WSR 00-20-106

PROPOSED RULES

DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING


[ Filed October 4, 2000, 11:37 a.m. ]

Original Notice.

Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 00-15-013.

Title of Rule: Examination review. This rule will be put into chapters 196-20 and 196-21 WAC. It notifies applicants that fail the fundamentals-of-engineering (FE) and fundamentals-of-land surveying (FLS) examinations that they will not be permitted to review their exam and the reasons why.

Purpose: The purpose is to streamline the examination review process and provide better service to the examinees that do not pass the FE and FLS examinations.

Other Identifying Information: These rules are being evaluated in accordance with the requirements of the Governor's Executive Order 97-02.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 18.43.035.

Summary: These rules notify the examinees who do not pass the FE and FLS examinations that they will not be permitted to review their exams. The reason is that these examinations are multiple choice, machine scored and cannot be appealed. Instead, each examinee will be sent a report that shows their performance in each subject area tested on the examination. This is the same information they would receive if they reviewed their exam.

Reasons Supporting Proposal: Time and space to review examinations is limited so not everyone has the opportunity to schedule a review of their exam. In addition, some people may not be able to take time to travel to an examination review site. By sending out an exam performance report, all failing examinees will know how they actually did on the exam and therefore know what to study.

Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting: Rick Notestine, 405 Black Lake Boulevard, Olympia, WA, (360) 664-1578; Implementation and Enforcement: George Twiss, 405 Black Lake Boulevard, Olympia, WA, (360) 664-1565.

Name of Proponent: Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, governmental.

Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.

Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: This rule title examination review will be put into chapters 196-20 and 196-21 WAC. It impacts examinees that have failed either the fundamentals-of-engineering examination or the fundamentals-of-land surveying examination. Persons failing these examinations will not be permitted to review their exam. Instead, they will be sent an examination performance report that shows how they performed in the various subject areas tested on the exam. This gives the examinee some indication of what to study for to take the next exam.

     The purpose of the rule is to put the failing examinees on notice that they will not be permitted to review their exam and why. Also to notify the examinee that they will be sent an examination performance report so they will know how they did in the various subjects tested on the exam.

     The anticipated effect will be less staff time spent scheduling, preparing for and attending examination reviews and that better service will be provided to the persons failing these two exams. Under the current process, only a limited number of examinees either choose to, or have a chance, to review their examination. Under the new rule, all examinees failing the FE and FLS examinations will be sent a performance report showing how they did on the exam.

Proposal does not change existing rules.

No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. Choosing to become licensed as a professional engineer or a professional land surveyor is an individual choice. The fundamental examinations are the first two exams that must be passed to become licensed. This rule impacts the person that does not pass the fundamentals exam. This rule does not place any requirement or burden on either small or large businesses.

Section 201, chapter 403, Laws of 1995, does not apply to this rule adoption. Neither the Department of Licensing or the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors are one of the named agencies in this statute.

Hearing Location: La Quinta Inn, 1425 East 27th Street, Tacoma, WA 98421, on November 15, 2000, at 3:30 p.m.

Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Kim Chipman by November 13, 2000, TDD (360) 586-2788, or (360) 664-1564.

Submit Written Comments to: Rick Notestine, Program Director, Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, P.O. Box 9649, Olympia, WA 98507-9469, fax (360) 664-2551, by November 13, 2000.

Date of Intended Adoption: November 16, 2000.

October 4, 2000

George A. Twiss

Executive Director


NEW SECTION
WAC 196-20-035
Examination review.

Because the examination contains only multiple choice questions and no essay (free response) questions, and the examination cannot be appealed, no review of the fundamentals-of-engineering examination will be permitted. However, examinees that fail to achieve a passing score will be provided a scoring breakdown of how they performed on the various subjects in the examination.

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NEW SECTION
WAC 196-21-035
Examination review.

Because the examination contains only multiple choice questions and no essay (free response) questions, and the examination cannot be appealed, no review of the fundamentals-of-land surveying examination will be permitted. However, examinees that fail to achieve a passing score will be provided a scoring breakdown of how they performed on the various subjects in the examination.

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