NORTH CAROLINA COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM
H. Martin Lancaster, President
June 6, 2002
MEMORANDUM
TO: Chief GED Examiners
Basic Skills Directors
FROM: Patrick K. Pittman, State GED Administrator
SUBJECT: Scoring and Administration of GED Tests
The current GED scoring contract with the University of Texas has been extended. Texas will continue to
provide scoring services through the end of December. Until further notification, please continue to mail
your tests to Texas for scoring. Our College Information Services Department is working towards having
the new system operational by January.
Please do not wait for the paper copy of scores before informing students of their results. The University
of Texas has informed me that they will NOT be sending paper copies of score results for the English
versions of the tests. They will be doing so for only the Spanish versions of the tests. You must obtain
and print scores through your Internet access with Texas.
For now, you may use the Internet copy of results to serve as the transcript. You may also use your own
method for reporting scores. The programming required for printing transcripts and diplomas is
scheduled to be completed early June. Diplomas and requests for official transcripts will be printed at
that time.
I have also checked with some colleges to see how long it takes to obtain test results after mailing tests. It
is now taking one week after mailing for scores to be posted. With the current budget crisis, making
copies of all the tests is a local decision. Making copies is not really necessary if you are using certified
mail. To my knowledge, no tests have been lost thus far using certified mail. If this does occur, however,
students will have to retake different forms of the lost tests.
With Texas providing the scoring services, things are a little bit different for dealing with student
transfers. The old process was used to change the center codes. If you have a student who tested at
another site, you should submit a name and address change form (if the student's address changed) and
NOT a new demographics form. Then you can have the student complete his/her testing and mail the
answer sheet with the transmittal form to Texas. Your center number will override the old center number.
Just make sure that the student uses the same social security number at the site where they finish testing
as he/she did at the first center. If not, two records will be created. If you need to check on students'
scores from other centers in North Carolina, you can enter their social security numbers and the scores
should be displayed even though they tested at another center.
MAILING ADDRESS: 5024 MAIL SERVICE CENTER ~ RALEIGH, NC 27699-5001
Street Address: 200 West Jones ~ Raleigh, NC 27603-1379 ~ 919-733-7051 ~ Fax 919-733-0680
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Page 2
June 6, 2002
Enclosed are copies of the GED Testing Procedures Manual for North Carolina. This manual should be
used in conjunction with the official GED Examiner's Manual and Test Administration Handbook. On
pages 7 & 8 of the GED Test Procedures Manual for North Carolina, please note the method for graduates
to obtain duplicate copies of their transcripts and/or diplomas. Please remember that student requests for
transcripts and diplomas will not be accepted over the telephone.
Also enclosed is an information booklet on test accommodations. Directions for completing the
accommodation forms along with other valuable information are included in the booklet. When
requesting test accommodations, please use the new accommodation forms for the 2002 series of tests.
Send the request form along with the accommodation tracking sheet to the System Office. The forms will
be returned to you and if approved, mail the tracking sheet along with the answer sheets to Texas for
scanning.
On May 15, the contracts of the 2003 GED Tests were mailed to the colleges. After getting the chief
GED examiner's signature along with the president's signature, send all of the copies back to the System
Office. DO NOT KEEP ANY COPIES. I must sign the contract AFTER the required college signatures
are obtained. After I have signed the contract, the copies will be sent back to you.
Having such a drastic change in tests and scoring is very difficult. Thank you for your patience and
understanding with this transition. If you have any questions, please contact me at (919) 733-7051, ext.
720 or pittmanp@ncccs.cc.nc.us.
Enclosures
C: Presidents
Senior Continuing Education Administrators
Dr. Delores Parker
Dr. Randy Whitfield
Mickey Bishop
CC02-126
Paper Copy
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