employment support professional certification...

Employment Support Professional Certification Council

March 2012 ESPCC Policy & Procedure Manual

ESPCC 416 Hungerford Drive, Suite 418 Rockville, MD 20850

Phone: 301-279-0060

ESPCC Policy & Procedure Manual Page 1

© APSE and ESPCC 2011-2012. All rights reserved.

Table of Contents

PURPOSE & SCOPE ...................................................................................................................................................... 4

ESPCC GOVERNING AUTHORITY ................................................................................................................................. 6 ESPCC Authority ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 ESPCC Roles and Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................. 6 Limitations ............................................................................................................................................................... 7

ESPCC COMPOSITION ................................................................................................................................................. 8 Composition ............................................................................................................................................................. 8 Terms ....................................................................................................................................................................... 8

ESPCC SELECTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 At-Large Council Members ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Public Member ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 APSE Board Appointee, Foundation Board Appointee, and State Delegate Committee Appointee ...................... 9 Qualifications ......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Officers ................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Orientation ............................................................................................................................................................. 10 Resignation, Vacancies, and Removal .................................................................................................................... 11 Compensation ........................................................................................................................................................ 11

ESPCC MEETINGS ...................................................................................................................................................... 12 Meetings ................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Quorum and Voting ............................................................................................................................................... 12 Meeting Notices ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 Agendas.................................................................................................................................................................. 13 Minutes .................................................................................................................................................................. 13

CONFIDENTIALITY ..................................................................................................................................................... 14 Confidentiality ........................................................................................................................................................ 14 Confidentiality Agreements ................................................................................................................................... 15 Confidential Materials ........................................................................................................................................... 15 Access to Confidential Information ....................................................................................................................... 15

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ........................................................................................................................................... 16

COMMITTEES ............................................................................................................................................................ 17 Establishing Committees........................................................................................................................................ 17 Authority ................................................................................................................................................................ 17 Composition, Selection & Terms ........................................................................................................................... 17



Qualifications ......................................................................................................................................................... 18

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE ................................................................................................................................ 19

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 20 Compensation ........................................................................................................................................................ 20 Expense Reimbursement ....................................................................................................................................... 20 Budget .................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Cancellations and Refunds ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Accounting Procedures .......................................................................................................................................... 21

ESPCC CERTIFICATION DIRECTOR ............................................................................................................................. 22

SUB-CONTRACTING .................................................................................................................................................. 24 Contracts ................................................................................................................................................................ 24

PURPOSE & SCOPE .................................................................................................................................................... 25 Definition of sponsorship contracts ....................................................................................................................... 25 General Principles Governing Sponsorship: ........................................................................................................... 26 Who Can Be A Sponsor? ........................................................................................................................................ 26 General Guidelines for Sponsorship Acknowledgement: ...................................................................................... 26

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................................................... 28 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Rationale ................................................................................................................................................................ 28 Procedures ............................................................................................................................................................. 28

CODE OF CONDUCT .................................................................................................................................................. 31 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 31 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................................. 31 Code of Conduct .................................................................................................................................................... 31

GRANDFATHERING ................................................................................................................................................... 33 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................................. 33 Rationale ................................................................................................................................................................ 33 Procedures ............................................................................................................................................................. 33

SUMMARY OF CERTIFICATION ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................... 35

NONDISCRIMINATION .............................................................................................................................................. 36

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR CANDIDATES WITH DISABILITIES .................................................................................... 37

USE OF CERTIFICATION MARK .................................................................................................................................. 38

RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS .......................................................................................................................... 39 Purpose .................................................................................................................................................................. 39 Rationale ................................................................................................................................................................ 39



Procedures ............................................................................................................................................................. 39

DISCIPLINARY POLICY ............................................................................................................................................... 44 Complaints ............................................................................................................................................................. 45 Complaint Review .................................................................................................................................................. 45 Determination of Violation .................................................................................................................................... 46 Sanctions ................................................................................................................................................................ 47 Appeal .................................................................................................................................................................... 47 Resignation ............................................................................................................................................................ 48

EXAMINATION DEVELOPMENT & ONGOING MAINTENANCE .................................................................................. 49 Subject Matter Experts .......................................................................................................................................... 49 Role Delineation Studies ........................................................................................................................................ 49 Examination Specifications .................................................................................................................................... 50 Item Writing and Review ....................................................................................................................................... 50 Item Bank ............................................................................................................................................................... 50 Examination Assembly & Approval ........................................................................................................................ 50 Establishing a Passing Point ................................................................................................................................... 51 Test Analysis / Technical Reports .......................................................................................................................... 51

EXAMINATION ADMINISTRATION ............................................................................................................................ 52 Re-Examination ...................................................................................................................................................... 52 Exam Appeals & Hand Scoring ............................................................................................................................... 52 Proctors .................................................................................................................................................................. 52 Site selection .......................................................................................................................................................... 53 Examination Admission .......................................................................................................................................... 53 Score Reporting...................................................................................................................................................... 53

SECURITY .................................................................................................................................................................. 54 Confidential Documents ........................................................................................................................................ 54 Access ..................................................................................................................................................................... 54 Physical Security .................................................................................................................................................... 54 Electronic Security ................................................................................................................................................. 54 Exam Administration.............................................................................................................................................. 55 Security Violations ................................................................................................................................................. 55

RECORDS RETENTION ............................................................................................................................................... 56 Documents Retained Indefinitely .......................................................................................................................... 56 Documents Retained for 7 Years ........................................................................................................................... 56 Documents Retained for 3 Years ........................................................................................................................... 56

VERIFICATION OF CREDENTIALS ............................................................................................................................... 57

APPENDIX A: CONFIDENTIALITY/CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM ............................................................................. 58



Purpose & Scope

Policy Number: 100

Approved By: APSE Board of Directors

Changes Must be Authorized By: APSE Board of Directors

Date Approved: May 9, 2011

Date Revised:

Purpose The Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) credential has been developed to recognize individuals who have demonstrated a sufficient level of knowledge and skill to provide integrated employment services to a variety of client populations. The CESP credential is intended to help employers, employees and potential employees by increasing the visibility of – and access to – competent individuals in the profession.

Individuals who earn the CESP credential have demonstrated knowledge of the facilitation and advocacy skills necessary to help establish and expand equitable employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. CESPs also raise awareness of benefits within the business community, and promote social change that fosters an independent, productive lifestyle for individuals with disabilities.

The Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC) was established in 2011 by the APSE Board of Directors to establish and implement policies and procedures for the CESP certification program and to oversee the development of the CESP examination. The ESPCC is responsible for developing and overseeing all aspects of the certification program as defined below.

Scope The ESPCC is responsible for developing the CESP requirements for eligibility, examination, and recertification.

Development and maintenance of the examination is based on a Role Delineation Study process that is designed to ascertain, directly from practicing professionals, the frequency with which prerequisite knowledge is applied in practice, and the importance or criticality of this knowledge in satisfactory client outcomes. Content is added to the examination only after it has been identified through the Role Delineation Study process and accepted by subject matter experts as required by the ESPCC examination development policies in this manual.

The ESPCC is solely responsible for essential decisions related to the development, administration, and ongoing maintenance of the CESP certification program. The ESPCC ensures that all application and eligibility requirements, examination development and administration, recertification requirements,



and all certification program policies and procedures are directly related to the purpose of the CESP certification program.

The ESPCC is responsible for the development of all policies and procedures related to the CESP certification program. The ESPCC has the authority to expand and/or reduce the scope of the CESP certification program and may update, modify, or change the stated purpose of the certification program as it may determine is necessary as allowed by these policies and procedures and the APSE Bylaws.



ESPCC Governing Authority

Policy Number: 102




Date Revised:

ESPCC Authority The ESPCC has been established to develop, oversee and administer the CESP certification program. The ESPCC serves as an independent and autonomous committee within APSE with respect to the development, evaluation, and administration of all CESP certification program policies and decisions related to certification eligibility, recertification, examination development and administration, budget development consistent with APSE policies, and program planning.

ESPCC members, as individuals, have no authority over CESP certification program matters, except as authorized by action of the ESPCC.

All policies and procedures for the CESP certification program are determined and approved by the ESPCC and reported to the APSE Board of Directors.

ESPCC Roles and Responsibilities The ESPCC is solely responsible for all essential decisions related to the development, administration, and ongoing maintenance of the CESP certification program. While the ESPCC may delegate ongoing program operations to employees and/or consultants as needed, these areas of policy level decision-making responsibility may not be subcontracted to any other organization or entity. The certification decisions for which the ESPCC is responsible include:

A. Establishing the policies and procedures for granting certification, including eligibility requirements.

B. Establishing the policies and procedures for maintaining certification, including recertification requirements.

C. Defining, expanding and/or reducing the scope of the CESP certification program.

D. Establishing policies and procedures for suspending or withdrawing CESP certification, including the oversight of all disciplinary investigations and actions related to CESP certificate holders.



E. Developing, maintaining, administering, and scoring the CESP examinations in a manner consistent with generally accepted psychometric practices to insure that the examination is reasonably valid and reliable.

F. Establishing and enforcing an ethical code for individuals holding the CESP credential.

G. Proposing a budget for the operation of the certification program to the APSE Board of Directors and managing certification program operations within the established budget and financial policy.

