Published by the National Association of State Departments 

of Agriculture Research Foundation

Exam Administration

Security Procedures

 Manual

AND

A Guide Developed by CTAG 

for Use by State, Tribal, and

Territorial Pesticide programs

Exam Admin Manual_combined.indd 1 7/27/06 4:12:44 PM
ii

Support for this project was made 

possible through the EPA Office 

of Pesticide Programs' cooperative 

agreements with the Council for 

Agricultural Science and Technology, 

and the National Association of State 

Departments of Agriculture Research 

Foundation. The views expressed 

herein are those of the authors and do 

not necessarily represent 

the views and policies of the EPA.

.!3$!2&

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Contents

CONTENTS iii

OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

	 Why Have an Exam Administration and Security Procedures Manual? . . 1

ISSUES FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE AGENCY

RESPONSIBLE FOR EXAM ADMINISTRATION AND EXAM 

SECURITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

SUGGESTED CONTENT OF THE STATE, TRIBAL OR

TERRITORIAL EXAM ADMINISTRATION AND SECURITY

PROCEDURES MANUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

	 Exam Security Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

 . . Security and Maintaining Exam Integrity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

 . . General Exam Security Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

 . . Security Procedures in the Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

 . . Safeguarding Exam Materials at the Exam Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

 . . Challenging an Exam Item . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

	 General Exam Administration Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 . . Personnel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 . . Proctor/Exam Administrator Qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 . . Proctor/Exam Administrator Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 . . Exam Fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 . . Exam Retakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

 . . Assisting Special Needs Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

 . . Permitted/Prohibited Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

 . . Candidates Who Arrive Late for an Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

 . . Disqualification of Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

 . . Handling Emergency Situations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

 . . Grading the Exam Answer Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

 . . Notification of Successful Candidates and Issuing the Certification . . . 12

 . . When a Candidate Fails an Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

	 Procedures Prior to the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

 . . Pre-registration and Pre-qualification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

 . . Scheduling Exams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

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Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

	 The Exam Candidate Bulletin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

 . . Information About the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

 . . Being Prepared for the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

 . . What Happens After the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

 . . How to Get More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

	 Procedures at the Exam Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

 . . Exam Room Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

 . . Physical Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

 . . Proctor/Exam Administrator Responsibilities Before the Exam Begins . . 16

 . . Exam Day Instructions for Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

 . . Positive Identification of Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

 . . Proctor/Exam Administrator Responsibilities After the Exam Begins . . . 19

 . . Cheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

 . . Check-out Procedures at the Conclusion of the Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

	 Special Considerations for Remote Testing and On-Line Exams . . . . . 20

 . . Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

 . . Exam Item Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

 . . Recording Exam Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

SPECIAL THANKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

HOW TO IMPROVE THIS MANUAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Appendix A Sample Exam Candidate Bulletin . . . . . . 23

Appendix B Sample Exam Day Instructions For 

Candidates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Appendix C Accommodating Persons with Visual 

Impairments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

iv

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Overview

Certification of pesticide applicators

is a critical responsibility that has been

delegated to each state, tribe or territory

to ensure the competency of certified

and licensed pesticide applicators. The

predominant method of certification

is through a written certification

exam. The Certification & Training

Assessment Group (CTAG) developed

this Examination Administration and

Security Procedures Manual to provide

advice and guidance to each state, tribe

or territory with responsibility for exam

administration. 

CTAG recognizes that each state,

tribal or territorial lead agency must

operate under its own special circumstances,including itslaws andregulations,

which guide the administration of exams. 

This manual includes a series of questions for each state, tribe or territory to

consider and offers some recommendations in several areas. CTAG suggests

that each of the agencies involved incorporate into their exam administration

and security policies and procedures as

many as possible of the recommendations contained in this manual.

OVERVIEW • Why have an exam administration and security procedures manual? 1

Clearly identified and described

examination administration policies

and procedures can help maximize

consistency in all areas of examination

administration and the examination

experience as well as to help to minimize

errors in the process. This can help to

establish and maintain the credibility of

the examination process, ensure that the

entire examination process is seen as one

that is both objective and impartial, and

help to provide a high level of security for

all examination materials. Administrative

staff, aswell asthe certificationcandidates,

will benefit from clear communication of

examination procedures. CTAG recommends that each state, tribe or territory

consider the following material and topic

areas as the basis for standard operating

procedures to be established and maintained in an Examination Administration

and Security Procedures Manual

for program staff. In addition, exam

administrators are encouraged to use

the information provided to develop an

Exam Candidate Bulletin as a vehicle for

providing important exam information

and guidance to exam candidates.

