American Institute of Constructors Constructor Certification Commission Training for Scorers for the Writing Skills Portion of the Level I Certification Examination

Purpose of Training Provides a brief history and overview of Constructor certification. Provides foundational information about the Constructor Certification Commission. Provides responsibilities associated with your specific role in the Commission.

Training Instructions Carefully view the Power Point slides and make notes of any questions you may have. Complete one short assessment of the training session and materials session itself. Complete and sign and required Commission document(s). Contact the Chair of the Writing Skills Scoring for Level I Examination Subcommittee for any questions you may have.

History & Overview of Constructor Certification You will now view a short Power Point presentation on the history and overview of constructor certification. When complete ask the facilitator any questions you may have. After responding to any questions, the facilitator will present information about the organization of the Commission and its key activities.

Constructor Certification Commission Mission and Goals Mission - To certify Professional Constructors thorough established standards based upon education, experience and examination process. Goals are to: Provide a valid Constructor certification process, Improve the image of the Constructor and the construction profession, Improve the standards of the practice of construction, Promote the continual professional development of the Constructor. Promote membership into an organization of professional constructors, the American Institute of Constructors, and Promote the AIC Constructor Code of Conduct.

Constructor Certification Commission Objectives The objectives of the Commission are to develop, implement and coordinate policies and procedures for:  The certification process, A framework for the development of the professional Constructor, A feedback process to higher education construction programs and the industry, and Continual professional development for practicing professionals.

Constructor Certification Commission Organization The Commission is a semi-autonomous body that operates under the auspices of the American Institute of Constructors. The Commission is the governing body and consists of a Board of Governors and Board of Advisors. Much of the work of the Commission is accomplished through its committees & subcommittees.

Constructor Certification Commission Committees and Subcommittees Examination Committee - Responsible for developing, assessing, validating, up-dating, and formatting questions for examinations. Examination Subcommittees: Item Writing Item Reviewing Writing Skills Scoring for Level I (AC) Examination

Constructor Certification Commission Committees and Subcommittees Skills and Knowledge Committee Responsibilities: Works with the AIC Professional Standards Committee to maintain and revalidate the body of knowledge and provide the Examination Committee with any changes for incorporation into future examinations. Prepares and maintains the criteria for evaluating continuing professional development programs.  Reviews the applications to sit for the examination for compliance with certification criteria.

Constructor Certification Commission Committees and Subcommittees Skills and Knowledge Subcommittees: Application Vetting Continuing Professional Development Audit Finance Committee - Responsible for preparing the annual budget, monitoring the spending of commission funds and revenues and developing in conjunction with the Certification Manager, marketing plans.

Constructor Certification Commission Contractors Management Contractor – is responsible for administering the day to day activities and events of the Commission. Talley Management Group Certification Manager – Mr. Joe Sapp Examination Contractor – is responsible for all certification examination-related activities. Professional Testing Corporation President – Ms. Sallyann Henry

Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Examination Development Entails developing and reviewing of questions and selecting them for both the Level I (AC) and Level II (CPC) examinations. The development process includes working with the Examination Contractor to insure all examinations are valid, reliable and fair through the utilization of nationally recognized effective test psychometric measures. Commission Policies 2.1 and 2.2

Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Examination Application and Notification Includes the application process, determining eligibility to take the examinations, scoring of the both certification examinations, rescheduling of examinations, informing examinees of their performance on examinations and conducting appeals. Commission Policies – 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8

Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Examination Site Selection and Administration Includes the identification, selection and maintenance of the sites, examination site activities and the administration of examinations. Commission Policies – 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3

Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Certification Maintenance Includes assigning of certification numbers, maintaining one’s certification, allowable use of the AC and CPC credential, validation of certification examination body of knowledge, review of acceptability of required continuing professional development documentation, reinstating certification and responding to communications. Commission Policies – 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5. 4.6 and 4.7.

Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Commission Personnel Includes the responsibilities, qualifications and selection of Commission, Committee, Panel and Task Force members and contractors, contractor employee job descriptions, joint construction association chapter activities, and the selection, training and assessing of Commission members, volunteers and contractor staff. Commission Policies – 5.1, 5.3, 5.4 and 5.9.

Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes Governance of Constructor Certification Activities Includes making changes to Commission organization, operations and certification schemes, signatory authority, internal audits, conflict of interest, confidentiality, ethical conduct of Commission members, volunteers, contractor staff and certificants, whistleblowing, and documentation and document control and security. Commission Policies – 5.2, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10, 5.11, 5.12, 5.13 and 5.14.

Constructor Certification Commission Major Processes All of these processes have specific policies and procedures with associated documents. Some of these will be reviewed in the next portion of the training. All Commission Policies and Procedures along with their associated documents can be found at www.professionalconstructor.org.

