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Specific Guidelines

Age Requirements

All GED® candidates must be at least 16 years old to be admitted to GED® Testing. All candidates under 18 years of age must have approval from a parent or guardian to take the GED® Tests, unless emancipated, court-ordered, or married.

Emancipated Youth

A youth who has attained legal authority and responsibility to act separately or apart from any parent or guardian must provide the court order declaring the emancipation. A copy of the court order is made, and the emancipated youth is treated as an eighteen (18) year old for the purpose of being eligible to take the GED® Tests. The emancipated youth is eligible to test by qualifying under either of the following categories:

  • Provides the court order declaring the emancipation, provides evidence on the WV GED® Form (Appendix 1) that candidate's original high school class has graduated, the candidate's withdrawal date, passing OPT scores, and release of information signature, or
  • Provides the court document declaring the emancipation, provides evidence on the WV GED® Form (Appendix 1) the withdrawal date from a regular accredited high school, passing OPT scores, and release of information signature.

Married Youth

A youth who is married must provide the marriage license. A copy of the marriage license is made, and the married youth is treated as an eighteen (18) year old for the purpose of being eligible to take the GED® Tests. The married youth is eligible to test by qualifying under any of the following categories:

  • Provides the marriage license, provides evidence on the WV GED® Form (Appendix 1) that candidate's original high school class has graduated, the candidate's withdrawal date, passing OPT scores, and release of information signature, or
  • Provides the marriage license, provides evidence on the WV GED® Form (Appendix 1) the withdrawal date from a regular accredited high school, passing OPT scores, and release of information signature.

Eighteen (18) Year Olds

An individual who is 18 years of age must provide evidence of one of the following on the WV GED® Form (Section 8 Appendix):

Candidate's original high school class has graduated, and the candidate is withdrawn from the regular accredited high school
School information completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and with signatures of instructor required in appropriate areas of the form.
Candidate has withdrawn from the regular accredited high school prior to testing
School information completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and with signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form.
Candidate was being home-schooled one month prior to testing
School information with the beginning date of homeschooling completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form.
Option (1) Pathway Student
Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signatures of instructor required in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school.
Credit Recovery Option (2) Pathway Student
Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signatures of instructor in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school.
GED® Option (3) Pathway Student
Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signatures of instructor required in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school.
Court-Ordered Youth
Must provide a copy of the court order and may remain enrolled in school. Must provide the WV GED® Form. The instructor's signature may be absent if court order states that pre-assessment is not required to take the GED® Tests. Parent/Guardian's signature is not required.

Seventeen (17) Year Olds

In addition to providing the completed WV GED® Form, the seventeen (17) year olds taking the GED® Tests must provide the appropriate documents as follows:

Candidate's original high school class has graduated, and the candidate is withdrawn from the regular accredited high school
School information completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and with signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form.
Candidate has withdrawn from the regular accredited high school for one month prior to testing
School information completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and with signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form.
Candidate was being home-schooled one month prior to testing
School information with the beginning date of homeschooling completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form.
Option (1) Pathway Student
Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signatures of instructor required and the signature of the parent/guardian in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school.
Credit Recovery Option (2) Pathway Student
Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school.
GED® Option (3) Pathway Student
Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signatures of instructor and the parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school.
Emancipated Youth
Must provide a copy of the court documentation declaring emancipation. Is treated as an eighteen (18) year old for purposes of taking the GED® Tests. Parent/Guardian's signature is not required. Must withdraw from school, unless enrolled in the Option Pathway.
Married Youth
Must provide copy of marriage license. Is treated as an eighteen (18) year old for purposes of taking the GED® Tests. Parent/guardian's signature is not required. Parent's signature is not required. Must withdraw from school, unless enrolled in the Option Pathway.
Court-Ordered Youth
Must provide a copy of the court order and may remain enrolled in school. Must provide the WV GED® Form. The instructor's signature may be absent if court order states that pre-assessment is not required to take the GED® Tests. Parent/Guardian's signature is not required.

