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General Educational Development (GED) Programs

From Prisonpedia

General Educational Development (GED) programs in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) are mandatory literacy and high school equivalency initiatives provided to inmates who do not possess a verified high school diploma or equivalent credential.[1] Operated in every federal correctional institution, these programs require affected inmates to participate for a minimum of 240 instructional hours or until they successfully obtain a GED credential.[1] The programs form the foundation of the BOP's inmate education system and are designed to equip individuals with academic skills equivalent to high school graduation, improving post-release employment prospects and reducing recidivism.[2]

The GED credential is recognized nationwide as a high school equivalency certificate.[3] In the federal prison system, the literacy program and GED preparation are essentially synonymous for inmates functioning below high school level.[1] The programs are governed primarily by BOP Program Statement 5350.28, Literacy Program (GED Standard), and are integrated into broader reentry preparation efforts under the First Step Act and earlier legislation.[1][4]

Summary

General Educational Development (GED) programs constitute the core mandatory education component within the Federal Bureau of Prisons.[1] All inmates who have not verified a high school diploma or prior GED credential are required to enroll in the literacy/GED program upon arrival at a designated institution.[1] The mandatory participation period is 240 instructional hours or until the inmate obtains the GED credential, whichever occurs first.[1] Limited-English-proficient inmates satisfy the requirement through mandatory English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes until they reach a verified eighth-grade English proficiency level, at which point they transition to standard GED coursework.[1]

Classes are delivered daily, typically in sessions of at least 1.5 hours, by qualified education staff.[1] Curriculum covers the four GED test subjects: Reasoning Through Language Arts, Mathematical Reasoning, Science, and Social Studies.[3] Testing is administered through the official GED Testing Service, and the BOP has partnered with the service for credential issuance, transcripts, and diplomas through Washington, D.C.[3] Inmates may test in English or Spanish and may combine modules in both languages to earn the credential.[3]

Participation and satisfactory progress carry significant consequences.[1] Inmates sentenced under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act (VCCLEA) or the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) who refuse to participate or fail to make satisfactory progress are limited to 42 days of good conduct time credit per year instead of the maximum 54 days.[1] Exemptions exist for pretrial detainees, inmates with deportable alien status, severe medical conditions, or those with verified waivers, but voluntary participation is permitted in most cases.[1]

The programs are offered at every security level and in every BOP facility, including administrative maximum, high, medium, low, and minimum-security institutions as well as satellite camps.[2] Waiting lists may exist at some facilities due to space and staffing limitations, but enrollment priority is given based on projected release date.[1]

History

The mandatory GED/literacy requirement in federal prisons originated with the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (VCCLEA), which first tied good conduct time credits to educational participation for violent offenders.[1] The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996 (PLRA) expanded this provision, making satisfactory progress in a literacy program a condition for certain inmates to earn the full 54 days of good conduct time per year.[1]

The Bureau of Prisons formalized the policy in Program Statement 5350.28, Literacy Program (GED Standard), issued in 1995 and most recently updated December 1, 2003.[1] The statement established the 240-hour minimum, exemption categories, progress monitoring procedures, and pay/promotion incentives for participation.[1] Earlier versions of the policy existed under the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984 and Vocational Education Act provisions, but the 1994–1996 legislation made participation effectively mandatory through the good-conduct-time penalty.[1]

The GED test itself has evolved through several series (1978, 1988, 2002, 2014, and the current computer-based version).[3] The BOP transitioned to computer-based testing in 2014 and implemented the i-Connect Inmate Education Network beginning in 2016, allowing secure electronic delivery of GED preparation materials and testing in a virtual environment.[5] This was the first virtual testing platform of its kind in any correctional system worldwide.[5]

Under the Second Chance Act of 2008 and the First Step Act of 2018, GED completion became an Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction (EBRR) program eligible for earned time credits toward early transfer to prerelease custody or supervised release.[4] Inmates who complete the GED while incarcerated now receive FSA time credits in addition to the traditional good-conduct-time benefits.[4][5]

