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Ohio Laws and Rules
(A) Definition: The “Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma” is a statement that the holder thereof has achieved the equivalent of a high school education as measured by scores obtained on the tests of general educational development (GED) as published by the “American Council on Education.” The minimum standard scores as described in paragraphs (C) and (D)(1) of this rule and other information about the GED program are available online through the Ohio department of education’s website at www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=684&Content=13128.
(B) Eligibility: The minimum requirements for taking the tests of general educational development are: the applicant must be officially withdrawn from school and be nineteen years of age or older. However, exceptions to the age requirement may be granted as follows.
(1) An applicant who is eighteen years of age is eligible if the class of which he/she was last a member has graduated; or
(2) An applicant who has been sworn into active military service in one of the armed forces is eligible if a statement, indicating the date of the swearing-in ceremony, is submitted with the application; or
(3) An applicant who is at least sixteen years of age, but is less than eighteen years of age, is eligible to take the tests with written approval from a parent, guardian or court official and the school superintendent or his/her designee, from where the applicant last attended school or presently resides; or
(4) An applicant who has reached the age of majority (eighteen years old) is eligible with written approval from the superintendent or his/her designee, from where the applicant last attended school. The applicant may sign the approval form instead of the parent, guardian or court official.
(C) Certificate: The state board of education shall issue an “Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma” to residents of the state who have not received a high school diploma provided the minimum standard score set by the “American Council on Education” or a higher score set by the state board of education on each test and an average standard score set by the “American Council on Education” or a higher score set by the state board of education on all five tests of the GED are attained.
(D) Application and test fee waiver: Each applicant shall have the application and test fee waived if the applicant is an Ohio resident and when:
(1) An applicant received a minimum standard score set by the “American Council on Education” or a higher score set by the state board of education on each test and an average standard score set by the “American Council on Education” or a higher score set by the state board of education on all five tests of the official practice test of general educational development administered through a public or nonprofit adult education program; and
(2) The practice test scores are certified by the director of a public or nonprofit adult education program.
(E) Application fee: All other applications and applications from non-Ohio residents for the tests of general educational development or an “Ohio High School Equivalence Diploma” shall require a nonrefundable service fee approved by the superintendent of public instruction for the purpose of covering actual costs associated with the administration of the service. The service fee shall not apply for inpatients of veterans’ administration hospitals within Ohio.
(F) Test administration fee: The Ohio department of education will reimburse the official (GED) test centers an administration fee established by the superintendent of public instruction.
Effective: 02/25/2007
R.C. 119.032 review dates: 11/29/2006 and 02/25/2012
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 3301.07
Rule Amplifies: 3301.07
Prior Effective Dates: 9/23/74, 7/1/79, 1/1/85, 7/1/87, 7/1/88, 12/1/89, 1/1/97, 12/24/01