RELATES TO: KRS 158.135(1)(a), 158.143, 158.6455, 151B.403
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 151B.403(1) requires the Office of Adult Education (Kentucky Adult Education) within the Education and Labor Cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations to establish programs that, upon successful completion, result in the award of a high school equivalency diploma. KRS 151B.403(2) requires that at least one (1) of these programs shall include a test aligned with the College and Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education, or any other standards adopted by the federal Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE), which upon passing, shall entitle students to receive a high school equivalency diploma. This administrative regulation establishes the eligibility requirements for taking a High School Equivalency Diploma test as defined in this administrative regulation.
Section 1. Definitions. (1) "GED"® Diploma" means the High School Equivalency Diploma required by this administrative regulation.(2) "Kentucky Adult Education" means the adult education program within the Office of Adult Education.(3) "State agency children" or "state agency child" is defined by KRS 158.135(1)(a).Section 2. Eligibility Requirements. The GED"® test shall be administered to an applicant with a Kentucky address who:(1) Has reached his or her 19th birthday;(2)(a) Has reached his or her 18th birthday; and(b)1. Except as established in Section 3 of this administrative regulation, has officially withdrawn from public or private school for at least ninety (90) days as certified by the local school district;2. Is committed or placed in an adult correctional facility;3. Is enrolled in the Jobs Corps Program of Instruction; or4. Is enrolled in a National Guard Youth "ChalleNGe" program; or(3)(a) Has reached his or her 17th birthday;1. Is considered a state agency child, as defined by KRS 158.135(1)(a); or2. Is enrolled in a district-operated alternative program, is not on track to graduate (as defined by the local board of education), and has passed at least one (1) section of the GED"® Ready test; and(b) Is approved for the GED"® test by the local school superintendent.Section 3. Superintendent Waiver. The local school superintendent or designee in the district where the applicant currently resides may waive the ninety (90) day school withdrawal provision of Section 2(2)(b)1. of this administrative regulation if necessary due to a deadline for postsecondary enrollment, condition of employment, medical reason, family crisis, or other extenuating circumstances.Section 4. Test Readiness. An applicant shall successfully complete and pass an official readiness test with the same passing scores required to pass the GED"® test prior to taking the GED"® test.28 Ky.R. 1276; Am. 1637; eff. 1-14-2002; 31 Ky.R. 1897; 32 Ky.R. 103; 263; eff. 8-25-2005; Recodified from 785 KAR 1:130; eff. 9-13-2013; 40 Ky.R. 880; 1393; eff. 1-28-2014; 44 Ky.R. 257, 901; eff. 12-1-2017; Certified to be amended; filing deadline 8-4-2021; 48 Ky.R. 847, 2017; eff. 4/5/2022; 49 Ky.R. 856, 1411; eff. 4/4/2023.STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 151B.403