Why Have an Exam

Administration and Security

Procedures Manual?

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2 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

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3

Issues for Consideration

by the Agency Responsibile

for Exam Administration

and Exam Security

Depending on the state, tribe or territory, exams may be administered by

either the State Lead Agency (SLA), the

Cooperative Extension Service (CES)

program, or both. 

CTAG believes it is a worthwhile

exercise for each responsible agency to

perform a self-audit of existing procedures for exam administration and

security. The following list of issues

and questions may aid in this process;

these issues and questions, and more,

are addressed in the manual:

• . .Is there a clear understanding of

which agency is responsible for

exam administration and exam

security?

• . .Are written exam administration

and security policies and procedures in place?

• . .Are all exams monitored, written,

closed-book exams?

• . .Is there a program of periodic

replacement of exam questions to

minimize use and exposure of any

particular exam question?

• . .Are there procedures for treating

all exam materials (exam booklets,

answer sheets, and related forms)

as controlled documents?

• . .How do you control in-office handling of exams, storage of exams

and access to exams?

• . .How do you maintain chain-ofcustody and security in transporting exams to the exam site, at

the exam site and return from the

exam site while in transit?

• . .Who is responsible for scheduling

exams for individuals or groups?

• . .Will pre-registration be required

for all exam candidates?

• . .Are there written procedures for

handling and depositing exam

fees?

• . .Does your agency have written

policies and procedures to follow

to comply with the Americans

with Disabilities Act? What kinds

of special accommodations may

be made and what are the requirements for accommodation?

• . .Do you issue advance written

instructions for candidates which

include such information as a

schedule of where and when the

exam will be given, type of exam

(written/oral, multiple choice,

true/false, or practical), the

passing score, procedures for exam

result notification and certification

issuance, re-testing process folissues for consideration by the agency responsible for exam administration and exam security

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lowing exam failure, what materials

may be brought to the exam site,

what materials and items are prohibited at the exam site, expected

and prohibited behavior at the

exam site, allowable accommodations and the method to request

accommodations for disabled or

impaired candidates, and procedures, if any, to challenge an exam

item?

• . .Who may proctor an exam and

what are the minimum proctor

qualifications?

• . .Do you have written procedures

for positive identification of all

exam candidates?

• . .What types of documents are

acceptable for positive identification of candidates?

• . .Does your state, tribe or territory

have written procedures for handling instances of cheating or

disruptive behavior?

• . .Does your state, tribe or territory have written procedures for

grading exam answers sheets and

how to handle answer sheets once

they are graded?

• . .How are candidates notified of

their exam scores, whether they

passed, and what steps to take

next?

• . .When will successful candidates

be issued the actual certification

document?

• . .Does your state, tribe or territory

have written procedures to follow

when a candidate fails an exam

including how such a candidate

must apply to retake the exam,

any waiting period before the

candidate may retake an exam, any

maximum number of failures per

candidate, and what happens when

a candidate accrues the maximum

number of failures?

4 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

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Exam Security Issues

5

Development of an exam administration and security procedures

manual should begin with a verification and clear understanding of

authority and responsibility for exam

administration and exam security. 

This information should be readily

available in your approved state

plan.

The manual should represent

standard operating procedures by

clearly addressing roles, responsibilities

and criteria covering all aspects of exam

security and exam administration.

Suggested Content for

a State, Tribal or Territorial

Exam Administration and

Security Procedures Manual

Security and Maintaining 

Exam Integrity

Pesticide certification exams

are considered high stakes exams. 

Consequently, security is a critical

consideration with such exams. Sound,

written procedures to ensure security

of exams and exam materials are the

key to maintaining the integrity of the

exam process. Security efforts tend to

be expensive and often represent a significant portion of total exam costs.

General Exam Security 

Precautions

• . .Theft of pesticide applicator

certification exam questions or

exam materials can seriously compromise the certification process

and lead to significant exam

replacement costs. All certification

exam materials (exam booklets,

answer sheets, scratch paper and

related forms) should be treated as

controlled documents. 

• . .Each SLA and/or CES program

that has custody of certification

exam materials should take precautions to ensure that all exam

materials in their custody are kept

secure. 

• . .Access to exam materials should

be strictly limited to authorized

program staff.

• . .When exam materials are in use

by, or being transported by, authorized staff they should be in the

appropriate staff person’s immediate possession and control. At all

other times, including during rest

breaks, meal breaks and outside

of office hours, exam materials

should be stored under lock and

key. Access to exam materials

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Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

storage keys should be limited to

those authorized to use the exam

materials.

