Don’t wait until it’s too late. NCRA’s Certification & Testing Department urges all members and nonmembers to check on the history of their certification tests/education components if they have not yet completed all the requirements. On Nov. 1, 2021, all pre-existing passed test histories earned prior to Oct. 1, 2018, will expire. Don’t lose the investment you’ve already made in your professional career.
The exam retention policy applies to certifications that require Written Knowledge Tests and Skills Tests. The policy also applies to the mandatory CLVS Education Workshop, CRC Workshop, or other mandatory education components required.
“NCRA first announced this new Exam Retention Policy, recommended by the Council of the Academy of Professional Reporters (CAPR), in May 2018, noting that it would become effective in October 2018,” said NCRA Senior Director of Education and Certification Cynthia Bruce Andrews.
“The Exam Retention Policy, which went into effect starting Oct. 1, 2018, means that, moving forward, any person with an existing history of passed educational components or passed tests will have three years to complete the remaining components and earn their certifications. That means that all pre-existing passed test histories (any earned prior to Oct. 1, 2018) will have an expiration date of Nov. 1, 2021,” she added. Andrews said the change in policy reflects NCRA’s high value on the standards it sets for its nationally recognized certifications and ensures that the Association’s policies reflect professional certification best practices.
“CAPR, which is responsible for the development and administration of continuing education programs and credential examinations, reviewed the current policy, which allowed Skills Tests (SKT) and Written Knowledge Tests (WKT) scores to remain valid indefinitely. 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,” she added.
NCRA’s Exam Retention Policy does not limit or restrict the number of times a member can test. To find out the status of your passed certification test/education history, log into NCRA’s website using your member I.D. and password. Once you’ve successfully logged in, click “My Profile” followed by “My Education” and select “My Passed Certification Test History” to view all passed test/education that is current and applicable toward a certification.
To learn more, visit NCRA.org/exam-retention, or send questions to testing@NCRA.org.
Written Knowledge Tests:
If you have WKT tests (RPR, RDR, CRC, CLVS) to complete to finish the requirements needed for a certification, the following dates reflect when you can register and when you can test between now and Nov. 1, 2021:
Dec. 1-31, 2020
Registration for testing Jan. 7-21, 2021
March 1-31, 2021
Registration for testing April 8-22, 2021
June 1-30, 2021
Registration for testing July 8-22, 2021
Sept. 1-30, 2021
Registration for testing Oct. 7-21, 2021
Skills Tests:
If you need to complete the Skills Test (RSR, RPR, RMR, CRR, and CRC), you can schedule legs several times throughout 2021:
Feb. 1-20, 2021
Registration for testing March 1-20, 2021
April 1-20, 2021
Registration for testing May 1-20, 2021
June 1-20, 2021
Registration for testing July 1-20, 2021
August 1-20, 2021
Registration for testing Sept. 1-20, 2021
