Service fees are waived every 2^nd & 3^rd retake ($20 per subject area test waiver)

ii. You must schedule retakes one at a time for the discount to apply

iii. Discounted retakes cannot be combined with any other discounts

iv. Retakes must occur within 12 calendar months of your initial attempt

v. After your two discounted retakes, you will need to wait at least 60 days, pay the full retake price and then you will receive two more discounted retakes

e. Retesting Policy

i. There is no waiting period if you do not pass a subject area test the first time.

ii. After taking a subject area test 3 times, you must wait 60 days each time before retesting.

iii. There is no limit how many times you can test in a year.

iv. Retake rules are enforced for students retesting in different languages.

1. For example, if you take the English test three times and then move to a Spanish test, GED Testing Service 60 day waiting period is enforced.

B. HISET©, Educational Testing Service

a. Computer Based & Paper Based Options available

b. Passing Scores:

i. HiSET minimum score by subtest: 8

1. Requires minimum score 2 on constructed response essay in Writing subtest, for a composite score of 8

ii. HiSET college and career ready indicator 15 - 20

iii. HiSET battery passing score: 45 comprehensive score

c. Cost:

Paper-Based Test

a. $110.00 complete battery test.

b. $22.00 per subtest.

Computer- Based Test

a. $88.75 complete battery test.

b. $17.75 per subtest.

d. Re-Take Fees:

i. HiSET battery fee include two additional attempts per subtest within 12 months of purchase.

ii. Battery fees do not include additional test center fees or state admin fees for each additional attempt.

iii. Additional attempts offered at the subtest rate.

iv. Retakes must occur within 12 calendar months of your initial attempt

v. You may attempt each subtest up to three times per calendar year (January through December of a given year.)

e. Retesting Policy:

i. There is no waiting period if you do not pass a subtest the first time.

ii. You may attempt each subtest up to three times per calendar year, regardless of language tested. (January through December of a given year.)

iii. You may retest in any order, whether you have tested in another subtest or not.

iv. You may use your additional attempts to achieve a higher score when needed to pass the battery or qualify for scholarship.

C. Mississippi Competency-Based High School Equivalency Option

a. Title a. of State Credential High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)

b. Cost: $25.00 application fee

c. Eligibility:

i. Must be a Mississippi Resident

ii. Has not received a valid high school diploma or a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)

iii. Not enrolled or required to be enrolled in school under compulsory school law

d. Enrollment in Adult Education

i. Student Success Plan

ii. Attend Orientation/Intake

iii. Meet with Transition Specialist/Navigator

1. Create Student portfolio

iv. Register with MS WORKS

1. WIOA Common Case Management Technology (Hub)

v. Identify Barriers

vi. Referrals to core agencies

e. Educational Functioning Level Assessment: Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE)

i. Students must obtain a minimum score of Level 5 (grade Equivalency 9.0-12.0) in two of the following subject areas: Reading, Language, Math Computation/Applied Math

f. Adult Education Instruction

i. College & Career Readiness Standards - All students will receive instruction in reading, writing, and math aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards required by the Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education https://lincs.ed.gov/professional-development/resource-collections/profile-521

ii. Smart Start Course

1. Basic Skills- National Career Readiness Certificate

2. Career Exploration/Employment Preparation

3. Necessary Skills (Soft Skills)

g. Must enter an approved MIBEST Program OR Integrated Education and Training Pathway

i. Must complete 15 hours of college credit

1. Prior Learning Assessment college credits are allowable

2. Developmental education courses are excluded

ii. Minimum GPA: 2.0 or higher

h. Earn the Mississippi Smart Start Credential

i. Earn a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC)

Applied Math	Workplace Documents	Graphic Literacy
Level 4 or higher Silver	Level 4 or higher Silver	Level 4 or higher Silver

j. Earn a pertinent Industry-Recognized Credential

i. As defined in the MCCB Credential Policy and Procedure Manual, the state-wide CTE Curriculum framework, or the local Workforce Board Sector Strategy Plans

8. Total Transcript (Effective December 1, 2022):

a. Title of State Credential: MS High School Equivalency Diploma (MS HSED)

b. High school equivalency testing structure:

i. GED

1. See Section 7.A.a-e for testing format, passing scores, cost, re-take fees, and retesting policies.

ii. HiSET

1. See Section 7.B.a-e for testing format, passing scores, cost, re-take fees, and retesting policies.

2. HiSET battery passing score is evaluated in relation to eligible subtests

a. one subtest: 9 comprehensive score

b. two subtests: 18 comprehensive score

c. three subtests: 27 comprehensive score

d. four subtests: 36 comprehensive score

e. complete test battery: 45 comprehensive score

iii. TASC

1. Passing scores (consistent with those prior to test discontinuation):

a. TASC minimum score by subtest: 500

i. Requires minimum score 2 on constructed response essay in Writing subtest

b. TASC distinguished achievement indicator:

i. Language Arts Reading: 580

ii. Language Arts Writing: 560 and 6 on constructed response essay

iii. Mathematics: 560

c. Credentialing requirements:

i. Obtain a passing score in the following subject areas as described in 8.b.i-iii:

1. Language arts (reading/writing or combined)

2. Mathematics

3. Science

4. Social Studies

ii. Obtain a passing HiSET comprehensive score as applicable and described in 8.b.ii.

d. Components of Total Transcript

i. Diploma Sender (DS) Grade Point Indicator (GPI)

1. A universal achievement metric to which DS indexes all current-series HSE test scores, useful for scholarships and other competitive academic qualifications.

2. Consistent with the traditional 4-point GPA scale in both design and interpretation.

3. Supports interpretation of testers' academic attainment and may be interpreted in relation to graduating high school seniors via test publishers' norming study documentation.

ii. DS Letter Grade

1. Maps DS GPI to a familiar letter grade heuristic to facilitate stakeholders' interpretation of testers' academic attainment, useful for credit recovery and other letter grade applications.

a. 'A' reflects academic attainment equal to or greater than at least 80 percent of graduating high school seniors whose academic attainment was above the HSE threshold.

b. 'B' reflects academic attainment equal to or greater than between 40 and 80 percent of graduating high school seniors whose academic attainment was above the HSE threshold.

c. 'C' reflects academic attainment equal to or greater than up to 40 percent of graduating high school seniors whose academic attainment was above the HSE threshold.

Notes

9 Miss. Code. R. 3-10.1

Miss. Code Ann. § 37-4-3 and 37-35-1.

Amended 11/19/2017 Amended 1/19/2019 Amended 7/22/2021 Amended 12/1/2022 Amended 8/11/2023