Writing Skills Scoring Subcommitee The Writing Skills Subcommittee shall have a Chair, Vice Chair and as many members as the Subcommittee desires or may be required to carry out its responsibilities. All voting members must be Certified Professional Constructors. The Chair and Vice Chair may be appointed by the Examination Committee or may be elected from within the Subcommittee. The Chair will also serve as the Scoring Session Leader or can delegate the responsibility to another member of the subcommittee who is not a construction educator.

Writing Skills Scoring Subcommittee Construction educators are not to participate in the scoring process. Membership on the Subcommittee will be for 2 year terms renewable by the Subcommittee’s consensus. The Chair and Vice Chair shall serve for one year renewable terms. The permanent members of the subcommittee may be supplemented by volunteer scorers who are Associate Constructors appointed by the Chair of the Subcommittee on an as needed basis to assist with scoring the Writing Skills potion of the AC Examination.

Process to Score the Writing Skills Level I Examination Writing Skills Question Following the administration of the examination the Certification Manager will convene a group of qualified individuals to score the responses to the writing skills question in accordance with Commission Policy 1.4 and associated documents. Qualified individuals are members of the Writing Skills Scoring Subcommittee and/or volunteers appointed by the Chair of the Subcommittee. The group will be facilitated by the Chair of the Subcommittee or his or her designee. The facilitator must be a CPC and will be referred to as the Scoring Session Leader.

Process to Score the Writing Skills Level I Examination Writing Skills Question The scoring process is in two parts. The first being the participation in a question scoring training session conducted by the Scoring Session Leader and the second the actual scoring of the questions. Prior to the start of the training session each Scorer must complete and submit Document No. 32 titled the Non-Disclosure Statement for the Scoring of Level I (AC) Certification Examination Writing Skills Questions.

Process to Score the Writing Skills Level I Examination Writing Skills Question Each Scorer will be provided the following documents before starting the training session: Exhibit A - Writing Assignment Skills Examination Candidate Question Exhibit B – A DAY AT THE JOB SITE AIC EXHIBIT #118 Exhibit C – 9 Sample Business Letters with Candidate ID numbers 12561 – 12569 Commission Document 33 Part B - Instructions to Scorers Commission Document No. 34 - Writing Assignment Grade Submission Form Commission Document No. 37 – Training Session Participant Evaluation

Process to Score the Writing Skills Level I Examination Writing Skill Question Review Exhibits A, B and Commission Document No. 34 with the guidance of the Scoring Session Leader and ask any questions to clarify any issues. Read the first sample business letter in Exhibit C and using the Business Letter Scoring Criteria, and the Business Letter Scoring Criteria / Descriptors score the sample. After, everyone has read and scored the sample letter their scores are shared and the Session Leader states what the Consensus Score was for that sample letter from the answers provided for each letter.

Process to Score the Writing Skills Level I Examination Writing Skill Question The Session Leader will describe the items that were missing from the letter to have the Scorers in the session become consistent in their scoring of the writing samples. The Session Leader will repeat this process for all nine sample letters. Upon completion of the scoring of the samples, each Scorer will place their score for each sample letter on Commission Document No. 34 along with completing the top of the form by printing their last name, first name and the Scorers phone number.

Process to Score the Writing Skills Level I Examination Writing Skill Question Finally, each Scorer will complete Commission Document No. 37 and returns it to the Session Leader before moving on to the actual scoring exercise. In addition they will complete Document No. 43 in accordance with instructions from the Scoring Session Leader. Within the allocated time, the writing skills questions are scored and the scores documented on the designated form. The completed and signed scoring forms are compiled by the Scoring Session Leader and sent to the Examination Contractor along with the business letters and any unused supplementary materials.

Conclusion You now have been provided with a bit of Commission history, its mission, goals and objectives, an overview of its major processes and details about the responsibilities associated with your respective role in the work of the Commission along with related Commission Policies and Procedures and pertinent documents. If you have any specific questions relating to any of the material presented please contact the Chair of the body on which you serve or report to or the Commission Certification Manager. To complete this training session by completing certain Commission documents and assessments please proceed.

Required Commission Documents To comply with the Commission’s Policies and Procedures certain documents are required associated to your role. First the Commission will need a copy of your resume which needs to be updated to the current year. Second you are required to sign Non-Disclosure Statement for Scoring of Level I (AC) Certification Examination Writing Skills Questions (Commission Document 32) may be asked to sign certain Commission forms associated with your position such as a Confidentiality Statement. These must be signed on an annual basis and you will be contacted by the Chair of your body or the Certification Manager to complete them when required.

Assessments There are two assessments associated with this training module. The first is the assessment of the newly trained Scorer. This will be performed by the individual who conducted the training and facilitated the scoring session. He/she will have each Scorer complete the appropriate assessment form. The second is the completion of a Constructor Certification Commission Training Session Participant Evaluation form by the newly trained Scorers which are reviewed by various individuals with the goal of improving future training of this module.

Questions For any questions please ask the trainer or contact: Mr. Joseph Sapp, Certification Manager Constructor Certification Commission joe@professionalconstructor.org 703-683-4999 Revision History: October 25, 2012 May 17, 2013