Program Requirements and Enrollment

Upon intake, education staff verify high school diplomas and GED credentials.[1] Unverified or absent credentials trigger immediate placement on the GED waiting list.[1] Inmates are assigned a GED Progress assignment in SENTRY (the BOP's inmate management system) and are called into classes based on custody level, facility resources, and release date priority.[1]

Inmates with a verified eighth-grade or higher reading and math level proceed directly to GED preparation classes.[1] Those testing below eighth-grade level begin in Adult Basic Education (ABE) until they reach the threshold.[1] Limited-English-proficient inmates are enrolled in mandatory ESL until they achieve CASAS (Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System) Level C (eighth-grade equivalent), after which they must enter GED classes.[1]

Satisfactory progress is defined as regular attendance, active participation, and measurable academic gains on Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE) or CASAS assessments administered every 120–180 days.[1] Failure to make satisfactory progress results in an incident report for Refusing to Participate in an Inmate Program (Code 316) and, for PLRA/VCCLEA inmates, automatic reduction to 42 days good conduct time per year.[1]

Inmates within 24–36 months of release receive enrollment priority.[1] Those with life sentences or very long terms are still required to participate unless granted a warden-approved waiver (rare and documented for cognitive disability, age, or severe medical conditions).[1]

Curriculum and Testing

The BOP GED curriculum aligns with the official GED test modules:[3]

  • Reasoning Through Language Arts (reading comprehension and writing)
  • Mathematical Reasoning
  • Science
  • Social Studies

Instruction is classroom-based with certified teachers, supplemented by tablet-based or computer lab materials where available.[2] Many facilities use PLATO, Edmentum, or AZTEC software for individualized instruction.[2] Special education services are provided for inmates with documented learning disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 accommodations.[1]

GED testing is conducted on-site by certified examiners.[3] The passing score is 145 per module (out of 200).[3] Inmates who fail a module may retest after remediation.[1] Upon passing all four modules, the credential is issued through the GED Testing Service with "District of Columbia" listed as the issuing jurisdiction for federal inmates.[3]

Impact and Outcomes

Bureau data consistently show that inmates who earn a GED while incarcerated have substantially higher post-release employment rates and lower recidivism than those who do not.[5] Completion of the GED is the single most frequently completed Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction program under the First Step Act.[4] As of 2023, thousands of federal inmates earn their GED annually, with pass rates comparable to or exceeding community adult-education programs.[5]

Terminology

This section defines key terms commonly used in federal prisons when describing GED and literacy programs.[1]

  • GED (General Educational Development) refers to a battery of tests that, when passed, certifies the test taker has high school-level academic skills. Also refers to the credential itself.[3]
  • Literacy Program is the official BOP term for mandatory GED preparation classes; synonymous with GED program for most inmates.[1]
  • VCCLEA refers to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 – inmates sentenced for offenses committed between September 13, 1994, and April 26, 1996, for violent crimes.[1]
  • PLRA refers to the Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996 – inmates sentenced for offenses committed on or after April 26, 1996, who were convicted of certain violent or drug-related crimes; subject to the 42/54-day good conduct time restriction.[1]
  • Satisfactory Progress is defined in P5350.28 as regular attendance and measurable skill gains on standardized assessments.[1]
  • EBRR Program refers to Evidence-Based Recidivism Reduction Program under the First Step Act; GED completion is classified as an EBRR and earns FSA time credits.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 Federal Bureau of Prisons, "Program Statement 5350.28: Literacy Program (GED Standard)," December 1, 2003, https://www.bop.gov/policy/progstat/5350_028.pdf.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Federal Bureau of Prisons, "Education Programs," accessed November 20, 2025, https://www.bop.gov/inmates/custody_and_care/education.jsp.
  3. ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 GED Testing Service, "Federal Bureau of Prisons Policy," accessed 2025, https://www.ged.com/policies/fbop/.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Federal Bureau of Prisons, "First Step Act Approved Programs Guide," 2023, https://www.bop.gov/inmates/fsa/docs/fsa_guide_eng_2023.pdf.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Federal Bureau of Prisons, "Education, Certification and Programming: Keys to Reentry," March 20, 2023, https://www.bop.gov/resources/news/20230320_education_certification_and_programming.jsp.

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