H. Providing oversight of qualified personnel.

I. Providing oversight to any committees as needed (see Committee Roles and Responsibilities policy).

J. Establishing and implementing policies and procedures for the CESP certification program.

Limitations The authority of the ESPCC is limited to the authority granted in the APSE Bylaws and by the APSE Board of Directors. The APSE Board of Directors is responsible for general oversight of the ESPCC and CESP certification program to ensure that the program remains compliant with APSE Bylaws and policy and procedure requirements and consistently implements ESPCC policies and procedures.

The ESPCC does not have the authority to create a deficit budget, to manage outside of the approved budget, or to approve significant negative impact on APSE without prior approval of the APSE Board of Directors.

The ESPCC shall not establish policies related to the development or delivery of educational content designed to prepare individuals to take CESP certification examination.

During their term(s) of service, members of the ESPCC will not participate in the development or delivery of any educational program designed or intended to prepare individuals to take the CESP certification examination.

Members of the ESPCC that participate in creating and/or reviewing content for the examination, including serving as item writers and/or item reviewers, may be subject to additional restrictions as established in these policies and procedures.



ESPCC Composition

Policy Number: 103



Date Revised: May 9, 2011

Composition The Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC) is composed of 9 voting members and 1 non-voting, ex-officio member:

Position Number Selected By Voting Status

Chair 1 ESPCC Voting

Vice-Chair 1 ESPCC Voting

Public Member 1 ESPCC Voting

State Delegate Committee Appointee 1 State Delegate Committee Voting

At-large stakeholder representatives 3 ESPCC Voting

APSE Board Liaison 1 APSE Board Non-Voting

APSE Foundation Board Liaison 1 APSE Foundation Board Non-Voting

Other representatives APSE, including the APSE Executive Director, may attend ESPCC meetings from time to time as needed to facilitate discussion and communication. Individuals who are not members of the ESPCC and who are directly involved in the development of training courses and/or materials or in the presentation of educational offerings may not participate in or observe exam development activities (including item writing and item review) that would result in knowledge of the examination content that is not publicly available. These individuals will not attend any Council meetings, or participate in any discussions, that involve exam content or other confidential certification information.

Terms ESPCC members are selected for 3 year terms. Terms of initial Council members will be staggered so that approximately one third of the terms are scheduled to end each year.

Terms will begin on the last day of the annual APSE national conference.



ESPCC Selection

Policy Number: 104




Date Revised:

At-Large Council Members The ESPCC At-Large Council member positions are selected using the following process:

The Certification Director is responsible for soliciting and screening qualified candidates for vacant, voting ESPCC member positions. The ESPCC Chair is responsible for presenting an appropriate slate of candidates to the ESPCC for election. The ESPCC will seek a diverse, qualified group of Council members and will consider relevant factors that may include, but are not limited to, each candidate’s geographic location, area of practice, educational background, and employment experience.

At-large Council member positions will represent a variety of stakeholder groups, which may include: mental health, TACE VR, MIG, trainers/educators, direct service providers and others. Beginning in 2012 (once the certification program has been launched and a sufficient number of individuals have been certified) at least 1 Council member will hold the CESP designation. By 2015, when the initial Council member terms have expired, at least 3 of the 5 voting Council members will be CESP certified. The requirement for at least 3 CESP certified voting members will continued after 2015 as well.

Nominations are accepted by the ESPCC from any CESP certified individual in good standing. Self-nominations are encouraged. The Certification Director provides an initial screening of interested candidates to ensure they meet the qualifications of the position they are seeking. The ESPCC Chair reviews the nominations of qualified individuals and creates a slate of qualified candidates for any scheduled vacancies. The ESPCC members then elect members by ballot.

Public Member The Public Member is appointed by the ESPCC Chair, with approval of the ESPCC. The ESPCC will review candidates to ensure they meet the Public Member qualifications established below.

APSE Board Appointee, APSE Foundation Board Appointee, and State Delegate Committee Appointee The APSE Board Appointee, APSE Foundation Board Appointee, and State Delegate Appointee are selected by the APSE Board, APSE Foundation Board and State Delegate Committee respectively using



a process determined by each board. Each appointee will meet all qualifications for an ESPCC member as listed below.

Qualifications ESPCC members will have appropriate education, experience, training or other qualifications.

Employees of APSE are not eligible for ESPCC membership (except for the non-voting, ex-officio position described above).

By the end of 2012 at least one Council member will be CESP certified. Beginning in 2015 at least 3 voting Council members will be CESP certified.

Current ESPCC members will not be eligible to serve on the APSE Board of Directors or APSE Foundation Board of Directors during their term of service on the ESPCC.

The ESPCC Public Member is appointed to represent the direct and indirect users of CESP certificants’ services and to effectively advocate for their interests. The Public Member has the same privileges and authority, and is expected to perform the same duties as those of all other voting ESPCC members. The Public Member will meet the criteria established in the current National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs.

Officers An ESPCC Chair and Vice-Chair are elected by the voting ESPCC members from among the ESPCC members by a majority of the Council. The Vice-Chair position does not automatically transition to Chair. Each position is elected by the Council.

Officer Duties

The Chair presides at ESPCC meetings; approves the agenda for all ESPCC meetings; and performs other duties as appropriate for the Chair position.

The Vice-Chair presides at meetings in the Chair’s absence and performs other duties of the Chair’s office in case of absence of the Chair, or when requested to do so by the Chair.

Officer Terms

Each Officer serves a 1 year term, and is eligible – if re-elected by the ESPCC – for consecutive terms in the same office until the end of his/her term as a Council member.

Orientation All ESPCC members receive an appropriate orientation the beginning of their initial term. Orientation materials include a copy of the ESPCC Policy and Procedure Manual, relevant APSE policies and procedures, candidate handbook, application and recertification forms, ESPCC minutes for the previous 12 months, financial reports for the current year-to-date and previous year, and other materials as needed to provide adequate background information for the new member.



Newly selected Council members will attend, as observers, the Council meeting at the annual conference prior to the start of their term for orientation purposes.

Resignation, Vacancies, and Removal An ESPCC member may resign at any time by providing written notice to the Chair (or to the Certification Director in the case of the Chair’s resignation). The written notice includes the effective date of the resignation. If no date is provided, the Chair determines the effective date.

With the exception of the APSE Board Appointee, APSE Foundation Board Appointee, and State Delegate Appointee all other unscheduled vacancies are filled by appointment by the Chair, with approval of the Council, for the remainder of the term. Unscheduled vacancies in the APSE Board Appointee, APSE Foundation Board Appointee, and State Delegate Appointee positions will be filled by the entity that made the initial appointment for that position.

An ESPCC member may be removed or suspended, for cause, by a 2/3 vote of the Council members at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present. Reasons for removal may include, but are not limited to: failure to perform the duties of the office, failure to attend meetings of the Council, failure to be prepared for or fully participate in Council meetings, or acting in a manner not in the best interest of the CESP certification program.

Compensation Members of the ESPCC do not receive any compensation for their service except for reimbursement of reasonable expenses related to official Council meetings or activities.



ESPCC Meetings

Policy Number: 105




Date Revised:

Meetings The ESPCC holds at least 2 regular meetings each year. Special meetings of the ESPCC are called by the Chair or by a majority of the voting members, with appropriate notice to all members stating the purpose of the meeting.

Meetings may be held in person or by other permitted means, including teleconference, web conference, or video conference, so long as all Council members in attendance can participate and be heard, and a quorum is present.

Quorum and Voting A majority of the voting ESPCC members constitute a quorum at any meeting.

Proxy voting is not permitted.

Any action taken by the majority of the voting Council members is considered to be an act of the ESPCC.

In the absence of a scheduled meeting, the Council may resolve matters via email vote. Email votes are reserved for issues that require quick resolution and do not require lengthy discussion or in situations where a special meeting cannot be convened in a timely manner. Email votes must be unanimous to be considered as an act of the Council. In addition, issues resolved via email vote must be reported at the next regular or special meeting of the Council.

Meeting Notices Council members receive notice of regularly scheduled or special meetings at least 20 days in advance.

When necessary to respond to a time sensitive issue, a meeting may be scheduled with less advance notice if the officers of the Council unanimously consent to waive the normal meeting notice requirements.

Meetings called for the purpose of removing a Council member are not subject to waiver of the



normal meeting notice requirements.

Agendas The Certification Director will distribute meeting agendas at least one week in advance of any regular or special meeting. Any Council member may recommend items for the agenda. With the approval of the Chair, meeting agendas may be updated and/or revised as needed after distribution. The Chair will approve meeting agendas before they are distributed.

Meeting agendas may be sent via email or any other means approved by the Chair.

When necessary to respond to a time sensitive issue, a meeting agenda may be distributed with less advance notice.

Minutes The Certification Director will attend all meetings of the Council and will ensure the official minutes of the meetings are recorded.

Meeting minutes will be considered confidential unless otherwise specified.

Minutes of any executive session will be considered confidential.

Meeting minutes will normally include the decisions made by the Council. Minutes are not required to include all discussion or background information presented to the Council.

The Certification Director is responsible for distribution of meeting minutes within 2 weeks following each meeting and will be distributed to all members of the Council. Meeting minutes will be retained according to the requirements of the record retention policy.



Confidentiality

Policy Number: 106

Approved By: ESPCC

Date Approved: October 28, 2011

Date Revised:

Confidentiality The ESPCC is committed to protecting confidential and/or proprietary information related to applicants; candidates; certificants; and the CESP examination development, maintenance, and administration process. The confidentiality policy applies to all APSE/ESPCC employees, ESPCC members, committee members, consultants, and other individuals who are permitted access to confidential information.

