Education
High School GED Rate

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High School GED Rate

What does this measure?

The number of students who transferred from a regular high school program to a GED program, as a percentage of their cohort. A GED program prepares students for the tests required to earn the General Educational Development credential, which certifies that a student has demonstrated a level of knowledge equal to or greater than 40% of graduating high school seniors. The cohort is the class of ninth-graders beginning high school together.

Why is this important?

A GED offers students who did not make it through high school a credential allowing them to pursue higher education and certain careers. While these figures do not show the number of students actually obtaining GEDs, they indicate how many students were pursuing this alternative path out of high school toward a productive future.

How is the region performing?

Very small proportions of students have been leaving high school to pursue GEDs. About 0.3% of students in the class of 2024 had transferred to GED programs by the time their class graduated, slightly below the state rate (excluding NYC) of 0.4%. The region's rate has fallen from .9 percentage points since 2009. Columbia and Greene had the lowest proportion of students pursuing GEDs in the region, at 0%, followed by Orange (0.09%) and Putnam (0.4%). Sullivan and Ulster had the highest proportion of students pursuing GEDs (0.8% and 0.5%, respectively). No school districts had more than 5 students pursue a GED in 2024.

Notes about the data

Data for earlier years were not comparable because cohorts were not tracked in the same way.

High School GED Rate
2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Region1%1%2%1%1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%
Columbia1%2%3%1%2%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%0%1%0%
Dutchess1%1%2%1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%
Greene2%2%5%5%3%2%1%1%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%
Orange1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Putnam1%1%2%2%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%0%1%1%0%
Sullivan3%3%2%1%1%2%1%1%1%1%1%0%0%1%2%1%
Ulster1%2%2%2%2%2%1%1%1%1%1%0%1%0%1%1%
NYS (excluding NYC)2%2%1%1%1%1%1%0%0%0%1%1%0%0%0%0%
Columbia School Districts
Berkshire Union Free school district, Columbia County56%62%40%71%30%38%18%33%20%
Chatham Central school district, Columbia County1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Germantown Central school district, Columbia County0%0%2%0%4%0%2%0%0%3%0%0%0%0%9%0%
Hudson City school district, Columbia County4%3%6%4%2%1%0%3%1%3%3%3%2%1%1%0%
Kinderhook Central school district, Columbia County1%0%1%0%0%0%1%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
New Lebanon Central school district, Columbia County0%2%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Taconic Hills Central school district, Columbia County1%1%2%0%2%0%0%2%2%0%3%1%2%1%1%0%
Dutchess School Districts
Arlington Central school district, Dutchess County1%1%2%1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%1%0%0%
Beacon City school district, Dutchess County0%0%0%1%1%0%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%2%
Dover Union Free school district, Dutchess County1%0%0%1%1%2%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Hyde Park Central school district, Dutchess County3%0%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%1%0%0%1%0%0%0%
Millbrook Central school district, Dutchess County0%2%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%1%0%1%0%
Northeast Central school district, Dutchess County1%2%7%1%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Pawling Central school district, Dutchess County0%0%0%1%0%0%0%2%1%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%
Pine Plains Central school district, Dutchess County3%9%5%2%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%
Poughkeepsie City school district, Dutchess County3%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Red Hook Central school district, Dutchess County6%4%3%2%1%1%1%1%0%1%0%1%1%1%1%1%
Rhinebeck Central school district, Dutchess County3%2%5%4%2%0%1%0%2%1%2%2%0%0%1%1%
Spackenkill Union Free school district, Dutchess County1%0%1%1%0%0%0%1%0%1%1%1%0%1%1%0%
