The State GED Testing Office is located in downtown Topeka, Kansas in the Curtis State Office Building. The office is housed in the office of the Kansas Board of Regents and is responsible for the oversight and supervision of GED Testing Centers, issuance of Kansas State High School Diplomas, review of requests for GED test accommodations, and the issuance of transcripts and duplicate diplomas. Walk-in service is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The address is 1000 SW. Jackson Street, Suite 520, Topeka, Kansas 66612-1368
The GED office number is 785-296-3191.
Preparation programs offer instruction aimed at successful completion of the GED Tests. For more specific information about what each program offers, contact the program directly. Many of these programs, in addition to providing GED instruction, offers Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, and other adult education and family literacy services.
GED Testing is conducted under secure conditions at official GED Testing Centers. Testing Centers are approved by the National GED Testing Service and the State GED Testing Office, monitored by the State GED Administrator, and staffed by approved qualified examiners.
GED Testing is not conducted or available through correspondence or the Internet. Valid GED testing is available only through official GED Testing Centers.
Two kinds of official records are available to persons who have tested and / or received a Kansas State high school diploma: transcripts and duplicate diplomas. Both are official documents and bear the State Seal. To obtain a transcript and / or duplicate diploma, submit either a completed GED Request Form or a written request containing the following information:
Name at the time the test was taken and current name, if different
Date of birth
Social Security Number
Current phone number
Where and when the GED Tests were taken
Type of record--transcript and/or duplicate diploma-and the number of copies
Duplicate GED diplomas and copies of GED transcripts-
To obtain either of these, submit a signed written request or GED Request Form to Kansas Board of Regents / GED 1000 SW Jackson Street, Suite 520, Topeka, Kansas 66612. The fee for duplicate diplomas and transcripts is $10 for each document you request payable by cash, money order, or cashiers check. No personal checks will be accepted.
GED Verifications
In order to verify a GED score you must mail a signed release form to Kansas Board of Regents / GED and include a $10 processing fee.
As of January 1, 2004, the Spanish-language GED Tests match the content, skills, and levels of proficiency assessed by the English-language GED Tests (2002 series).
The GED Tests measure the major academic skills and concepts associated with four years of regular high school instruction. They provide an opportunity for persons who have not graduated from high school to earn a high school equivalency diploma.
The GED Tests measure competency in five subject areas: Language Arts-Writing, Social Studies, Science, Language Arts-Reading, and Mathematics.
Residents of Kansas. Residency is defined as having a Kansas (un-expired) driver's license and / or a Kansas identification card.
Adults 18 years of age or older may test without any special conditions. Special conditions apply to persons who are at least 16 years of age (but have not reached their 18th birthday)
Persons who are not enrolled in an accredited high school.
Those who have not already graduated from an accredited high school nor received a GED high school equivalency diploma.
What documentation is required to take the GED Tests?
When GED candidates register to take the GED Tests, they must provide current photo identification which includes name, address, date of birth, and signature. Acceptable current photo identification includes:
Kansas Driver's License
Photo ID cards issued by Kansas Division of Motor Vehicles
What are the special conditions under which a 16 or 17 year old may take the GED Test?
Kansas law states that persons between the ages of 16 and 17 may take the GED Tests only when they present a completed Compulsory Attendance Exemption form and a Compulsory School Attendance Disclaimer from the school district to which the candidate currently resides, or the candidate presents a marriage certificate, a court order, or legal documentation of emancipation; or the candidate is adjudicated and is under court authority.
GED Tests are administered only by GED Testing Centers that have been authorized by the national GED Testing Service and approved by the Kansas State GED Administrator. No unauthorized sites may administer the GED Tests. There are currently 27 official GED Testing Centers in Kansas. Each Testing Center's testing schedule varies. To find out when the GED Tests are administered and how to register at a Testing Center; contact the Center(s) of your choice.
What are the passing scores for a Kansas State high school diploma and how can they be interpreted?
The GED Diploma is awarded when a candidate receives a score of at least 420 on each of the five tests with an average score of 450 (2250 total points) on all five tests.
