NCRA’s Exam Retention Policy deadline of Dec. 15, 2021, is only two months away, so take advantage of these last two opportunities to complete your certifications. Registration is open now through Sept. 30 for the Written Knowledge Tests to test Oct. 7-21. Registration for the Online Skills Tests will be open Oct. 1-20 to test during the Nov. 1-20 testing period.
These are the last two chances to test before the Exam Retention Policy deadline. If you were working on an NCRA certification and do not pass the remaining section(s) of your certification before the Dec. 15 deadline, any mandatory education requirements or certification tests passed prior to Oct. 1, 2018, will expire.
Why the change?
The Council of the Academy of Professional Reporters (CAPR), which is responsible for the development and administration of continuing education programs and credential examinations, reviewed the pre-existing policy, which allowed Skills Tests (SKT) and Written Knowledge Tests (WKT) scores to remain valid indefinitely. Members of the Council made the recommendation to place a three-year requirement on completing the components needed to earn a certification. Benefits of the Exam Retention Policy are that candidates are highly likely to maintain their skills while completing all requirements and that candidates will be more likely to pass all requirements for reporter certifications because their skills (speed and/or accuracy levels) will be at their highest.
How it works
Under the Exam Retention Policy, candidates for certification who have taken any mandatory certification education requirements or passed any SKTs or WKTs prior to Oct. 1, 2018, have until Dec. 15, 2021, to pass the remainder of the requirements for the certification for which those requirements apply.
Candidates who complete or pass certification requirements after October 1, 2018, have three years from the date of earning/passing the requirement(s) to apply such toward earning a certification.
Passing test scores will expire after three years if a candidate fails to complete the additional requirements to earn that certification. If an education component/test score expires, the candidate will need to repeat the education component or successfully retest before being able to earn the certification.
This policy applies to:
· Certifications with an Education Eligibility requirement
Certification Seminars and/or Workshops: Attendees who have completed the CLVS Seminar, CRC Workshop, or other educational module as a mandatory component of a certification process have three years from the date of completion to successfully complete the other requirements to earn that certification. Should three years lapse from the date of completing the education component without successfully passing the other requirements, the education will expire, and the candidate will be required to retake the education component in order to earn the certification.
· Certifications with only Written Knowledge Tests and Skills Tests requirements
Written Knowledge Tests (WKTs) and Skills Tests (SKTs): Once candidates have successfully completed a WKT or SKT with a passing score, they have three years from the date of the exam to successfully complete the other requirements to earn that certification. Should three years lapse without successfully passing the other requirements, the test score will expire, and the candidate must retake the test prior to earning the certification.
Will my record still reflect expired test history/education?
Completed/passed requirements of a candidate who has not completed a certification within three years of completing the first earned requirement will remain reflected in the candidate’s record; however, the requirement will no longer be valid toward earning the credential if it is more than three years since it was acquired. It will show as “expired” on the candidate’s transcript.
- View NCRA’s Exam Retention Policy page and read the Frequently Asked Questions
- Visit NCRA’s Certification Test Center
- Register for a Written Knowledge Test
- Register for an Online Skills Test
If you have any questions about the certification process, please email testing@ncra.org