Information about applicant /certificants and their examination results is considered confidential. Exam scores will be released only to the individual candidate unless a signed release is provided. Personal information submitted by applicant /certificants with an application or recertification application is considered confidential. Personal information retained within the applicant /certificant database will be kept confidential.

ESPCC members will not disclose confidential information related to or discussed during ESPCC meetings. This includes any verbal or written information identified as a confidential matter.

Information related to the development, administration and maintenance of the examination is considered confidential.

Confidential materials include, but are not limited to: an individual’s application status, personal applicant /certificant information, exam development documentation (including role delineation study reports, technical reports, and cut score studies), exam items and answers, exam forms, and individual exam scores.

The ESPCC will not disclose confidential applicant /certificant information unless authorized in writing by the individual or as required by law.

The names of CESP certified individuals are not considered confidential and may be published by the ESPCC and/or APSE.

Aggregate exam statistics (including the number of exam candidates, pass/fail rates, and total number of certificants) will be publicly available. Aggregate exam statistics, studies and reports concerning applicants /certificants will contain no information identifiable with any applicant, unless authorized in writing by the applicant.



Confidentiality Agreements Applicants for certification will be required to read and acknowledge a confidentiality statement as part of the application process.

Before beginning his or her term of office each ESPCC member shall sign a confidentiality agreement stating that he/she will not disclose any confidential information. If a question is raised as to the confidentiality of certain information, confidentiality will be determined by Certification Director.

Individuals who participate in examination development activities (including, but not limited to, item writing, item review, exam form assembly, exam for review) will sign additional confidentiality and non-disclosure forms prior to having access to any confidential examination materials.

Confidential Materials All confidential materials will be retained in a secure manner as required by the security policy. ESPCC members will keep confidential and secure any confidential materials that are sent to them. These materials will be kept in a secure and private location at all times until they are returned to the Certification Director or are destroyed as directed by the Certification Director.

Access to Confidential Information Access to confidential information will be limited to those individuals who require access in order to perform necessary work related to the certification program. Access will be granted in compliance with the provisions of the security policy.



Conflicts of Interest

Policy Number: 107

Approved By: ESPCC


Date Revised:

A conflict of interest is defined as a situation in which personal or professional concerns or connections of an individual affect his or her ability to place the welfare of the CESP certification program before personal benefits.

The ESPCC supports operational, administrative, and examination related policies that are free from actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest by APSE employees, subcontractors, and those in elected, appointed, or volunteer positions.

Each ESPCC member will agree fully and promptly to disclose to the ESPCC and the Certification Director any existing or potential conflict of interest the Council member may have, of either a personal, professional, business or financial nature and will refrain from participation in any decision on such matter. This includes avoiding potential and actual conflicts of interest, as well as perceptions of conflicts of interest.

No Council member shall derive any personal profit or gain from his or her participation in the ESPCC.

Members of the Council will disclose all other Boards that they are a member of and any changes of employment during their service on the ESPCC.



Committees

Policy Number: 108

Approved By: ESPCC


Date Revised:

Establishing Committees The ESPCC may establish and appoint members to committees, sub-committees, working groups, and/or task forces (herein after referred to as committees) as needed to perform the work of the certification program. Such committees may include, but are not limited to, an appeals committee, nominating committee, item writing committees, etc.

Authority Committees will function in an advisory capacity to the ESPCC and will follow all ESPCC policies and procedures.

The ESPCC may dissolve or restructure any committee.

Composition, Selection & Terms Committee members and committee Chairs are appointed by the Chair of the ESPCC, with the approval of the ESPCC.

Committee members are appointed for 1 year terms and may be reappointed for additional terms. To the extent reasonably possible, committee composition will reflect the diversity of CESP certificants. Geographic representation, specialty/practice area, populations served, and experience level will be considered.

The ESPCC Chair will appoint one ESPCC member to each committee to function as a communications liaison between the committee and the ESPCC.

Committees will have a minimum of three members. There is no mandatory limit on the maximum number of committee members, but in appointing the committee members the ESPCC will consider the anticipated workload of the committee and the need for the committee to be able to work efficiently.

The Certification Director will function as a non-voting, ex-officio member of all committees.



Qualifications With the exception of any public members appointed to a committee, all committee members will be CESP certified in good standing and will be APSE members in good standing (effective January 1, 2014). Failure to maintain APSE membership or CESP certification status may result in loss of an appointed committee position.



Organizational Structure Policy #: 109


Approval Date: Feb. 13, 2012

Revision Date(s):

The following diagram represents the organizational structure of the certification program:

APSEBoard of Directors

APSE FoundationBoard of Directors

Certification Board(NACI)

Director

Subject Matter Experts / Ad Hoc

Committees



Financial Management Policy #: 110


ESPCC

Approval Date: February 13, 2012 (APSE Board); February 24, 2012 (ESPCC)

Revision Date(s):

The ESPCC shall have sufficient and adequate resources to conduct effective and thorough certification and recertification program activities. The revenue and income generated by the certification program will be used to support such certification and recertification activities, as well as ESPCC operations. Any revenue and income in excess of the ESPCC’s annual expenses and costs, excluding all ESPCC reserve funds and restricted donations, will be retained by APSE.

ESPCC may designate reserve funds for the purpose of adequately funding examination development activities or other significant expenses directly related to the ongoing function of the certification programs. For example, a reserve fund may be designated to ensure adequate funding for periodic role delineation studies as this cost would not normally be covered in the annual budget, but should be anticipated and planned for in advance. A portion of revenues from the certification program should be reserved to cover these planned future expenses as they occur.

The ESPCC cannot take on any debt or liability without APSE Board approval.

The APSE Board may not withhold or approve funding for the certification program in a manner that will prevent the ESPCC from making independent decisions regarding the certification program. For example, the APSE Board may not influence decisions regarding CESP eligibility requirements, recertification requirements, examination development and administration, examination passing scores, or other essential certification decisions.

Compensation Council members will not be compensated for their services.

Expense Reimbursement Council members will be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses related to attendance at Commission meetings. ESPCC will follow APSE policy for the reimbursement of travel expenses.

Covered expenses for Council members include: reasonable coach-class, roundtrip airfare (or mileage at the currently reimbursed rate); ground transportation; lodging; parking; and reasonable meal expenses and gratuities for required meetings and other travel.



Council members are expected to utilize the lowest cost travel arrangements available within reasonable limits.

Budget The ESPCC will review an annual operating budget for the certification program and will ensure that the budget provides adequate financial resources to conduct effective certification and recertification activities. Once approved by the ESPCC, the budget will be sent to the APSE Board for review and approval.

Establishment of appropriate fees for testing, retesting, and recertification will be proposed as part of the budget process.

The ESPCC and certification director will ensure that the certification program operates within the approved budget. The certification director and ESPCC work together to ensure that the approved budget is followed and provide periodic reports to the APSE Board as needed.

APSE will ensure that the certification director has full access to the financial records of the organization for the purposes of monitoring the budget and financial activities of the certification program.

Cancellations and Refunds Certification application and recertification fees are generally nonrefundable except as allowed by the exam cancellation/rescheduling policy. A processing fee may be applied to any refunds made.

Accounting Procedures ESPCC and the certification director will follow all established APSE accounting/financial policies and procedures.



ESPCC Certification Director Policy #: 111


ESPCC

Approval Date: February 13, 2012 (APSE Board); February 24, 2012 (ESPCC)

Revision Date(s):

APSE will employ a qualified individual to manage the day to day operation of the certification program under the oversight of the ESPCC. The ESPCC Director will be responsible for daily certification program operations management, providing administrative support to the ESPCC, and for implementing policy decisions made by the ESPCC.

The Director will be responsible for:

1. Providing routine updates to the ESPCC and APSE Board regarding certification activities including: • Updates at each ESPCC meeting • Written and verbal reports to the APSE Executive Director & APSE Board at each monthly

meeting • Annual report to the APSE Executive Director, APSE Board, ESPCC and APSE membership • Supervising and managing the daily operations of the certification program • Establishing and implementing a marketing plan, branding, and communication plan to

promote initial certification and retention efforts

2. Supporting the ESPCC’s responsibility to propose a budget for the operation of the certification program to the APSE Board of Directors by: • Preparing a budget for the ESPCC’s review and recommendation to APSE • Monitoring ongoing compliance with the approved budget • Providing regular budget updates to the ESPCC, APSE Executive Director, and APSE

3. Overseeing the certification program’s finances within the established budget and financial

policy by: • Monitoring monthly financial reporting from APSE for certification related revenues and

expenses • Communicating regularly with APSE bookkeeping staff • Complying with appropriate financial controls and audit requirements

4. Implementing all policies, strategic plans, and directives of the ESPCC



5. Selecting and/or supervising any employees or consultants tasked to work on the certification program. The Director may utilize administrative support services from other APSE departments as needed to process application/recertification fees, maintain the applicant/certificant database, complete bookkeeping tasks, and other administrative tasks as needed.

6. Overseeing all communication with candidates and certificants including maintaining a candidate handbook, application forms, and up-to-date web site content

7. Maintaining a database of certificants including, but not limited to, application information, certification examination and recertification dates, exam scores, etc.

8. Providing compliance oversight by: • Monitoring and ensuring compliance with certification program accreditation standards • Ensuring reporting compliance for grants and federal funding • Ensuring maintenance of all certification files and records.

9. Serving as a non-voting ex-offico member of the ESPCC and its subcommittees and/or task forces

10. Developing and distributing meeting materials and other documentation to the ESPCC

11. Other duties as assigned by the ESPCC

The ESPCC Chair will conduct an annual review of the Director’s performance. Results of the evaluation will be shared with the APSE Board of Directors. Personnel issues related to the administration of the certification program should be reported by the ESPCC to the APSE Executive Director.

