GED preparation/ GED-PLUS. The Achievement Academy’s GED program meets five days a week for three hours a day. Students will be preparing for the revised 2014 GED exam, which consists of four academic subject tests in Language Arts, Science, Mathematics, and Social Studies. AAD staff utilizes the Framework Provider’s initial TABE assessment to determine which students can begin GED study immediately and which need to start their Achievement Academy studies in the Starting Points program. Students may begin their GED studies when their TABE Reading Comprehension survey indicates that they are performing at or above a 9th grade equivalent level. Daily capacity in the GED program is 32 youth. Most GED students prepare for one subject area test at a time, attending teacher- facilitated classes for 1.5 hours each day with their remaining academic time spent in the Learning Lab and/or working individually with a tutor for extra assistance. Lab-based instruction is similar to that offered in the Starting Points program. GED classes are held to a maximum of eight students so that each student is able to receive specialized attention as needed. All GED classes are taught by experienced classroom teachers. Primary instructional materials are drawn from reliable GED preparation texts, and these materials are supplemented with additional topical resources. The Achievement Academy’s GED program is unique to Durham’s GED landscape in that we have always approached GED instruction as an opportunity to support the development of deeper student learning, critical thinking, curiosity, and problem solving strategies beyond what is simply required to “pass the test”. Our work is directed toward motivating students to broaden their interests and aspirations and inspiring them to continue on to a postsecondary program, fully equipped with the skills they need in order to be successful in a college or professional work environment. This makes our program well adapted to implement the more rigorous standards of the 2014 GED. GED test readiness is monitored using official practice tests administered under standard conditions. When students score at or above the “likely to pass” point for a particular practice test, AAD staff registers students for official testing at Durham Technical Community College. We rely on an excellent, long term working relationship with DTCC testing staff to minimize administrative barriers to students studying with us then testing at the college. AAD staff has undergone training i...
