GED, HiSET Data Match Process

Updated 11/13/2023

This article describes the GED/HiSET match process and how to confirm the match on a student's SiD record.

Every two weeks, the MDE sends the SiD Support Team a list of Minnesotans (not just ABE students) who have passed the GED or HiSET. The list is compared against SiD student records. When matching students are found, a "passed GED" or "passed HiSET" history item is automatically added to the SiD student record.

How the matching process works

Info from these two sources are compared during the data match process:

• The MDE list of passers contains info from student registrations on GED.com/GED Manager or HiSET.org.
• SiD student details were entered by your staff and/or another ABE program if the student was shared.

 These two screening levels must be passed:

• Level 1: First name and last name and birthdate are identical in both GED.com/HiSET.org student accounts and SiD. (Middle and nicknames are not considered in the match process.)
• Level 2: Phone number or email or social security number is identical in both GED.com/HiSET.org and SiD.

When we have a confident match between the MDE list and SiD records, the outcome is added as an NRS Primary Goal history item. The Comment field will say "automated." The credential is assigned to the first site that served the student. For local and MDE reporting, all programs that share the student get "credit" for completing the GED or HiSET.

Notes about entering goals as history items

• Only automated NRS Primary Goals will be used for NRS reporting.
• Program staff cannot add NRS Primary Goals for GED and HiSET.
• Program staff can add GED or HiSET goals and outcomes as Personal Goals. Personal goals are for local program use only and will not be used for NRS reporting.
• You can SET a Personal Goal of obtaining a GED/HiSET when your program keeps track of students who want to work toward one of the credentials.
• You can mark MET for the Personal Goal as a way to double check that the GED data match is working for your students.
• Personal Goal>GED or HiSET is ignored during the data match. 

See students who have been matched

Run the MSGs report to see students in your program who have earned a GED or HiSET credential. 

Troubleshooting

Contact us at [e-mail] if you find students who passed the exam more than a month ago, but do not have the automated history item.