The ESPCC has the authority to approve Executive Director hiring decisions made by APSE to ensure that the certification program is appropriately administered by qualified staff. The ESPCC does not have the authority to dismiss APSE/ESPCC employees, but may request that staff members be reassigned if they are unable to meet the needs of the certification program.



Sub-Contracting Policy #: 112

Approved By: ESPCC

Approval Date: February 24, 2012

Revision Date(s):

The services of consultants, vendors, and other contractors (herein after referred to as “subcontractors”) described in this policy refer to work subcontracted by the ESPCC to an external organization, company, or person under a written agreement. The term “subcontracting” in this policy describes situations in which substantive work is conducted by an individual, company, or organization other than APSE.

This policy does not apply to employees of APSE or to vendor relationships for the purchase of equipment, supplies, maintenance services, etc.

Contracts The ESPCC may retain the services of subcontractors as needed to conduct the operations of the certification program in compliance with APSE policies and procedures and within the approved operational budget. These services may include psychometric consultation, examination security or administration consultation, accreditation compliance consultation, and other similar services. The ESPCC will be responsible for determining the need for a subcontractor and for selecting qualified subcontractors.

Legal contracts for subcontractor services will be reviewed upon the recommendation of the certification director. Contracts will be approved and signed by APSE in accordance with APSE policies and procedures. All subcontractors must sign confidentiality and conflict of interest forms or must provide these provisions in their contract. Provisions for monitoring and evaluating the work performed by the subcontractor will be included in the contract.

Essential certification decisions, including, but not limited to eligibility requirements, recertification policies, and establishing the examination passing point(s), cannot be delegated to any subcontractor. The ESPCC is responsible for any subcontracted work.



Purpose & Scope Policy Number: 113

Approved By: ESPCC

Date Approved: March 30, 2012

Date Revised:

Definition of sponsorship contracts A sponsorship is a mutually beneficial exchange whereby the sponsor receives acknowledgements in recognition in return for cash or goods or services-in-kind provided to the ESPCC. The relationship requires a formal written agreement or confirmation setting out the terms of the sponsorship, including the nature of the recognition to be provided to the sponsor, and must be signed by an authorized member of the sponsor and by the ESPCC Director, or designee.

Tax receipts are not issued to sponsors. Sponsorships are usually considered business expenses and not charitable donations. They are typically funded from corporate marketing budgets or through corporate foundations or corporate sponsorship programs.

Sponsorships must comply with the ESPCC’s policy on conflict of interest. ESPCC reserves the right to refuse or decline any offer of sponsorship at its absolute discretion or to negotiate with the sponsor concerning any aspect of a proposed sponsorship.

Sponsorships do not imply endorsement of products or services by the ESPCC. A sponsorship does not automatically imply any exclusive arrangement with the ESPCC. The ESPCC in concert with the APSE Board is responsible for determining whether a sponsorship will be solicited and/or accepted based on an assessment of the best interests of the ESPCC and the CESP certification program. The ESPCC may refuse any sponsorship deemed at variance with the ESPCC's mission, goals, policies, and best interests.

It is important that any sponsorship arrangement involving ESPCC should:

• Be unambiguous and clearly understood by all parties;

• Avoid any real or perceived conflict of interest;

• Avoid real or implied endorsement of a commercial product;

• Avoid partnerships with inappropriate individuals and organizations;

• Receive appropriate approval (see below); and

• Be fully accountable to the ESPCC



General Principles Governing Sponsorship: • There must not be preferential treatment as a result of sponsorship, for example an

expectation that a company will get favored treatment by ESPCC over a competitor.

• Where appropriate, sponsorship should be arranged after publicly calling for expressions of interest to ensure there is no disadvantage to any individual or business.

• Individual staff should not receive any substantial benefit from association with sponsors. Any commissions, substantial gifts or other financial benefits should be brought to the attention the ESPCC.

• ESPCC must retain control over any sponsored program or event and sponsors should not have any input into operational matters relating to a project or event they have sponsored.

Who Can Be A Sponsor? • Sponsorship arrangements will only be with individuals or companies held in high regard.

• Sponsorship should be avoided with any industries or organizations that have a real or perceived conflict of interest and do not support the mission and policies of ESPCC.

• The sponsoring organization’s policies and procedures will be in concert with the mission of ESPCC and are not likely to cause embarrassment to the ESPCC.

General Guidelines for Sponsorship Acknowledgement: In order to ensure editorial integrity, ESPCC has established the following principles that apply to sponsorship arrangements with ESPCC to guide the acceptance and display of sponsorship advertising in association with its content:

1. Logos and slogans provided by sponsors do not contain comparative or qualitative descriptions.

2. Sponsor acknowledgements may contain the address, telephone number, and web site URL of the sponsor.

3. The acknowledgement of the sponsor’s products and services is value-neutral.

4. Brand or trade names may be used.

5. Product and service listing may be used.

6. All sponsorship or advertising shall comply with the laws and regulations of the United States, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

7. ESPCC and APSE shall have sole discretion for determining sponsors and the display of sponsor advertising. All sponsored programs will be as acknowledged as such.

8. Acceptance of sponsorship acknowledgments shall in no way indicate ESPCC’s endorsement of the sponsor’s products and/or services.

9. ESPCC shall review all sponsorship and advertising claims to therapeutic benefit and reject any unsubstantiated claims.

10. ESPCC will not knowingly acknowledge any forms of products or services that are harmful to health. Is this inclusive enough,



11. Sponsors shall not dictate the form or substance of any content appearing on a sponsored program for ESPCC.

12. ESPCC shall be directly responsible for communicating and ensuring compliance of its sponsorship acknowledgement policy to all of its participants.

13. The ESPCC Sponsorship Policy will be available on the www.APSE.org web site.

http://www.ancor.org/



Eligibility Requirements

Policy Number: 200

Approved By: ESPCC


Date Revised:

Purpose ESPCC has developed requirements for eligibility to ensure that the application process is fair and impartial. Each eligibility requirement has been established to ensure that individuals certified by ESPCC have an acceptable level of knowledge as demonstrated by the exam requirements and skill as demonstrated by the experience requirement needed to provide employment support services at an entry level. In establishing these requirements the ESPCC acknowledges that a combination of both work experience and demonstrated knowledge are essential for Certified Employment Support Professionals (CESP).

Rationale ESPCC is committed to providing a fair and objective certification process. All individuals who seek certification must meet the established eligibility requirements before taking the exam.

Procedures Candidates for CESP certification must meet all eligibility requirements in effect at the time of their application for certification.

Eligibility requirements will be published in the candidate handbook and will be readily available to applicants.

Applicants for certification must meet all of the following requirements before they take the exam:

1. Education Requirement High school diploma, GED or equivalent

2. Experience Requirement Each applicant must meet one of the following requirements: a. 1 year of employment support professional (ESP) work experience as defined below,

which may include up to a maximum of 3 months of internship or practicum time OR

b. 9 months of ESP work experience with training component as defined below

3. Code of Conduct Each applicant must agree to and sign the Code of Conduct



To earn the certification applicants must meet all of the eligibility requirements and pass the examination. Membership in APSE, or any other organization, is neither a requirement nor does it award any credit toward eligibility. Definitions: Work experience is defined as at least 20 hours per week of paid ESP related work. Work completed as part of an internship, practicum, or other on-the-job training may be counted up to the limits noted above. Work experience includes employment as a direct employment support professional, provision of direct employment services as an agency/company employee, and/or managerial or supervisory work in employment services. Experience in school-to-work transition environments providing employment services also qualifies as acceptable work experience. Training is defined as an internship or practicum of at least 2 months in length and/or successful completion of an intensive training course that includes at least 32 hours of ESP related course work. The content for acceptable training courses must be directly related to the CESP content outline. Acceptable training content is related to supported and customized employment as well as training relevant to providing employment and community based supports to people with disabilities. Examples of acceptable training content includes: specialized training to work with specific disability groups (i.e. autism or mental illness), training on small businesses development, American with Disabilities Act (ADA) training, benefits counseling, and strategies for job development. Training related to segregated employment services or services that are not widely considered to be best practices will not be accepted. Eligibility Review and Verification: Only completed applications for certification will be accepted. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant. ESPCC will randomly select 10% of applications each year for a verification audit. Applicants selected for audit must provide evidence that each eligibility requirement has been met. Applicants who fail to demonstrate that they meet all of the eligibility requirements will not be permitted to take the exam. In the case of individuals who have already taken the exam, failure to demonstrate compliance with all eligibility requirements may result in the revocation of the credential. Acceptable evidence includes a high school diploma or transcript, certificate of completion for training, written verification from a supervisor, etc. ESPCC will contact supervisors as needed to verify work, internship, and/or practicum experience.



Eligibility Appeals: Applicants who are notified that they do not meet the eligibility requirements may appeal this decision by sending a written notice of the appeal to the ESPCC within 30 days of receipt of the eligibility decision. The ESPCC director will forward the notice to the Certification Council for review. The Certification Council will review the applicant’s information and will make a final decision regarding eligibility. No new or additional information may be submitted with the appeal request. The eligibility appeal will be reviewed within 45 days for receipt. Written notice of the final decision will be sent to the applicant within 30 days of the review.



