Certification News
CCLS Connection
Get the lastest certification news and updates in the newest edition of CCLS Connection 
, featuring:
- Updated Exam Content Outline for 2010
- Hot Topic: The “Whys” of PDHs
- 2008 Exam Results
- Future Exam Dates and Locations
- Practice Analysis Task Force Members
Certification Announcements
Computer-Based Testing Introduced
In response to feedback from certification candidates, CLC is pleased to announce that the November 2010 administration of the Child Life Professional Certification Exam will be offered via computer-based test administration (CBT) through Schroeder Measurement Technologies (SMT), CLC’s test administration agency. The exam will be administered only through CBT for the November administration.
CBT examinations will be delivered through SMT’s corporate affiliate, IQT, to provide globally-dispersed examinees with a secure, high-quality, accessible, and user-friendly testing experience. IQT staffs commercial testing centers with personnel specifically trained to administer examinations. IQT has direct control over the staff and sites and will make testing appointments for examinees on a five- or six-day a week basis during a 2-week testing period specified by CLC.
CBT continues to grow in popularity and is quickly becoming a standard means of administering multiple-choice assessments. Currently many candidates are faced with significant costs to take the exam. These can include travel, lodging, subsistence, and time lost from work. By increasing the number of test sites available we will substantially reduce the number of examinees who will need to travel to other geographic locations.
IQT maintains a network of more than 300 testing centers worldwide. IQT testing sites can be reached in less than two hours driving time by approximately 85% of the US population. At this time, IQT’s network of test sites includes 276 in the United States, 18 in Canada, and 21 in other countries. Please click on the following link for the locations of IQT’s testing centers:
http://www.isoqualitytesting.com/locations.aspx
SMT will ensure that all testing vendors are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and will provide special testing accommodations as approved by CLC.
The exam will be administered from November 6, 2010 through November 19, 2010. Eligible candidates may schedule appointments based on the operating schedule of their selected testing center.
Neither the eligibility requirements nor the application process have changed. Please see the Candidate Manual for eligibility details.
Applications for the fall exam are due by August 31, 2010 for anyone educated within the US or Canada, and by June 30, 2010 for those educated outside the US and Canada. The online exam application is temporarily unavailable but is expected to be available shortly. In the interim hardcopy applications will be accepted.
To help offset the significant additional administrative costs for CBT, eligible candidates will pay a CBT fee of $75 in addition to the current examination fees for the CBT administrations only. Examination Fees for CBT administrations are as follows:
Initial Examination
CLC Members $325
Non-Members $475
Subsequent Examinations (if required)
CLC Members $250
Non-Members $400
After establishing eligibility, candidates will have access to a simple, online registration system whereby they can schedule appointments instantly. They will have a choice of test centers starting with that which is closest to their address, and will be provided with a map and driving directions.
An IQT staff member will be on call at all times to address concerns regarding all aspects of exam registration and administration. There will be two toll-free phone numbers for candidates. The first will be available during business hours with virtually no wait time; the emergency number can be called during non-business hours.
An online tutorial will be available to candidates before the exam to allow them to become familiar with the navigation of IQT’s system. Moving through the exam is very intuitive and allows candidates to skip, bookmark, and return to exam items. Candidates can also navigate to specific items, review the status of test items, as well as mark questions to which they would like to return for further review.
Candidates who take the November CBT exam will enjoy the benefit of instant scoring. At the end of their exam they will be given preliminary results before leaving the testing center. The results will then be verified by CLC and the candidates’ finalized scores will be mailed to them.
At this time we expect that the spring exam administration will continue to be offered in one location only at the site of the CLC Annual Conference on Professional Issues, and will continue to be a paper-and-pencil administration. Exam fees for paper-and-pencil administrations have not changed.
Submitting Application to Recertify through PDHs after June 30 Deadline
The deadline to apply to recertify through professional development hours is June 30 of the final year of the five-year certification cycle. Late applications will be accepted through October 31, with a $50 U.S. late fee added after June 30.
- Because they will not be part of the pool of those potentially audited, individuals applying after June 30 are required to submit their supporting documentation along with their application.
- Applications submitted between July 1 and October 31 must be mailed to the CLC office with all supporting documentation. Online applications will not be accepted after June 30.
- Applicants who apply after the June 30 deadline and whose applications are not approved may not be permitted the opportunity to recertify by taking the November certification exam. In situations such as this, the CCLS’s certification will expire on January 1 of the following year. To obtain the credential again, the individual will be required to re-establish eligibility under the current requirements, take and pass the exam.
Recertification Through Professional Development Hours Form
Application for Recertification by PDH
Certification Maintenance Fees Due January 31, 2010
All Certified Child Life Specialists are required to pay certification maintenance fees in order to keep their certification status active. Current CCLSs who are in the first four years of their certification cycle should have received a reminder notice via email. If you have additional questions or are unsure if a payment is due, please review the Maintaining Certification page, which also includes a helpful list of Frequently Asked Questions on Certification Maintenance Fees.
2005 Child Life Professional Certification Survey Results
The results of the 2005 Child Life Professional Certification Survey are available in PDF format. Please note, as a result of the file conversion process, some of the graphics may appear distorted.
CCLS Quick Links
- Candidate Manual
- Annual Maintenance Fee Payment
- PDH Tracking & Submission
- Clinical Experience Verification Form
- Item Writer Application
For questions regarding the certification process, please contact certification@childlife.org.