Wappingers Central school district, Dutchess County0%0%1%1%1%0%1%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%2%1%
Greene School Districts
Cairo-Durham Central school district, Greene County1%0%3%0%4%3%3%3%0%2%1%2%1%0%0%0%
Catskill Central school district, Greene County5%5%12%8%5%3%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Coxsackie-Athens Central school district, Greene County0%2%4%1%2%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%
Greenville Central school district, Greene County4%1%3%13%2%4%2%0%0%0%0%1%0%1%2%0%
Hunter-Tannersville Central school district, Greene County5%2%4%2%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central school district, Greene County0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Orange School Districts
Chester Union Free school district, Orange County0%0%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%0%1%0%
Cornwall Central school district, Orange County0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Florida Union Free school district, Orange County5%1%2%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Goshen Central school district, Orange County1%1%1%2%2%0%3%0%2%0%2%1%1%0%0%0%
Highland Falls Central school district, Orange County1%1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%1%0%0%0%
Kiryas Joel Village Union Free school district, Orange County0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Middletown City school district, Orange County1%2%3%3%0%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Minisink Valley Central school district, Orange County1%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Monroe-Woodbury Central school district, Orange County1%1%1%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Newburgh City school district, Orange County0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Pine Bush Central school district, Orange County0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Port Jervis City school district, Orange County1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%
Tuxedo Union Free school district, Orange County0%0%1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%4%
Valley Central school district, Orange County3%3%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Warwick Valley Central school district, Orange County0%0%1%0%1%0%0%0%2%0%2%1%0%1%1%1%
Washingtonville Central school district, Orange County1%1%1%0%1%1%1%1%0%0%1%1%0%0%0%0%
Putnam School Districts
Brewster Central school district, Putnam County0%0%2%4%2%1%4%2%2%3%2%3%1%1%0%1%
Carmel Central school district, Putnam County2%5%3%3%1%1%0%1%1%1%0%1%0%0%1%0%
Haldane Central school district, Putnam County0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Mahopac Central school district, Putnam County0%0%1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%1%1%1%1%0%0%
Putnam Valley Central school district, Putnam County0%0%2%0%1%2%1%0%0%0%2%0%0%0%0%0%
Sullivan Villages
Eldred Central village, Sullivan County2%4%2%1%4%5%0%3%6%4%0%2%0%3%0%0%
Fallsburg Central village, Sullivan County2%2%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%0%
Liberty Central village, Sullivan County12%6%1%2%0%0%2%0%0%0%1%1%0%2%0%1%
Livingston Manor Central village, Sullivan County2%9%10%7%6%4%7%3%2%5%4%3%0%0%3%6%
Monticello Central village, Sullivan County2%2%2%1%1%3%1%1%1%1%1%0%0%3%5%1%
Sullivan West Central village, Sullivan County0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Tri-Valley Central village, Sullivan County1%0%0%0%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Ulster School Districts
Ellenville Central school district, Ulster County0%0%1%0%1%3%0%0%0%0%0%0%1%1%3%3%
Highland Central school district, Ulster County0%2%0%1%1%1%1%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%0%
Kingston City school district, Ulster County0%2%3%5%4%3%2%2%1%1%1%0%1%0%0%0%
Marlboro Central school district, Ulster County1%2%2%2%1%1%2%0%1%0%1%1%0%0%0%0%
New Paltz Central school district, Ulster County1%1%1%2%1%1%3%1%0%0%1%0%0%1%1%1%
Onteora Central school district, Ulster County6%7%4%1%3%1%0%2%0%2%0%0%0%3%1%2%
Rondout Valley Central school district, Ulster County1%0%1%2%2%1%1%0%2%0%0%1%1%1%0%0%
Saugerties Central school district, Ulster County4%5%2%3%4%2%1%1%1%2%0%1%1%1%1%1%
Wallkill Central school district, Ulster County1%3%1%0%0%1%0%0%0%1%0%1%0%0%0%0%

Source: New York State Education Department
Notes: Years denote 12th grade year for cohort.