Code of Conduct Policy Number: 201

Approved By: ESPCC


Date Revised:

Introduction The ESPCC Code of Conduct applies to each individual credentialed by the ESPCC as a Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP); and, each individual seeking ESPCC CESP certification (candidates or applicants).

All applicants and certificants will agree to the ESPCC Code of Conduct (Code) as a condition of certification. Violation of any portion of the Code may result in disciplinary action as outlined in the Disciplinary Policy.

The Code of Conduct will be published and available to all applicants and certificants.

Purpose The Code of Conduct establishes the basic ethical standards for the professional behavior of ESPCC certificants and candidates. The Code is designed to provide both appropriate ethical practice guidelines and enforceable standards of conduct for all certificants and candidates.

Code of Conduct The ESPCC supports appropriate, professional standards designed to serve the public, employees, employers, clients and the employment support profession. First and foremost, ESPCC certificants and candidates give priority to providing employment support services in a manner that promotes integrity and reflects positively on the profession, consistent with accepted moral, ethical, and legal standards.

CESP certificants and candidates have the obligations to: maintain high standards of integrity and professional conduct; accept responsibility for their actions; continually seek to enhance their professional capabilities; practice with fairness and honesty; and, encourage others to act in a professional manner, consistent with the certification standards and responsibilities set forth below.

Section 1: Adherence to Legal Requirements

1. Adhere to all laws, regulations, policies, and ethical standards that apply to the practice of providing employment support services and related activities.



2. Refrain from public behavior that is clearly in violation of professional, ethical, and/or legal standards that apply to the practice of providing employment support services and related activities.

3. Refrain from discrimination in professional activities, including relationships with employees, employers, customers and their families, and other professionals.

Section 2: Adherence to ESPCC Policies & Requirements

4. Follow all ESPCC CESP certification program policies, procedures, requirements and rules. This includes the obligation to be aware of and understand these policies and requirements.

5. Provide accurate and complete information to ESPCC concerning certification and recertification.

6. Keep confidential all CESP examination information; including preventing unauthorized disclosures of exam information.

7. Cooperate with ESPCC regarding matters related to the Code of Conduct and complaint and/or disciplinary investigations.

8. Report violations of the Code of Conduct by CESP candidates or certificants to ESPCC.

Section 3: Professional Performance

9. Deliver competent employment support services.

10. Act honestly in the conduct of responsibilities and in all professional interactions with others.

11. Be accountable and responsible for his/her actions and behaviors.

12. Recognize the limitations of one’s professional ability (based on education, knowledge, skills, experience, etc.) and provide services only when qualified to do so.

13. Treat customers of CESP services and their employers, families and other supports with fairness and respect.

14. Maintain the confidentiality of private and sensitive information, unless there is mandate to report or other legal obligation to disclose the information.

15. Properly use professional titles, degrees and all credentials and provide accurate and truthful information regarding education, experience, qualifications, and the performance of services.

16. Disclose any conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest and avoid conduct that could cause a conflict of interest.

17. Uphold high standards of professional behavior at all times in the CESP role.



Grandfathering Policy Number: 202

Approved By: ESPCC


Date Revised: February 24, 2012

Purpose To recognize the expertise and experience of SMEs who participated in initial exam development and to prohibit future grandfathering activities.

Rationale The ESPCC does not consider the practice of grandfathering, or awarding the credential to individuals who have not passed the examination, to be desirable. However, a one-time limited exception is made for subject matter experts (SMEs) who participate in the development of the initial certification examination forms during 2011-2012. These SMEs may be awarded the credential on a limited basis without having to pass the examination because their knowledge of the examination content prohibits them from taking the exam.

Procedures SMEs who participate in the development of the initial examination forms in 2011-2012 will receive the credential providing that the following criteria are met for each SME:

• The SME has actively participated in item writing activities for the initial exam forms and has submitted a minimum of 12 acceptable and useable items

• The SME meets the eligibility requirements for the credential • Recommendation by ESPCC

Members of the ESPCC who actively participate in the development of the initial examination forms in 2011-2012 by reviewing and editing exam items, reviewing and approving examination forms, and participating in the initial cut score studies will receive the CESP credential providing that each ESPCC member also meets the eligibility requirements for the credential. In accepting the credential during the limited, one-time grandfathering period, ESPCC members and other SMEs agree that:

• The credential is awarded for a limited time only (equivalent to the normal recertification time period)

• The SME will take the examination after an established waiting period, but prior to their first recertification deadline



• The SME must pass the examination prior to their first recertification deadline in order to retain use of the credential (subject to the usual examination fees and re-test policy)

Once the first recertification cycle is complete the SME will be required to meet all usual recertification requirements.



Summary of Certification Activities Policy #: 203

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

The certification director will prepare and publish a summary of certification activities at least annually. The published information will include:

• Summary description of exam development activities

• Summary of certification activities including the number of individuals who took the exam, pass/fail rates, the number currently certified and other aggregate certification/recertification data as appropriate

The published information may also include:

• Summary of major activities related to the certification program

• Other information as directed by the ESPCC

The published report will be available to applicants and certificants.



Nondiscrimination Policy #: 204

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

APSE and ESPCC do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other status that is protected by applicable law.



Accommodations for Candidates with Disabilities Policy #: 205

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

ESPCC will provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for individuals with documented disabilities who request and demonstrate the need for accommodation. ADA regulations define a person with a disability as someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. ESPCC requires documentation to validate the type and severity of a disability to enable accommodations to be specifically matched with the identified functional limitation, in order to provide equal access to exam functions for all examinees. Special accommodations must be requested in advance using the request for accommodations form in the candidate handbook.

Requests for accommodations will be reviewed by the ESPCC certification director who will also ensure appropriate arrangements for all approved requests.



Use of Certification Mark Policy #: 206

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

After receiving notification of CESP designation, the CESP credential may be used only as long as certification remains valid and in good standing. Individuals may not use the CESP credential until they have received specific written notification that they have successfully completed all requirements, including passing the exam. Certificants must comply with all recertification requirements to maintain use of the credential. The certification mark may be used only as long as certification is valid, after which time certification may be renewed.

Certification is a non-transferable, revocable, limited, non-exclusive license to use the certification designation “CESP”, subject to compliance with the policies and procedures, as may be revised from time to time.



Recertification Requirements Policy Number: 300

Approved By: ESPCC


Date Revised:

Purpose ESPCC supports the ongoing professional development of its certificants. The mandatory recertification process provides certificants with the opportunity to demonstrate the reinforcement and expansion of their knowledge and skills and the retention of their knowledge of current practice. Recertification also provides encouragement to, and acknowledgement for, participation in ongoing professional development activities. To support this purpose, the recertification requirements require continuing education and professional activities that enhance ongoing professional development, recognize learning opportunities, and provide a process for both attaining and recording professional development achievements.

Rationale ESPCC requires periodic recertification to promote professional development for employment support professionals and to ensure that individuals who hold the credential maintain an ongoing commitment to learning in their area(s) of practice to strengthen their knowledge and skills.

Professional development is accomplished by either obtaining the required number of continuing education credits or by passing the certification examination for which the content is periodically updated. Recertification by continuing education credits ensures that the individual has participated in professional development activities that are directly related to the provision of employment support services. Since the examination is updated periodically, recertification by examination also ensures that the certificant has continued to build their knowledge and skills during the time since initial certification.

The 3-year time period established for recertification is based on both the scope of issues that face employment services professionals and the ESPCC’s belief that new practices, research, and information are introduced in the field with enough frequency that professional development activities should be conducted routinely so that certificants remain up to date with both current best practices and emerging knowledge.

Procedures Certification is valid for a 3-year period from the date of certification indicated on each individual’s certificate.



Recertification applications must be submitted at least 6 months before the certification expires. Certificants will receive a courtesy recertification reminder; however it is the responsibility of the certificant to submit a timely recertification application and retain appropriate documentation of their continuing education activities.

To maintain an active certification status certificants must:

1. Earn 36 ESP related continuing education (CE) credits during each 3-year period OR pass the exam prior to the recertification deadline.

2. Be current on all annual renewal/maintenance fee payments. 3. Re-sign the Code of Conduct and maintain ongoing adherence to its requirements. 4. Submit a complete renewal application with all required documentation by the published

deadline.

Requirements for recertification, along with recertification forms, will be published and easy accessible to applicants and certificants.

Individuals are encouraged, but not required, to spread their CE hours over the 3-year period and among a variety of relevant subject areas.

Requirements for CE Credits:

• 1 CE credit is equivalent to 1 hour of clock time (except as noted below) • Documentation which verifies the reported number of CE credits must be submitted with the

recertification application • All documentation is subject to verification by ESPCC • All CE activities must be directly related to ESP content. Acceptable activities include the

knowledge and skills defined by the content outline published by ESPCC including content related to ethics and values.

• Repeated CE activities/content may not be counted for credit within the same 3-year recertification cycle.

