Legal defensibility is a major consideration when developing a certification or licensure examination. When measuring the personal attributes (knowledge, skills, and ability) of candidates, it is vital that best practices are followed and defensibility is kept in the forefront of our minds. The surest way to raise questions from candidates is to develop an examination without any direction. If a candidate felt that the content of the examination did not reflect what is needed to perform the job, content-related evidence of validity should be provided.

Conduct a Job Analysis Study

The first and most important step to create a defensible examination is to conduct a study of practice, known as a job analysis. The purpose of the job analysis is to identify the competencies (e.g., tasks, knowledge, skill, ability) that the examination should cover instead of the general concepts that might first come to mind. The job analysis is cornerstone to any defensible examination because examination questions will be linked to the competencies identified by the job analysis and therefore the examination is considered content valid (i.e., displays a high degree of job relatedness)...Read Full Article. 

Wade Delk, Director, Governmental Affairs

Any organization would love to get in front of Congressmen and Senators to discuss issues facing their organization, but travel budgets and time constraints often make it difficult to make the trip to Washington, DC. What then? Give up? Maybe next year?  Fortunately for you, there is a "takeout" option with "free delivery". It is called August Recess.  

For the first time in this 114th Congress, Congressmen and Senators have an extended break. During August they come back to their districts (Congressmen) or back to their state (Senators) and spend time at county fairs, barbeques, town halls, and other "back home" events. Their schedules can be found on their website, or simply by calling their District office (all of them have one) and asking a staff person what events they will be attending in August. There is no more efficient use of your time and money than to attend one or more of these local events.

Once you have chosen which event(s) to attend, be prepared to talk to them briefly about your issue. Handing them a business card is perfectly acceptable but avoid handing them any documents - save that for the follow up. They will likely be attending the event with one or more of their staff. Try to get the card or contact information of a staff person. Make sure you are very respectful of the staff person as they are likely to be the one you will have the most interaction with in the future.

Congressmen and Senators are also more relaxed in August because they are on vacation. This can allow for more attention to be given to your issues because many other distractions that surround their daily lives are reduced during this time. Remember, they want your vote. This means they need to spend time talking with their constituents. August Recess presents a great opportunity for them to hear the issues of local voters and devote time to discussing the issues that face your organization.    

AMP's Director of Governmental Affairs, Wade Delk, has assisted many AMP clients in getting face time with their Congressman and Senators. If interested in how he could help your organization, please contact AMP's Sales & Marketing department at 913.895.4796 or sales@goAMP.com.

Staff Spotlight

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) has announced that Monica Evans-Lombe and Stephanie Newman have earned their ASAE Certified Association Executive (CAE®) designation. The CAE is the highest professional credential in the association industry.

Monica Evans-Lombe

Stephanie Newman

To be designated as a Certified Association Executive, they were required to prove their experience with nonprofit organization management, complete specialized professional development courses, pass a stringent examination in association management and pledge to uphold a code of ethics. More than 4,000 association professionals currently hold the CAE credential. The CAE program is accredited by the National Commission for the Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Monica and Stephanie serve as Executive Directors for several AMP Management Services clients and this latest accomplishment reflects their keen abilities to lead organizations in today's challenging climate. We are proud of Monica and Stephanie for mastering the knowledge needed to earn this designation.

Business Development

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of public parks, recreation and conservation. Comprised of more than 47,000 park and recreation professionals and citizen advocates, its membership work to improve their communities through conservation, health and wellness, and social equity. NRPA also offers a wealth of professional development resources including four certification programs that reflect the increasingly complex nature of the parks and recreation field: Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE), Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) and Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO). AMP had the privilege of working with NRPA in the past and was recently again selected to provide services for these programs. Job analysis studies will be conducted in 2015 and ongoing services include examination development, computer-based testing, paper/pencil administration, scoring, and reporting. For more information about NRPA, visit their website.