The score scales for the GED Tests are referenced to the performance of graduating high school seniors on the GED Tests.
To ensure that scores reflect the performance of contemporary high school seniors, the tests are periodically checked.
Scores range from a minimum of 200 to a maximum of 800 points for each of the five GED Tests.
Only an estimated 60% of high school graduates would pass the GED Tests at the minimum scores of 420 on each test and an average of 450 (2250 total points) on all five tests, according to the 2001 Norming Study.
Can GED candidates retest if they don't pass the first time?
Yes. Retests are administered using a form of the GED Test(s) different from the form(s) the candidate has already taken. Candidates do not have to complete the full battery of five GED Tests before they can retest on any single test. Candidates that did not receive the minimum passing score of420 points may retest on any of the five GED Tests in order to bring the score up to the minimum. When candidates have received the minimum passing score of 420 points on each of the GED tests and still have a total score of less than 2250, they may retest on whichever tests they choose, as long as the form of the particular test is different from the one that they took earlier. If a candidate retests on the same test form, the retest score will be automatically invalidated. Since there are only three test forms available in the state each year, a candidate may test only three times during any given year.
The GED Practice Test is a shortened form of the GED Tests designed to indicate whether or not a person is ready to take and pass the GED Tests. Administered under timed conditions, it is a good predictor of success for the English version of the GED Tests.
For information about taking the GED Practice Test, contact a GED Testing Center.
Are testing accommodations available for candidates with special needs and Spanish-language?
Adult learners with special needs may apply for special testing accommodations if they can document that they are capable of passing the GED Tests but are prevented from doing so because of a disabling condition.
Candidates with learning or physical disabilities may request modifications of standard testing conditions based on documented special needs. Modifications include: extended testing time, assistance from a scribe, use of a calculator, testing in a private room and/or frequent supervised breaks. Special editions of English-language GED Tests are available in audiocassette, Braille, and large print formats when need is documented.
To receive testing accommodations, candidates must complete a request form that fulfills these criteria:
Documentation of ability to pass the GED Tests
Documentation of the disabling condition
Relation of the requested accommodations to the documented disabling condition
Completion of the request forms in their entirety
In addition to the listed criteria, requests for accommodations for specific learning disabilities and/or ADHD must provide recent documentation of academic achievement. Although the request forms for physical and/or emotional disabilities may be copies, the requests for accommodations for specific learning disabilities and/or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) must be submitted on original forms. Request forms are available at all Kansas GED Testing Centers. Completed request forms must be reviewed by the testing center where the candidate plans to test. Incomplete requests will be returned to the candidate for completion. After review by the testing center, the request must be sent to the State GED Testing Office for approval. In unusual cases, the request will be forwarded to the national GED Testing Service for review.
Grade point average cannot be determined from GED test scores. However, GED percentile ranks can be viewed as approximate class rank.
GED percentile rankings represent the GED graduate's performance related to the performance on the GED Tests of a representative group of graduating high school seniors.
GED Standard Score and Estimated Class Rank of Graduating High School Seniors
GED Score Est. Class Rank GED Score Est. Class Rank
700 Top 1% 550 Top 25%
670 Top 2% 530 Top 33%
660 Top 3% 520 Top 40%
640 Top 5% 500 Top 50%
610 Top 10% 460 Top 55%
580 Top 15% 450 Top 60%
570 Top 20%
Nearly all colleges and universities in the U.S. accept the GED diploma as a high school equivalency credential. GED Tests cannot be used as a substitute for placement or admission tests.
Can GED test scores be upgraded by retesting after a diploma has been awarded?
Passing GED scores for candidates that have qualified for a GED diploma can be upgraded ONLY if an employer, a college or a university requires higher scores. To upgrade scores, a candidate must have a letter from the college or workplace, on its letterhead, identifying the minimum average score required for employment or enrollment. The letter must be submitted to the State GED Administrator for approval. The candidate MUST receive approval BEFORE the tests are retaken.