Activities Accepted for CE Credits:

Activity Acceptable forms of Documentation*

Maximum Allowed Credits

CE Credits

Participation in an APSE conference or other state or national conference directly related to content outline

Certificate of attendance, CE certificate

1.5 days of conference participation = 10 CE credits

Attending courses, workshops, seminars (in person or online) with content directly related to content outline

Certificate of attendance, signed letter from session provider, copy of registration form signed by session provider or certificant’s supervisor

1 hour = 1 CE credit



Academic courses College/university transcript 1 semester course = 10 CE credits

Attending in-service training Memo or letter from the certificant’s supervisor or training provider, certificate of attendance

Maximum allowed credit = 20 credits per recertification cycle

1 hour = 1 CE credit

Participation as a ESPCC item writer SME with submission of at least 10 approved exam-quality items

Verification from ESPCC 1 accepted item** = 1 CE credit

Published article regarding supported employment in a peer reviewed journal

Copy of published article 1 article = 5 CE credits

Conducting published research Copy of published research paper 1 research article = 10 CE credits

Teaching a seminar, in-service training, course or workshop on a topic directly related to the content outline

Copy of detailed course outline with date and location of event, copy of promotional materials for the event listing the certificant as a presenter

Maximum allowed credit = 10 credits per recertification cycle

1 hour of teaching = 1.5 CE credits

Unpaid service on a local, state, national, or professional board (such as the APSE Board of Directors, APSE Foundation, or ESPCC) directly related to supported employment. A minimum of 1 year of service is required to qualify for credit.

Letter or memo from the organization or the certificant’s supervisor verifying participation

1 year of service = 10 credits

Leadership activities such as serving on a state Commission, developing major policy initiatives, developing/implementing a new agency project

Letter or memo from the organization or the certificant’s supervisor verifying participation

1 year of service = 10 credits

Completion of 1 significant project = 10 credits

* Acceptable forms of documentation that will be submitted with the recertification application are listed here as examples. Other forms of documentation that provide evidence that the activity was completed may also be acceptable.

** Regardless of the number of items submitted, only the number of items accepted for use in the item bank will be counted for CE credit.

CPR , first aid, and other similar courses are often mandated by state agencies or ESP employers, however these courses are not accepted for continuing education credit.



Early Submission:

Certificants may submit a recertification application any time during the 9 months prior to their expiration date. Recertification applications must be submitted no later than 6 months prior to the expiration date.

Documentation:

As noted above the certificant is required to retain and submit documentation for each continuing education activity completed. Certificant’s should retain a copy of their records for at least 12 months after their certification has been renewed.

Recertification Acceptance:

ESPCC will issue a renewal letter to the certificant once all renewal requirements have been met.

Recertification applications will not be accepted from individual’s whose certification is in a state of suspension or that has been revoked.

All continuing education activities are subject to review and approval by ESPCC. Credit is only granted after the activity has been completed and documented. Credit is not granted for time spent and networking or social functions or for breaks.

Verification Process:

In order to maintain the credibility and integrity of the certification process ESPCC reserves the right to verify any information provided on recertification applications. Requests for verification may be made prior to recertification or at a future time.

Certificants are required to submit a completed recertification application along with proof of completion of 36 hours of CE prior to the recertification deadline. Individuals who recertify by exam must submit a completed recertification application along with proof that they passed the exam.

ESPCC will review all recertification applications for completeness. 10% of recertification applications will be randomly selected for audit and additional verification procedures each year. If any areas of non-compliance are identified during the audit (or any review of a recertification application) the individual will have 60 days to submit any required information. If the required information is not provided the individual’s certification will expire at the end of the 60 days or on the normal expiration date (whichever comes last).



Failure to Recertify:

Recertification is mandatory for all certificants. If certification is not renewed it will expire on the last day of the month 3 years after the certification was last earned. Individuals whose certification has expired or been suspended or revoked may not represent him/herself as an ESPCC certificant and may not use the credential until he/she receives official notice that the recertification requirements have been satisfied or that certification status has been reinstated.

Reinstatement:

If certification has been expired for 30 days or less, an individual may reinstate his/her certification by meeting all of the recertification requirements, submitting a complete recertification application, and paying the recertification fee. If the application is approved, the individual’s expiration date for the reinstated credential will be the same as if the certification had been renewed on time.

If certification has been expired for more than 30 days, an individual must reapply for certification, meet all eligibility requirements in effect at the time of re-application, and pass the examination.



Disciplinary Policy Policy Number: 400

Approved By: ESPCC


Date Revised:

In order to maintain and enhance the credibility of the ESPCC CESP certification program the ESPCC has adopted the following procedures to allow individuals to bring complaints concerning the conduct of individuals who are CESP candidates or certificants’ to the ESPCC.

In the event an individual candidate or certificant violates the ESPCC Code of Conduct, CESP certification rules, or ESPCC policies the ESPCC may reprimand or suspend the individual or may revoke certification.

The grounds for sanctions under these procedures may include, but are not necessarily limited to:

1. Violation of the ESPCC Code of Conduct. 2. Violation of established ESPCC policies, rules and requirements. 3. Conviction of a felony or other crime of moral turpitude under federal or state law in a matter

related to the practice of, or qualifications for, employment support services. 4. Gross negligence, willful misconduct, or other unethical conduct in the performance of services

for which the individual has achieved ESPCC CESP certification. 5. Fraud or misrepresentation in an initial application or renewal application for ESPCC

certification.

Information regarding the complaint process will be available to the public via the ESPCC web site or other published documents. A complete copy of this policy will be made available to any individual upon request.

Actions taken under this policy do not constitute enforcement of the law, although referral to appropriate federal, state, or local government agencies may be made about the conduct of the candidate or certificant in appropriate situations. Individuals initially bringing complaints are not entitled to any relief or damages by virtue of this process, although they will receive notice of the actions taken.



Complaints Complaints may be submitted by any individual or entity. Complaints should be reported to ESPCC in writing and should include the name of the person submitting the complaint, the name of the person the complaint is regarding along with other relevant identifying information, a detailed description of factual allegations supporting the charges, and any relevant supporting documentation. Information submitted during the complaint and investigation process is considered confidential and will be handled in accordance with ESPCC’s Confidentiality policy. Inquiries or submissions other than complaints may be reviewed and handled by the ESPCC or its staff members at its discretion. Upon receipt and preliminary review of a complaint involving the CESP certification program the ESPCC Certification Director in consultation with the Certification Council Chair may conclude, in their sole discretion, that the submission:

1. contains unreliable or insufficient information, or 2. is patently frivolous or inconsequential.

In such cases, the ESPCC Director and Chair may determine that the submission does not constitute a valid and actionable complaint that would justify bringing it before the ESPCC Certification Council for investigation and a determination of whether there has been a violation of substantive requirements of the certification process. If so, the submission is disposed of by notice from the Director and Chair to its submitter, if the submitter is identified. All such preliminary dispositions by the Chair are reported to the ESPCC at its next meeting.

Preliminary review will be conducted within 15 business days of receipt of the complaint.

If a submission is deemed by the Chair to be a valid and actionable complaint, the Chair shall see that written notice is provided to the candidate/certificant whose conduct has been called into question. The candidate/certificant whose conduct is at issue shall also be given the opportunity to respond to the complaint. The Chair also shall ensure that the individual submitting the complaint receives notice that the complaint is being reviewed by the ESPCC.

Complaint Review For each compliant that the Chair concludes is a valid and actionable complaint, the ESPCC authorizes an investigation into its specific facts or circumstances to whatever extent is necessary in order to clarify, expand, or corroborate the information provided by the submitter.

The Chair appoints a Review Committee of three or more individuals, who may or may not be members of the ESPCC to investigate and make an appropriate determination with respect to each such valid and actionable complaint; the Review Committee may review one or more such complaints as determined by the Chair. The Review Committee initially determines whether it is appropriate to review the complaint under these Procedures or whether the matter should be referred to another entity engaged in the administration of law. The timeline for responses and for providing any additional information shall be established by the Review Committee. The Review Committee may be



assisted in the conduct of its investigation by other members of the ESPCC or by ESPCC and/or APSE staff or legal counsel. The Chair exercises general supervision over all investigations.

Both the individual submitting the complaint and the candidate/certificant who is the subject of the investigation (or his or her employer) may be contacted for additional information with respect to the complaint. The Review Committee, or the ESPCC on its behalf, may at its discretion contact such other individuals who may have knowledge of the facts and circumstances surrounding the complaint.

All investigations and deliberations of the Review Committee and the ESPCC are conducted in confidence, with all written communications sealed and marked "Personal and Confidential," and they are conducted objectively, without any indication of prejudgment. An investigation may be directed toward any aspect of a complaint which is relevant or potentially relevant. Formal hearings are not held and the parties are not expected to be represented by counsel, although the Review Committee and ESPCC may consult their own counsel.

Members of the Review Committee shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the activities of the Committee.

Determination of Violation Upon completion of an investigation, the Review Committee recommends whether the ESPCC should make a determination that there has been a violation of ESPCC policies and rules. When the Review Committee recommends that the ESPCC find a violation, the Review Committee also recommends imposition of an appropriate sanction. If the Review Committee so recommends, a proposed determination with a proposed sanction is prepared under the supervision of the Chair and is presented by a representative of the Review Committee to the ESPCC along with the record of the Review Committee's investigation.

If the Review Committee recommends against a determination that a violation has occurred, the complaint is dismissed with notice to the candidate/certificant, the candidate/certificant's employer (if involved in the investigation), and the individual or entity who submitted the complaint; a summary report is also made to the ESPCC.

The ESPCC reviews the recommendation of the Review Committee based upon the record of the investigation. The ESPCC may accept, reject, or modify the Review Committee's recommendation, either with respect to the determination of a violation or the recommended sanction to be imposed. If the ESPCC makes a determination that a violation has occurred, this determination and the imposition of a sanction are promulgated by written notice to the candidate/certificant, and to the individual submitting the complaint, if the submitter agrees in advance and in writing to maintain in confidence whatever portion of the information is not made public by the ESPCC. All determinations by the ESPCC that violations have occurred shall be reported to the APSE Board of Directors by the Chair of the ESPCC.

