Is the PTCB exam a competency-based exam?
Yes. The 1985 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing define a competency test as “an achievement test that measures the level of skill or knowledge possessed by test takers in relation to some defined domain of skills or knowledge.” In 2000, PTCB and PES conducted a certification standard setting study that established a passing score for the PTCB exam. As part of the study, panelists defined minimum knowledge and skill requirements for PTCB certification. Panelists used these criteria during the rating process in the study. Thus, the PTCB also meets the definition of a competency-based test that involves testing the acquisition of skills in accordance with a defined standard.
