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Credentialing Notes
July 2006
Welcome to the July issue of Credentialing Notes, please take a few minutes to visit our new Blog - Credentialing Talk. Credentialing Talk is a place for certification and licensure professionals to discuss trends, pose questions, seek advice, and share experiences from organizations that vary in size, scope, and industry. The information gathered from the Credentialing Talk blog will be used by SeaCrest to develop resources for the industry such as articles, white papers, surveys, and case studies. We are excited about the opportunity to start new conversations and are developing a list of future blog topics. We welcome your ideas, comments and suggestions and encourage you to submit requests for future topics here.
This month our blog features information on how certifying agencies can apply for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) approval of their exams so that veterans can receive reimbursement for exam fees. Whether you are familiar with the VA's program or not, please submit your comments and contributions to a new resource on this process.
Another announcement for July is that Cynthia Allen, former NOCA Communications Manager, has joined SeaCrest. She brings her combination of marketing/PR experience and knowledge of certification and accreditation to SeaCrest's clients.
Finally, please note that the NCCA's next deadline for accreditation applications is September 30th. Click here to learn how SeaCrest can help you by reviewing or preparing your application.
Best regards,
Janice Moore
SeaCrest Company
In the News
Construction Boom Magnifies Scarcity of Crane Operators
(Star Bulletin) A law went into effect beginning in October 2003, requiring crane operators to be certified or fined up to $70,000.
Crane Certification Debated After Accidents
Colorado Springs Gazette) Two crane accidents within five weeks on the COSMIX Interstate 25 project - one of them fatal - underscore the need for crane-operator testing, training and licensing in Colorado, industry experts say.
Fitness Business Pro) Club owners today are faced with more than 300 certifications for personal trainers and instructors. However, five certifying agencies have banded together to create a standardized accreditation process for certifying agencies in an effort to help club owners, to ensure the credibility of nationally recognized certification tests and to increase the credibility of the industry.
State Bar Association Develops Paralegal Certification Program
Columbus Business First) The Ohio State Bar Association has developed a certification program for paralegals to help lawyers and firms identify qualified assistants.
Beijing Group Awarded Rights to Administer CFP Certification in Chin
(Investment Executive, Canada) Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. (FPSB) recently announced that it has entered into a licensing and affiliation agreement with the Financial Planning Standards Council of China (FPSCC) to become the exclusive administrator of the CFP certification program in the People's Republic of China (PRC).
IAPP Unveils Certification for Canadian Privacy Professionals
(Market Wire) Leading Canadian Privacy Executives Contribute to Development and Launch of the IAPP's First International Privacy Credential.
Experience vs Certification: The Winner?
(ZDNetAustralia) With IT outsourcing and offshoring on the rise, technology professionals in Australia have been forced to upgrade their skills and turn to industry certification to stay ahead. But are they on the right path?
Microsoft Unveils New Certification Programs
(BetaNews) Microsoft's new certification program, Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA), which has been in beta testing for over a year, went live Tuesday. MCA is a system of certification based on seven competencies as displayed to a four-member peer review board.
ACSM Certification Earns NCCA Accreditation
(ACSM) The Certified Personal TrainerSM credential of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has earned accreditation by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).
Caveon Test Security Releases Results of 2006 State Education Test Security Survey
(Caveon) Across the country, State Assessment Directors are spending 80% more time dealing with test security issues than they were in 2001.
(PRNewswire) Thomson Prometric today announced an agreement with the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), Lenovo, and Sunny Tech to provide standardized IT training and certification in China.
LaserGrade Wins Contract with Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution, Inc.
(Infection Control Today) LaserGrade announces that it has signed a new contract with the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution, Inc. (CBSPD) to administer its five levels of professional certification examinations.
Legislative Activity
Visit http://thomas.loc.gov for the full text of the bills listed below.
WING Act (S. 833) To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to authorize the Secretary of Labor to provide for 5-year pilot projects to establish a system of industry-validated national certifications of skills in high-technology industries and a cross-disciplinary national certification of skills in homeland security technology.
Veterans Certification and Licensure Act of 2006 (H.R. 5220) To establish the Veterans Advisory Committee on Certification, Credentialing, and Licensure within the Department of Labor.
H.R. 463 To amend title 10, United States Code, to permit the use of education benefits under the Reserve Montgomery GI Bill for licensing or certification tests.
H.R. 784 To clarify that service marks, collective marks, and certification marks are entitled to the same protections, rights, and privileges of trademarks.
Consumer Assurance of Radiologic Excellence Act of 2006 (S. 2322) To amend the Public Health Service Act to make the provision of technical services for medical imaging examinations and radiation therapy treatments safer, more accurate, and less costly.
Diabetes Self Management Training Act of 2005 (S. 626 & H.R. 3612) To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to improve access to diabetes self management training by designating certified diabetes educators who are recognized by a nationally recognized certifying body and who meet the same quality standards set forth for other providers of diabetes self management training, as certified providers for purposes of outpatient diabetes self-management training services under part B of the medicare program.
National Board-Certified Teachers in Low-Performing Schools Act of 2005 (H.R. 3155) To establish a pilot program to encourage certification of teachers in low-income, low-performing public elementary and secondary schools by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and for other purposes.
Incentives to Educate American Children (I Teach) Act of 2005 (S. 1533) To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax incentive to individuals teaching in elementary and secondary schools located in rural or high unemployment areas and to individuals who achieve certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and for other purposes.
Technology Retraining and Investment Now Act for the 21st Century (H.R. 4325) To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a credit against income for certain education and training expenses, and for other purposes.
Blog Watch
Join the Rest of Us in the 21st Century
We live in a dynamic, technologically evolving world and it is time for change.
Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation's (CLEAR) online newsletter.
More Bad News for National Board
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) can't catch a break.
Events
July 26 - NCCA Strategies for Success
August 3 - Document Management for Discipline
August 15-18 - NCSL 2006: Strong States - Strong Nations
August 19-22 - 2006 ASAE Annual Meeting: Connecting Great Ideas & Great People
August 22-25 - International Congress for Personnel Certification
September 13-14 - Personnel Certification Accreditation Workshop: Understanding the Requirements of ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024
September 14-16 - CLEAR 2006: Expect the Unexpected: Are We Clearly Prepared?
September 20 - Washington DC Certification Networking Group
September 27 - Ways to Enhance Your Testing Program
September 27-29 - Performance Testing Council Summit
October 6-7 - American Board of Nursing Specialties Assembly Meeting
October 17-20 - Citizen Advocacy Center 2006 Annual Meeting
November 15-18 - NOCA 2006: Emerging Concepts in Credentialing
December 6 - Washington DC Certification Networking Group
February 5-7, 2007 - Innovations in Testing (ATP Conference)
April 9-13, 2007 - AERA Annual Convention and Exhibition: The World of Educational Quality
Links
The Fine Print
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