In certain circumstances, the ESPCC may consider a recommendation from the Review Committee that the candidate/certificant who has violated the certification program policies or rules should be offered an opportunity to submit a written assurance that the conduct in question has been terminated and



will not recur. The decision of the Review Committee to make such a recommendation and of the ESPCC to accept it are within their respective discretionary powers. If such an offer is extended, the candidate/certificant at issue must submit the required written assurance within thirty days of receipt of the offer, and the assurance must be submitted in terms that are acceptable to the ESPCC. If the ESPCC accepts the assurance, notice is given to the candidate/certificant's employer and to the submitter of the complaint, if the submitter agrees in advance and in writing to maintain the information in confidence.

Sanctions Any of the following sanctions may be imposed by the ESPCC upon a candidate/certificant whom the ESPCC has determined to have violated the policies and rules of its certification program(s), although the sanction applied must reasonably relate to the nature and severity of the violation, focusing on reformation of the conduct of the member and deterrence of similar conduct by others:

1. written reprimand to the candidate/certificant; 2. suspension of the certificant for a designated period; or 3. suspension of the candidate’s application eligibility for a designated period; or 4. termination of the certificant's certification from the ESPCC; or 5. termination of the candidate’s application eligibility for a designated period.

For sanctions that include suspension or termination, a summary of the final determination and the sanction with the candidate/certificant's name and date is published by the ESPCC. This information will be published only after any appeal has either been considered or the appeal period has passed.

Reprimand in the form of a written notice from the Chair normally is sent to a candidate/certificant who has received his or her first substantiated complaint. Suspension normally is imposed on a candidate/certificant who has received two substantiated complaints. Termination normally is imposed on a candidate/certificant who has received two substantiated complaints within a two year period, or three or more substantiated complaints. The ESPCC may at its discretion, however, impose any of the sanctions, if warranted, in specific cases.

Certificants who have been terminated shall have their certification revoked and may not be considered for ESPCC certification in the future. If certification is revoked, any and all certificates or other materials requested by the ESPCC must be returned promptly to the ESPCC.

Appeal Within thirty (30) days from receipt of notice of a determination by the ESPCC that a candidate/ certificant violated the certification program policies and/or rules, the affected candidate/certificant may submit to the ESPCC in writing a request for an appeal.

Upon receipt of a request for appeal, the Chair of the ESPCC establishes an appellate body consisting of at least three, but not more than five, individuals. This Appeal Committee may review one or more appeals, upon request of the Chair. No current members of the Review Committee or the ESPCC may serve on the Appeal Committee; further, no one with any personal involvement or conflict of interest



may serve on the Appeal Committee. Members of the Appeal Committee may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the activities of the Committee.

The Appeal Committee may only review whether the determination by the ESPCC of a violation of the certification program policies and/or rules was inappropriate because of:

1. material errors of fact, or 2. failure of the Review Committee or the ESPCC to conform to published criteria, policies, or

procedures.

Only facts and conditions up to and including the time of the ESPCC’s determination as represented by facts known to the ESPCC are considered during an appeal. The appeal shall not include a hearing or any similar trial-type proceeding. Legal counsel is not expected to participate in the appeal process, unless requested by the appellant and approved by the ESPCC and the Appeal Committee. The ESPCC and Appeal Committee may consult legal counsel.

The Appeal Committee conducts and completes the appeal within ninety days after receipt of the request for an appeal. Written appellate submissions and any reply submissions may be made by authorized representatives of the member and of the ESPCC. Submissions are made according to whatever schedule is reasonably established by the Appeal Committee. The decision of the Appeal Committee either affirms or overrules the determination of the ESPCC, but does not address a sanction imposed by the ESPCC. The decision of the Appeal Committee, including a statement of the reasons for the decision, is reported to the ESPCC and the APSE Board of Directors.

The Appeal Committee decision is binding upon the ESPCC, the candidate/certificant who is subject to the termination, and all other persons.

Resignation If a certificant who is the subject of a complaint voluntarily surrenders his or her ESPCC certification at any time during the pendency of a complaint under these Procedures, the complaint is dismissed without any further action by the Review Committee, the ESPCC, or an Appeal Committee established after an appeal. The entire record is sealed and the individual may not reapply for certification by the ESPCC. However, the ESPCC may authorize the Chair to communicate the fact and date of resignation, and the fact and general nature of the complaint which was pending at the time of the resignation, to or at the request of a government entity engaged in the administration of law. Similarly, in the event of such resignation, the certificant's employer and the person or entity who submitted the complaint are notified of the fact and date of resignation and that ESPCC has dismissed the complaint as a result.



Examination Development & Ongoing Maintenance Policy #: 500

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

The ESPCC participates in and provides oversight for the development and ongoing maintenance of the CESP examination. The ESPCC and certification director work in partnership with a qualified psychometric consultant to ensure the examination is developed and maintained in a manner consistent with generally accepted psychometric, education testing practices, and national accreditation standards for certification programs.

Subject Matter Experts The ESPCC and certification director select diverse groups of qualified subject matter experts (SMEs) to participate in exam development activities throughout the exam development process.

SMEs are selected based on their demonstrated expertise, experience level, geographic representation, and specialty area.

Each working group of SMEs, to the extent reasonably possible, will be representative of the CESP certified population and when selected for a specific task will represent:

• A range of experience employment support services

• A range of practice areas, job settings, and populations served

• A range of geographical areas

• Cultural, ethnic diversity, and gender diversity

SMEs will be appointed on an ad-hoc basis to working groups and committees. Appointments will be made by the ESPCC Chair and/or the certification director. Members of the ESPCC, with the exception of the public member, may serve as SMEs. The public member is encouraged to participate in all examination development activities as an observer.

As noted below, SMEs will participate throughout the test development process. Some overlap among groups of SMEs is acceptable; however, the same SMEs will not be used in multiple committees. In some cases, such as item writing and item review, overlap is not acceptable (in other words the same SME cannot both write and review/approve an item).

Role Delineation Studies Role Delineation Studies (RDS) will be conducted to identify and validate the knowledge and skills which will be measured by the examination. The results of the RDS will serve as the basis for the exam.



The ESPCC has determined that a job analysis study will be conducted every 5 years. This determination is based on the frequency of substantive changes in the field and compliance with standards for professional certification programs.

Examination Specifications The content for the exam will be determined based on the recommended content outline and content area weights developed from the RDS. The final content outline and corresponding content weights will be approved by the ESPCC.

Item Writing and Review The development of all multiple-choice items for the exam will be directly linked to the approved content outline.

SMEs trained by the certification director and/or psychometric consultant will write and review items for the exam. SME item writers and reviewers will complete mandatory training provided by the certification director and/or psychometric consultant on item writing/review for certification examinations. All SMEs will submit a signed confidentiality form prior to participating in any item writing/review activities.

Once items have been written by trained SMEs, they will be reviewed by at least one SME who did not write the item and the psychometric testing consultant. Once an item has satisfactorily completed this initial review it will be added to the item bank. Items are reviewed again when they are included on a test form (see Test Assembly below).

Item Bank An item bank will be maintained which includes all items developed for the CESP examination.

Data for each item stored in the item bank will include: current status (e.g. draft, active, retired), correct answer key, content outline linkage, reference, and performance statistics.

The certification director will oversee maintenance of the item bank.

Examination Assembly & Approval A draft examination based on the previous form (or the new test specifications if a RDS was recently completed) will be reviewed by the ESPCC. The draft will meet the requirements of the test specifications with respect to content and weighting.

Trained SMEs will review the test item database question-by-question and, for each item will make one of the following determinations; select the item as is, select with revisions, or place the item on hold (but retain it in the database). The psychometric consultant and certification director will then edit the finalized examination and present it to the Council for final approval.



Establishing a Passing Point The passing point for the exam will be established using a criterion-reference technique. Qualified and trained SMEs will participate in determining the passing point working with the psychometric consultant.

The process used to determine the passing point will be documented as part of a technical report.

The final passing point resulting from this process will be approved by the ESPCC (the ESPCC may serve as the panel of SMEs in this case). Any modifications to the recommended passing point will be documented in the final passing point study report along with the rationale for those changes.

Test Analysis / Technical Reports Performance statistics will be calculated and retained for each examination. A statistical analysis will be performed by the psychometric consultant following each administration of the exam. The statistical analysis will be reviewed prior to release of the final exam scores to candidates. As needed, items may be removed from scoring or other adjustments made, as approved by the SME ad hoc committee appointed to review the report.

At least annually a test analysis or technical report will be produced by the psychometric consultant and reviewed by the ESPCC to evaluate the reliability and effectiveness of the examination and to determine any areas that must be reviewed or revised.

At a minimum the technical reports will include a summary of the exam administration, the number of exam takers, the passing point and number of exam items, measures of average performance, measures of performance variability, reliability indices, pass-fail percentages, and recommendations from the psychometric consultant.



Examination Administration Policy #: 501

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

The CESP examination is a multiple-choice examination delivered via paper-and-pencil administration. The exam is offered annually at the APSE conference and at other sites across the US as scheduled/hosted by state or regional organizations. Examination application forms, fees, deadlines, and other instructions are published in the candidate handbook and on the web site.

Re-Examination Candidates who fail the exam may re-test at any future exam site. A new application and examination fee must be submitted for each exam attempt.

