COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

P.O. BOX 2120

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23218-2120

SUPTS. MEMO NO. 100

June 6, 2003

INFORMATIONAL

TO:	Division Superintendents
FROM:	Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction
SUBJECT:	Occupational Competency Assessments for Career and Technical Education Approved for Student-Selected Verified Credit

At its meeting on May 28, 2003, the Board of Education approved selected occupational competency assessments from the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) for use in awarding student-selected verified credit in approved career and technical education courses or course sequences.

The National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) is a leading provider of occupational competency assessments and services. Twenty-seven specific occupational competency assessments from the NOCTI job ready category of assessments have been initially identified for optional credentialing in career and technical education program areas where additional options are needed for student-selected verified credit, or where no options previously existed. These optional assessments are in addition to various industry certifications or licensures previously approved for student-selected verified credit and/or diploma seals.

In the use of NOCTI occupational competency assessments, the Board of Education has established the national norm for specific NOCTI occupational competency assessments as a passing score (cut score). The Department of Education recommends use of the written (knowledge-based) portion of the selected NOCTI job ready occupational competency assessments for student-selected verified credit.

NOCTI assessments are comparatively inexpensive at $17.50 per test for the written portion of an assessment. Online testing is available for many of the job ready NOCTI assessments allowing site-based administration. Tests must be given in a proctored environment by individual schools when used for student-selected verified credit.

The list of board-approved occupational competency assessments can be accessed and downloaded at the following Department of Education website: http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/CTE/memos/seals/nocti052803.pdf.

Sixty-nine additional industry certifications were recommended to the Board of Education on first review and will be presented at the June 25 board meeting for final review and approval.

Questions concerning these certifications should be addressed to Mr. Robert Almond (ralmond@pen.k12.va.us), director of the office of career and technical education, at 804/225-2847, or Mr. Gordon Creasy (gcreasy@pen.k12.va.us), specialist for industry certification and licensure, at 804/225-2057.

JLD/sgj