CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. (AP) — The number of people taking high school equivalency exams in the U.S. plummeted — and the percentage who passed fell, too — in the year after a revamped, Common Core-inspired GED was introduced along with two new competing tests.

Administrators say a rush by people to take the old exam in 2013 resulted in fewer test-takers in 2014. And harder questions led to lower scores.

But officials say testing and pass rates are up so far in 2015, suggesting the bumps are being smoothed out.

The GED was overhauled last year to reflect the Common Core standards that have been adopted by most states and emphasize critical thinking. Two new high school equivalency exams that also incorporate some of those standards were also rolled out last year.