I often wonder if the increase in testing is leading to more students choosing alternatives to the traditional high school diploma. Are more students likely to pursue the GED, after failing testing related to graduation? I know that in some States students can take tests multiple times. Some students manage a combined score to graduate, while others complete extensive projects as an alternative when they have failed. For some students, could the graduation tests be discouraging? I do not have data on how many students fail multiple tests for graduation, and then seek alternatives like the GED, but I wonder if there is a correlation. It would be interesting to see if the added pressure of testing is a factor in students choosing the GED over sticking out the four years of high school.
I also wonder how different the GED test is from the tests students are taking for graduation? With the Common Core approaching, will the GED also change? Will the expectations be different when students are meeting different criteria for an actual diploma?