• . .Each exam booklet should be

assigned a unique serial number

which is displayed in a prominent

location on the exam booklet. If

every exam booklet has a unique

number, it is much easier to track

the exams using a log book, electronic database or other system to

account for all exam booklets and

quickly identify any missing exam

materials.

• . .Exam items (questions and

answers) should never be discussed

with candidates, trainers or others

who may affect the integrity of the

exam. In particular, exam items

should not be shared with trainers

if there is concern that trainers

may simply teach to the exam

questions. There should also be

specific proceduresfor challenging

items, but the process should not

allow candidates to review the

specific items; otherwise, exam

security will be compromised.

• . .The use of multiple or scrambled

exam versions at the exam site

will help to ensure exam integrity

by minimizing opportunities for

cheating and copying answers

from a candidate seated nearby.

• . .A program of periodic replacement

of exam questions should be

developed to minimize use and

exposure of any particular exam

question. 

• . .Exam materials should be copyrighted and should bear a notice

which prohibits copying, reproduction, or the removal from the

exam room of any exam materials

by unauthorized persons. (A copyright is secured upon creation of

the exam materials. Permission

from or registration with the U.S. 

Copyright Office is not required. 

A copyright notice is recommended and can take the form of

“Copyright, [year created] XYZ

Department of Agriculture.”)

• . .Strict chain-of-custody procedures should be employed when

transporting exam materials from

the office, to exam site, at exam

site and return from exam site. All

exam materials should be shipped

and returned for scoring in sealed

envelopes or containers.

• . .Account for all exam booklets and

answer sheets before and after each

exam session. Take immediate action

if any are found to be missing.

• . .If exam booklets are to be reused,

check the used exam booklets after

each examination session for any

notations or marks or missing pages. 

Remove from use any defaced or

damaged exam booklets.

• . .Properly shred and destroy any

used, surplus, damaged, or obsolete

exams.

Security Procedures in 

the Office

• . .Exam materials should be secured in

a locked filing cabinet.

• . .Exam materials should be kept

locked except when the exam

materials are in use by authorized

personnel.

• . .There should be strict limits on who

can access the secured exams.

• . .Unauthorized copying of exam

materials should be strictly prohibited.

• . .An inventory system for exam materials should be created and used to

document the receipt, inventory,

handling and storage of exam

materials. This will both ensure the

security of exams and help to ensure

that an adequate supply of exam

materials is kept on hand.

Safeguarding Exam 

Materials at the Exam Site

• . .Do not copy the exam booklets for

any reason. Do not allow anyone

but an authorized proctor or exam

administrator to have access to the

exam booklets and answer key. 

6

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7

• . .If an exam question requires the

candidate to perform a calculation, scratch paper may be used. 

If no calculations are required, no

scratch paper should be used.

• . .Do not allow candidates to bring

any scratch paper into the exam

room. This could allow a candidate

to bring to the exam cheat sheets

or other materials to be used for

cheating.

• . .Do not allow candidates to take

any scratch paper from the exam

room. This could allow a candidate to steal an exam question or

answer or both.

•If scratch paper is to be allowed,

the proctor or exam administrator

should supply the only authorized

scratch paper. One piece of scratch

paper per candidate should be

sufficient. Candidates should be

required to write their name and

other identification information

on each piece of scratch paper. 

The proctor or exam administrator should collect all scratch

paper from each candidate at the

conclusion of the exam.

• . .The collected scratch paper should

be secured for proper disposal. 

Do not dispose of these materials

at the exam site. Such materials

should be returned to the office

in a secure manner, shredded and

properly destroyed.

• . .All proctors and exam administrators should be reminded to

never leave any exam materials

unattended whether they are

unused, unassigned or not yet

assigned to a candidate.

• . .When exam booklets are distributed, proctors and exam

administratorsshouldbeinstructed

to make certain that each candidate

receives only one copy of any particular exam and that the exam

booklet serial number is recorded

on the exam answer sheet. It is

easiest to account for the exam

materials at the beginning, during

and at the end of the exam if a oneon-one system is used to issue the

exam materials at the beginning

of the exam process and to collect

the exam materials at the end of

the exam process. Multiple copies

of an exam booklet should never

be passed down a row of candidates for each candidate to take

one copy; it is much too easy for

an exam booklet to disappear.

• . .If an exam booklet is lost, stolen,

incomplete or otherwise defective,

or defaced in any manner, the

pesticide program manager overseeing certification exams should

be notified as soon as possible. A

detailed incident report should be

prepared to describe the incident.