Exam Appeals & Hand Scoring Candidates who fail the exam and believe irregular testing conditions were a contributing factor may file an appeal to the ESPCC. All appeal requests must be made in writing and postmarked or emailed no later than 7 days after the receipt of the exam score report. All appeals must describe the suspected error or problem and the requested remedy. The results of the hand-score or other appeal will be final. Appeals should be submitted to ESPCC Director, Pat Keul, at [email protected].

Candidates who fail the exam and believe there has been a scoring error may request a hand-scoring of their answer sheet. An administrative fee will be charged to cover the costs of hand-scoring.

Proctors All examination administrations will be monitored by a minimum of two qualified proctors. Additional proctors will be added as needed based on the number of test takers.

Proctors at each test site will:

• manage candidate sign-in and verify candidate identity

• administer pre-approved ADA accommodations as directed by ESPCC

• maintain control of all examination materials until they are returned to ESPCC

• distribute and collect exam materials

• read scripted instructions to candidates

• manage room set up

• address any candidate or other site problems as needed

mailto:[email protected]



• report any exam related incidents or security concerns directly and promptly to ESPCC

Site selection All examination sites meet the following criteria:

• Examination rooms will be quiet and free of disruption

• Rooms will have adequate and comfortable ventilation, lighting and temperature

• All exam administrations will be monitored by approved proctors as noted above

• Adequate seating space will be provided to reduce distractions and so that test takers cannot see each other’s work

• Entrances/exits will be monitored/controlled and working fire exits will be available

• A clock will be visible for all test takers

• The test site will be accessible in compliance with the ADA

• Candidates will have access to water and restroom facilities

ESPCC reserves the right to visit examination sites at any time to monitor compliance with security policies and procedures.

Examination Admission Candidates are required to present a valid, government issued, photo identification to gain admission to the examination site.

Score Reporting Exams will be scored following each exam administration. Score reports will be issued via US mail directly to candidates. Score reports will include a “pass” or “fail” result and failing candidates will receive information on their performance in each content domain area.



Security Policy #: 600

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

Confidential Documents Confidential information is defined in the confidentiality policy. All confidential information will be retained in a secure manner as required by this policy.

Certification exams, role delineation studies, cut score reports, item banks, answer keys, and all other exam development documents are confidential and the sole property of the certification program.

Access Access to confidential/secure materials (both printed and electronic) will be limited to only those staff, Council members, and subject matter experts who need to view the information. These individuals will sign a confidentiality agreement before being granted access to any confidential information.

Any outside companies, vendors, consultants or contractors given access to confidential information will be required to maintain strict security of all confidential materials.

APSE employees who are involved in developing educational courses are not granted access to exam items, exam forms, or any other confidential exam documentation.

Physical Security When shipping is required, confidential materials are shipped using a traceable shipping method and delivery is confirmed. Tamper evident packaging will be used.

Confidential materials will be stored in locked file cabinets at all times. Office areas containing confidential files will be secured when not occupied by authorized personnel.

Electronic Security Routine backups will be performed at least weekly for all electronic data and backup data will be stored in a separate off-site location.

If confidential documents are transmitted via email, or other electronic means, the electronic files will be encrypted and secured with a password before being sent. Confidential materials stored on CD-ROM or similar media will be encrypted and password protected.



Confidential materials stored on APSE servers and hard drives will have limited, password protected access for authorized certification program personnel only. Personal computers/laptops will be password protected.

Exam Administration The certification director will ensure that the examination is administered at secure and standardized test sites to ensure a fair and consistent testing experience for all candidates.

Exam sites will all conform to the following requirements:

• Sites are monitored by at least two qualified proctors at all times

• Only authorized exam candidates and proctors are permitted in the exam area.

• Candidates must exit the exam room after they are finished taking the exam and will not be allowed to re-enter until the examination session is over.

• There will be no scheduled breaks during the exam.

• Only one test taker at a time may leave the room for bathroom breaks. A proctor will escort all candidates while they are out of the exam room.

• Cell phones and all other electronic devices must be turned off.

• All of your personal items must be stored under seats or in a separate area of the testing room at the proctors direction.

• No “scratch” paper, notes, or other personal aides are allowed. Candidate may use the test booklet as scratch paper as needed.

• All exam materials are ESPCC property. All candidates must return the exam booklet and answer sheet to the proctor. If the exam booklet or any of its pages are not returned, the candidate’s score will not be reported.

Examination time limits will be developed by the ESPCC in consultation with the testing/psychometric consultant. Time limits will allow sufficient time for completing the exam without providing unnecessary additional time that could facilitate security breaches by test takers.

Security Violations The continued security of the CESP exam is an essential component of all phases of the exam development, maintenance, and administration process. Any possible/suspected security violations will be reported promptly to the certification director for investigation and/or correction as needed.

Irregularities observed during the testing period, including but not limited to creating a disturbance, giving or receiving unauthorized information or aid to or from other persons, or attempting to remove test materials or notes from the testing room, may be sufficient cause to terminate candidate participation in the examination administration or to invalidate scores. Irregularities may also be evidenced by subsequent statistical analysis of testing materials.



Records Retention Policy #: 601

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

All documents created or received by the certification program will be retained according to the following schedule. The use of the term “documents” in this policy includes all printed copy and electronic materials. Documents received in hard copy may be converted to electronic format for storage. All confidential materials will be retained in compliance with the security policy.

Documents Retained Indefinitely • Examinations (at least one copy of each examination form) • Examination development documentation including, but not limited to, role delineation surveys

and reports, test specifications (content outline), records of item writing activities, cut-score studies, and technical reports.

• Examination results (scores) • Examination items (item bank) • Active applicant/candidate data. Original hard copy applications will not be maintained once

the information is entered into the database or stored electronically. • Files of active certificants • Active contracts • Audit reports and financial statements • Meeting minutes of all Council and committee meetings • Legal correspondence and documents

Documents Retained for 7 Years • Inactive certificant files/ (retained for 7 years after file becomes inactive; current files are

retained indefinitely) • Expense reports • Accounting/bookkeeping records (except as noted above) • Expired/terminated contracts

Documents Retained for 3 Years • Inactive personnel files • Inactive candidate files • General correspondence



Verification of Credentials Policy #: 602

Approved By: ESPCC


Revision Date(s):

The names of CESP certified individuals and their certification status are not considered confidential and may be published by the ESPCC and/or APSE.

The certification director maintains a database of all active applicants and certificants.

ESPCC may publish a list of individuals who have earned the CESP credential.

Certification status for any individual may be verified by contacting the certification director. An individual’s name and current certification status will be verified upon request. Application status, information about whether or not an individual has taken the exam, and score information will not be released.



APPENDIX A: Confidentiality/Conflict of Interest Form

NACI Certification Council Commitment to Serve

I, , recognizing the important responsibility I am undertaking in serving as a member of the APSE NACI Certification Council, hereby personally pledge to carry out in a trustworthy and diligent manner all the duties and obligations inherent in my role as a Council Member.

I understand that I am accepting a _____-year commitment to serve on the NACI Certification Council which involves at a minimum, my active participation in Council meetings, examination development activities, and Council communications.

MY ROLE

I acknowledge that I will (1) contribute to the Council’s role in establishing and implementing policies and procedures for the ESP certification program and to oversee the development of the ESP examination; (2) carry out the functions assigned to me; and (3) contribute to the development and oversight of the certification program within the NACI policies and procedures.

QUALIFICATIONS

I acknowledge that as a NACI Council member I must continue to meet qualifications are defined in the NACI policies and procedures. I acknowledge that I:

1. Am not an employee of APSE and am not serving on the APSE Board of Directors or APSE Foundation Board of Directors (except for the APSE Board liaison and APSE Foundation liaison non-voting representatives).

2. Am not directly involved in the development or delivery of any educational program designed or intended to prepare individuals to take the ESP certification examination.

MY COMMITMENT

I will exercise the duties and responsibilities of this appointment with integrity, collegiality, and due care.

I Pledge:

1. To establish as a high priority my attendance at all meetings of the Council and any committees or work groups on which I serve.

2. To come prepared to contribute to the discussions of issues and business to be addressed at scheduled meetings, having read the agenda and all background support materials relevant to the meeting.

3. To complete all assignments within established time frames.



4. To notify the Council Chair promptly of any circumstance that would cause me to be ineligible to continue as a Council member.

5. To always act for the good of the NACI certification program.

6. To represent NACI and APSE in a positive and supportive manner at all times and in all places.

7. To abide by the Bylaws, policies and procedures of APSE and NACI.

8. To avoid conflicts of interest between my position as a Council Member and my personal and professional life in compliance with the NACI Conflicts of Interest Policy (policy #107). This includes using my position for the advantage of myself, my friends, family and/or business associates. If such a conflict does arise, I will declare that conflict before the Council and NACI Director and refrain from voting on matters in which I have a conflict.

9. To keep all confidential information confidential in compliance with the NACI Confidentiality policy (policy #106). This agreement of confidentiality shall include my pledge to:

a. Not disclose confidential information related to or verbally discussed during Council meetings or other verbal or written information identified as confidential. AND

b. Not disclose any written or oral information that has been identified as confidential.

c. Not disclose any examination content, including but not limited to examination items.

I further understand and agree that my signature constitutes binding acceptance of these pledges and conditions.

Exceptions to this agreement can only be granted upon prior approval by the NACI Certification Council.

If for any reason I find myself unable to meet these commitments and agreements, carry out the above duties or become ineligible to continue to serve, I agree to promptly resign.

I further understand that review within NACI will be the final determination of any matter arising between me and NACI/APSE. I agree that any disagreements will be settled by arbitration.

Name (please print)

Signature

Date

8/3/2011