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SEAOC offers financial assistance to take part in
NCEES SE Exam Cut Score Workshops
SEAOC is looking for volunteers to help NCEES with setting the grading standards of the new PE Structural Exam (what used to be called the “16-hour SE Exam”). NCEES, the organization that writes and administers the engineering and surveying licensing exams, is seeking structural engineers to participate in the standard setting panels (“cut-score” workshops), that help set the passing scores for the depth portions of the SE Exam. Next year, the test switches to the new format by using a Computer Based Testing (CBT) exam. The depth portions of the exam involve the use of “alternative item types” (AITs) in lieu of the old handwritten (“constructed response”) paper and pencil answers. The standard setting panels will meet the week of May 17, 2024 at the NCEES Headquarters in Greenville, South Carolina.
Scoring panels are scheduled for the “vertical” portion of the exam on May 17 and 18, and an additional two days are scheduled on May 20 and 21 for the “lateral” portion of the exam. Cut-score participants can choose to attend only two days, or all four days. NCEES covers airfare, hotel accommodations, transportation, and meals while in Greenville, in addition to a stipend to cover incidental travel expenses. The stipend ranges between about $390 for a two-day meeting to about $470 for those attending all four days.
SEAOC members have been working with NCEES to develop the new exam, and SEAOC is encouraging its membership to provide support by assisting with the standard setting of the exam. This portion of the process is critical to ensure that the new exam reflects the needs of our profession, and our participation emphasizes SEAOC’s continued commitment to public safety.
Because of the additional travel time required for West Coast engineers, SEAOC is offering an additional $500 for SEAOC members from California who participate in the standard setting workshops. NCEES is required, by policy, to have a diverse panel with regard to gender, age, ethnicity, region, experience type, and number of years licensed. NCEES is particularly looking for engineers that have passed the SE exam in the last 5 years. Final selection of who will participate in the standard setting workshops is at the sole discretion of NCEES.
Any SEAOC member who would like more information about this opportunity or who would like to participate, please contact Carl Josephson S.E., SEAOC Licensing Committee Chair, at cjosephson@jwa-se.com.
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