• . .Ripped, torn, damaged or mutilated exam booklets should never

be placed in trash at the exam site. 

Such materials should be returned

to the office in a secure manner,

shredded and properly destroyed.

• . .Candidates should not be allowed

to leave the exam room for any

reason once the exam has begun. 

If candidates were allowed to leave

the room during the exam for

bathroom breaks or other reasons,

good exam security would be

compromised since this practice

would introduce opportunities

for cheating or theft of exam item

information. It would also increase

the number of staff necessary to

administer the exam since, if a

candidate were allowed to leave

the exam room during an exam

and return, good exam security

would require each such candidate

to be accompanied by a proctor or

exam administrator. Even then,

good exam security would be very

difficult to maintain. 

Challenging an Exam Item

• . .The process of challenging an

exam item should allow a candidate a means to voice concern

that a question may be confusing

or improperly stated or that the

choice of answers yields no correct

answer or more than one correct

answer. Challenging an exam

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item should not be a means for a

candidate to gain any information

about an exam item, including

correct orincorrect answers. Exam

security would be compromised

if this type of information were

made available to any candidate.

• . .Written procedures and forms

should be developed for candidates to use to challenge an exam

item, as well as for the appropriate

pesticide program staff to review

the challenge.

• . .To protect the integrity and

security of the exam, do not

provide the candidate with any

information concerning the

correctness of the candidate’s

answer to any exam item or how

performance on any particular

item affected the candidate’s final

score.

• . .The pesticide program staff's

review of the challenged item

should be final and not subject to

further review. Since exam items

have been thoroughly reviewed

before being used in an exam, the

review of the challenge is simply

one further level of review.

• . .The rationale for the decision in

any challenge should remain confidential and not be shared with the

candidate making the challenge.

General Exam Administration Issues

Personnel Requirements

Each state, tribe or territory should

identify the number of staff required to

adequately prepare for the exam and

to successfully support administration

of the exam itself. The number of staff

will likely vary by the number of candidates to be examined and the number

of different exams to be conducted on

exam day. The appropriate candidate

to proctor/exam administrator ratio

should allow for appropriate monitoring

and exam candidate interaction. 

Proctor/Exam 

Administrator 

Qualifications

At least one qualified proctor or

exam administrator should be required

to be present during the entire conduct

of any exam. A proctor/exam administrator may become qualified by

becoming familiar with and following

all exam security and exam administration policies and procedures, and

by being employed in specific positions within the pesticide program

conducting the exams. This may, for

example, include employees holding

specific positions in the SLA and/or

CES. Generally, no other individuals or

organizations should have the authority

to proctor pesticide applicator certification examinations. (An exception may

be made for remote testing with on-line

exams conducted under contract or

agreement with the SLA.)

Proctor/Exam 

Administrator 

Responsibilities

The rules of conduct and responsibilities should be clearly identified

in written procedures for the proctor/

exam administrator. Procedures should

include conduct and responsibilities

before the exam, during the exam, and

at the conclusion of the exam.

Exam Fees

If exam fees are charged, procedures should be developed for collecting

and handling exam fees. Determine

in advance the acceptable forms of

payment (cash, check, money order or

credit or debit card, etc.). Procedures

for handling and depositing all exam

fees should require routine audits.

Exam Retakes

If yourstate,tribe orterritory limits

the frequency of retaking exams, limits

the number of times a candidate may

retake an exam within a specific period

of time or establishes a waiting period

between exam retakes, procedures

should be developed to capture this

8 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

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9

information and facilitate enforcement

of such policies. Limiting the frequency

of exam retakes may limit opportunities

to memorize exam items.

Assisting Special Needs 

Candidates

• . .Determine the policies and procedures necessary for your pesticide

exam program to comply with the

Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA).

• . .Candidates who request accommodation under the ADA should

be required to notify the pesticide

exam program far enough in

advance of the scheduled exam

that the need for accommodation

can be verified and any necessary

accommodation can be adequately

planned for and appropriately

made. Additional staff may be

required on exam day to provide

authorized accommodations to

exam candidates. If a signer is

required for a hearing impaired

candidate, the services may need

to be scheduled in advance.

• . .Determine the types of special

accommodations that may be made

andthe requirementsfor accommodation. For example, if a candidate

requests accommodation for a

condition such as dyslexia, what

type of supporting documentation

will be required and will additional

time be allowed to complete an

exam? Will large print exams be

provided for visually impaired

candidates or will such candidates

be allowed to use magnification

devices? Are exam sites handicapped accessible? (See Appendix 

C for additional information.)