Sixteen (16) Year Olds

The compulsory age school attendance age was raised to age seventeen (17). Beginning with the 2011-2012 high school freshman cohort class of students compulsory school attendance continues to the seventeenth (17th) birthday. Until this change takes effect for all 16 year olds, the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE ) has put in place a waiver, Waiver to Allow a Sixteen Year Old to Take the GED® Tests. Once approved by the WVDE, this waiver will allow a certain population of sixteen year olds to take the GED® Tests.

School Term 2011-2012

The following are the guidelines to test the sixteen (16) year old and list the documentation required prior to testing:

Option (1) Pathway Student
Is sixteen (16) and placed in an Option (1) Pathway. The Option (1) Pathway student may begin taking the GED® Tests at age sixteen (16) but must be seventeen (17) years of age or older prior to completing the GED® Tests. Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signature of instructor and the signature of the parent/guardian in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school. No waiver is required.
Credit Recovery Option (2) Pathway Student
Is sixteen (16) and a senior placed in the Credit Recovery Option (2) Pathway. Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signature of instructor and parent/guardian in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school. No waiver is required.
GED® Option (3) Pathway Student
Is sixteen (16), placed in a GED® Option (3) Pathway program, and is eligible to dropout out of school by being a repeater in the ninth (9th) grade, or is in tenth (10th) grade or above. Must provide the WV GED® Form with Option Pathway box checked, with signature of instructor and parent/guardian in appropriate areas of the form, and may remain enrolled in school and take the entire GED® Test prior to dropping out of school. No waiver is required.
Dropout
Is a sixteen (16) year old dropout and was eligible to drop out of school by being a repeater in the ninth (9th) grade or is in tenth (10th) grade or above, may take the entire GED® Test. School information with the beginning date of homeschooling completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form. An approved waiver from the WVDE is required prior to testing.
Home Schooled
Is sixteen (16) and began home-schooling prior to July 1, 2011. School information with the beginning date of homeschooling completed by school personnel on the WV GED® Form and signatures of instructor and parent/guardian required in appropriate areas of the form. An approved waiver from the WVDE is required prior to testing.
Alternate Placement
Is sixteen (16) and attending Mountaineer Challenge Academy or Job Corp or placed in an Institutional Education Program. No waiver is required.
Court-Ordered Youth
Is sixteen (16) and court ordered to take the GED® Tests. Must provide a copy of the court order and may remain enrolled in school. Must provide the WV GED® Form. The instructor's signature may be absent if court order states that pre-assessment is not required to take the GED® Tests. Parent/Guardian's signature is not required. No waiver required.
Emancipated Youth
Must provide a copy of the court documentation declaring emancipation. If the youth meets the sixteen (16) year old withdrawal guidelines, will be treated as an eighteen (18) year old for purposes of taking the GED® Tests. Parent/Guardian's signature is not required. Must withdraw from school, unless enrolled in the Option Pathway.
Married Youth
Must provide copy of marriage license. If the youth meets the sixteen (16) year old withdrawal guidelines, will be treated as an eighteen (18) year old for purposes of taking the GED® Tests. Parent/guardian's signature is not required. Must withdraw from school, unless enrolled in the Option Pathway.

Note: Sixteen (16) year olds may not take the GED® tests after June 30, 2014.

Sixteen (16) Year Olds Waiver Form

A certain population of the sixteen (16) year olds who meet the criteria above must complete the Waiver Request to Allow a Sixteen Year Old to Take the GED® Tests. The following procedures should be followed to obtain the waiver:

  • Principal, guidance counselor, attendance director or OIEP staff must complete the withdrawal status, sign the form and affix the school stamp or seal.
  • GED® candidate and parent/guardian must also sign the form.
  • A copy of the OPT scores must be attached to the completed waiver.
  • The Waiver Request must be completed and faxed to 304-558-0048, Attention: Betty Jo Jordan, Executive Assistant to the State Superintendent of Schools.
  • Waivers approved by WVDE are mailed, faxed or emailed to the GED® candidate.
  • The ABE instructor or GED® examiner attaches the approved waiver to the West Virginia GED® Form that must be presented at the test registration.