Total High School Students Transferring to GED Program
2009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
Region19620424319414810385625259655744426440
Columbia111424101245848855250
Dutchess5233613434201211813151012112115
Greene1611353116126302141120
Orange42443726161014811416126375
Putnam920262716817891210156764
Sullivan3025151371366665319136
Ulster365745534736251814141081391010
NYS (excluding NYC)2,2372,2911,8671,4681,149950829661612659727689621569561572
Columbia School Districts
Berkshire Union Free school district, Columbia County584533221
Chatham Central school district, Columbia County1000000001000000
Germantown Central school district, Columbia County0010201001000030
Hudson City school district, Columbia County76116310414443110
Kinderhook Central school district, Columbia County1020001010000000
New Lebanon Central school district, Columbia County0100000000000000
Taconic Hills Central school district, Columbia County1220200220312110
Dutchess School Districts
Arlington Central school district, Dutchess County89197851200125402
Beacon City school district, Dutchess County0012400002000113
Dover Union Free school district, Dutchess County1001130000000000
Hyde Park Central school district, Dutchess County12152352223112100
Millbrook Central school district, Dutchess County0200100000101010
Northeast Central school district, Dutchess County1151010000000000
Pawling Central school district, Dutchess County0001000210000010
Pine Plains Central school district, Dutchess County41052100000000001
Poughkeepsie City school district, Dutchess County11000000001000001
Red Hook Central school district, Dutchess County10863221202012122
Rhinebeck Central school district, Dutchess County3254201021220011
Spackenkill Union Free school district, Dutchess County1011000101110110
Wappingers Central school district, Dutchess County10141012472339323145
Greene School Districts
Cairo-Durham Central school district, Greene County2040544302121000
Catskill Central school district, Greene County662013740000000000
Coxsackie-Athens Central school district, Greene County0361200000010000
Greenville Central school district, Greene County51316242000010120
Hunter-Tannersville Central school district, Greene County3121000000000000
Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central school district, Greene County0000000000000000
Orange School Districts
Chester Union Free school district, Orange County0000010000010010
Cornwall Central school district, Orange County0000000000000000
Florida Union Free school district, Orange County3110000000000000
Goshen Central school district, Orange County3335606151632000
Highland Falls Central school district, Orange County1111000000101000
Kiryas Joel Village Union Free school district, Orange County0000000
Middletown City school district, Orange County5101515056201020000
Minisink Valley Central school district, Orange County4120000000000000
Monroe-Woodbury Central school district, Orange County5643400000010000
Newburgh City school district, Orange County0000000000010000
Pine Bush Central school district, Orange County1110000000000000
Port Jervis City school district, Orange County4300000000001001
Tuxedo Union Free school district, Orange County0011100000000001
Valley Central school district, Orange County121430000100000001
Warwick Valley Central school district, Orange County1230210161621352
Washingtonville Central school district, Orange County3231332301321010
Putnam School Districts
Brewster Central school district, Putnam County117116212558494203
Carmel Central school district, Putnam County8181213421232020051
Haldane Central school district, Putnam County0000000001000000
Mahopac Central school district, Putnam County0143502111342510
Putnam Valley Central school district, Putnam County0030142000300000
Sullivan Villages
Eldred Central village, Sullivan County1311230232010100
Fallsburg Central village, Sullivan County2211000000000010
Liberty Central village, Sullivan County17824002000110201
Livingston Manor Central village, Sullivan County1543222112110012
Monticello Central village, Sullivan County67742823223016113
Sullivan West Central village, Sullivan County0000000000000000
Tri-Valley Central village, Sullivan County1000100000000000
Ulster School Districts
Ellenville Central school district, Ulster County0010140000001234
Highland Central school district, Ulster County0301211000000000
Kingston City school district, Ulster County01321342419101174505021
Marlboro Central school district, Ulster County1433113020110000
New Paltz Central school district, Ulster County3234126200211121
Onteora Central school district, Ulster County131271410202000312
Rondout Valley Central school district, Ulster County2023311030022100
Saugerties Central school district, Ulster County1314571054225123222
Wallkill Central school district, Ulster County4930120103121000

Source: New York State Education Department
Notes: Years denote 12th grade year for cohort.




INDICATORS TREND | STATE
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Rate of Child Abuse and Neglect Decreasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Teen Pregnancy Decreasing
Voter Registration Rate Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Total Population Increasing
Population by Age Decreasing
Population by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Household Types Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Increasing
Spending for County Government Maintaining
Tourism Revenue Maintaining
Preschoolers Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Student Group Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Student Group Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Dropout Rate Decreasing
High School GED Rate Decreasing
Education Levels of Adults Increasing
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Maintaining
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Seniors Living in Poverty Increasing
Veterans Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children Receiving Subsidized Child Care Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Increasing
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Maintaining
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Increasing
Households Receiving SNAP Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Food Insecurity Not Applicable
Deaths from Drug Overdoses Increasing
Babies with Low Birth Weights Maintaining
Newly Diagnosed Cases of HIV Decreasing
People Living wth HIV Increasing
Mental Health Clinic Visits Maintaining
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Cost of Homeownership Maintaining
Cost of Rent Increasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Violent Crimes Decreasing
Homeless Persons Decreasing
Domestic Violence Maintaining
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Single-Parent Families, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Population by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 English, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 4 Math, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Early Prenatal Care, by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Arrest Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Decreasing


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