Credentialing organizations are faced with increasing levels of scrutiny as to why passing an exam is required to enter a profession. This pressure can come from candidates who cannot successfully complete an exam, employers who are facing a shortage of credentialed job applicants, educators who question why their graduates are failing licensure exams, or lawmakers who are questioning why interested candidates are held back from serving the public. In turn, those in our field must defend not only the purpose of the exam for credentialing decisions, but also how the design and development of the exams was conducted in accordance with this purpose.

In this session, industry leaders will share their experiences facing such challenges, defending the use of credentialing exams, and provide guidance to session attendees who are facing similar situations. Further, the speakers will review test design considerations, test development activities, and communication strategies that will provide support against these challenges. Session attendees are invited to share their own experiences as a part of the discussion.