Regional Office of Education - Whiteside County

The General Education Development(®) Test is designed to appraise the educational development of applicants who have not completed their formal high school education. Illinois law authorizes the Illinois State Board of Education to make rules necessary to carry into efficient and uniform effect the provisions for the issuance of High School Equivalency Certificates in the State. The law requires the Regional Superintendent of Schools of each county to administer the High School Equivalency Testing Program. The Regional Office of Education for Whiteside County may be reached at 815-625-1495 or 1001 West 23rd Street, Sterling, Illinois 61081. Regular Office hours are Monday - Friday 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., Summer hours starting in June Monday - Thursday 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Friday 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon. Regular hour start August 16.

Testing Requirements

An individual is eligible to take the Test given they are 17 years of age or older, not a high school graduate or a graduate, and have maintained residence in the State of Illinois for thirty days. Note: If an individual is of school age and has been enrolled in a public, private, or a home school setting in the last 12 months, they must present a withdrawal letter from the last school enrolled before taking the Test.

Tests
There are a total of 5 tests and a Constitution test.
Language Arts: Social Studies: - (50 questions, 70 minutes)

Writing Part 1- (50 questions, 75 minutes) 25% U.S. History
30% Sentence Structure 25% Civics & Government

30% Usage 20% Economics

25% Mechanics, 15% Geography

15% Organization 15% World History

Writing Part 2 - (45 minutes)
100% Essay
Science test: - (50 questions, 80 minutes) Language Arts: - (40 questions, 65 minutes )
45% Life Science Reading test
35% Physical Science 75%, Literacy Text
20% Earth & Space Science 25% Nonfiction Prose
Mathematics: - test (90 minutes)
Math Part 1 - with a calculator (25 questions, 45 minutes)
Math Part 2 - without a calculator (25 questions, 45 minutes)
20% Number Sense & Operations
20-30% Measurement & Geometry
20-30% Data, Statistics & Probability,
20% - 30% Algebra, Functions, & Patterns
Constitution test: (60 multiple choice, no time restraints)

A person is allowed to take each test 3 times within a year which runs from January 1st of the current year up to and including December 31st of the current year. A total of 2,250 points, with no grade below 410 on any one test, is considered passing. There is no limit on the number of times one can take the constitution test.

Preparation
While no formal preparation is required to take the Test, examinees may take advantage of preparatory courses offered through Sauk Valley Community College. Classes are tuition free to eligible individuals. Contact the Sauk Valley Community College Adult Education office at 815/835-6312 for additional information. Class Schedule

Registration/Fees For Testing
Individuals must register in person at the Whiteside Regional Office of Education at 1001 West 23rd Street, Sterling, Illinois 61081. You must be a resident of the county. No appointment is necessary for registration. Registrants must present a government-issued photo ID (i.e. driver's license, state ID, valid passport or other form of government-issued ID). A $50 application fee must be paid to the Regional Superintendent of Schools for the purpose of taking the ® tests, and issuance of the certificate upon successful completion of the ® tests and Constitution examination. Each Test, with the exception of the Language Arts: Writing Test, requires a $10 retest fee. A $15 retest fee is required for the Language Arts: Writing Test*. Registrants will be given a testing schedule when the registration fee is received.

*Note: The higher cost for the Language Arts, Writing test is due to the cost of the holistic scoring of the essay.
These must be paid at time of registration. Cash, check, or money order are the only acceptable forms of payment.

Fees For Testing Sessions Missed
Effective September 1, 2009, Sauk Valley Community College is assessing a fee for test sessions missed without proper notification. You will be allowed one missed session at no charge. When you miss a second session without proper notification, you will be charged a $15 fee, payable to Whiteside ROE. You will not be allowed to continue testing until the fee has been paid at the ROE. To notify the ROE of a cancellation, call 815/625-1495 at least 24 hours prior to the start of the testing session for which you are registered.

Testing Schedule
Before attending a testing session you must sign up for that session with the Whiteside Regional Office of Education by phone or in person. If you are signing up by phone, you will be asked for your phone number and if this is the first time you have taken that test. Retest fees (see fee schedule below) must be paid in person prior to the time of the testing session. Because each testing session is limited to 10 testers and a waiting list of 2, please call at least 24 hours before the testing session to sign up, cancel, or reschedule. Fall Testing Schedule

Transcripts and Duplicate Diplomas
To request a transcript or duplicate diploma, we recommend downloading and using our Request Form

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Testing Requirements

Transcripts and Duplicate Diplomas To request a transcript or duplicate diploma, we recommend downloading and using our Request Form

Transcripts and Duplicate Diplomas
To request a transcript or duplicate diploma, we recommend downloading and using our Request Form