Permitted/Prohibited 

Items

To protect the security of the exam

and to facilitate administration, each

state, tribe and territory should carefully consider what items a candidate

may bring to the exam room and what

items will be prohibited in the exam

room, and develop appropriate procedures and guidelines. It may be easier to

only allow specific items to be brought

into the exam room by a candidate and

then supply the candidate with all other

items needed during the exam.

• . .Materials and items prohibited

from the exam site should include

review notes or other study or

training materials in any format or

media, backpacks, briefcases, tote

bags or any type of luggage.

• . .Prohibited materials should also

include any type of writing pad,

loose leaf binder, notebook, or

othersource of scratch paper. If the

use of scratch paper is permitted

during an exam session, it should

be provided by the proctor or exam

administrator. Candidates should

be required to record their name

and other identification information on the scratch paper. To

protect the integrity of the exam,

all scratch paper, including unused

scratch paper, must be returned to

the proctor/exam administrator at

the conclusion of the exam.

• . .If an exam item requires a

calculation, will calculators be permitted? If so, procedures should

specify what types of calculators

are acceptable. Printing calculators

should be prohibited. The presence

of unauthorized scratch paper (the

roll of printer paper) would make

it possible for notes to be brought

into the exam session on the printer

paper as well as for information on

exam items to be removed from

the exam room on the printer

paper. If calculators are permitted,

they should be restricted to nonprinting, battery or solar powered

electronic calculators that are not

capable of storing or transmitting

text information.

• . .All other electronic devices should

be prohibited from use at any time

in the exam room. This should

include computers, any type of

personal digital assistant (palm

pilot) or wireless e-mail device,

programmable watches, clocks,

cameras, radios, recording devices,

hand-held computers, headphones,

SUGGESTED CONTENT for a state, tribal or territorial EXAM ADMINISTRATION AND SECURITY PROCEDURES MANUAL

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headsets and any other electronic devices capable of sending,

receiving or storing information

or communicating with others

during the exam. Ideally, such

devices should not be allowed into

the exam room. All pagers, cell

phones and other communication

devices should also be prohibited

in the exam room. The ability to

send or receive text messages or

photographs is a common feature

on many cell phones. If you

choose to allow such devices to be

brought into the exam room, they

should be turned off and not be

used at any time within the exam

room or during bathroom breaks,

if bathroom breaks are allowed.

• . .Possession or use of any prohibited materials or items in the

exam room should result in the

immediate disqualification of the

candidate, failure of the examination and dismissal from the

exam room.

Candidates Who Arrive 

Late for an Exam

Determine in advance if a candidate

who arrives late to take an exam may

be accommodated without disrupting

the exam administration process or

having a negative impact on candidates who arrived on time. Develop

appropriate policies and procedures for

proctors/exam administrators to follow. 

A reasonable policy would be to refuse

entrance to the exam room for any candidate arriving after a specific time such

as ten minutes after the scheduled time

for candidates to report for the exam,

or after a proctor/exam administrator

begins the process of instructing candidates. If a candidate is refused entry

for arriving late, any exam fees already

paid may be forfeited.

Disqualification of 

Candidates

The circumstances which will

result in the disqualification of a

candidate and the procedures for

disqualifying a candidate should be

carefully considered since the impact

on a candidate is significant. The consequences of disqualification include

termination of the exam and dismissal

from the exam room. 

• . .Policies and procedures should be

developed to guide proctors and

exam administrators in handling

instances that may result in the

disqualification of an exam candidate at the exam site. 

• . .Activities that should appropriately result in disqualification

include cheating or any form

of giving or receiving of unaut hor ized ex a m assist a nce;

disruptive behavior; failure to

comply with any exam instructions or requirements; leaving

the exam room prior to the conclusion of the candidate’s exam;

leaving the exam room at the

conclusion of the exam without

following required check-out

procedures; possession in the

exam room of any unauthorized

information, materials or devices;

or the theft or attempted theft of

any exam materials including any

information concerning an exam

item.

• . .Proctors/exam administrators

should be instructed to confront

any candidate involved, to inform

the candidate that his or her exam

session has concluded, to immediately collect all exam materials

from any such candidate, to note

the identity of any candidate

involved and to dismiss the candidate from the exam room.

• . .A disqualified candidate should be

deemed to have failed the exam

and any exam fees forfeited.

• . .Instructions for proctors/exam

administrators should specify

who should be notified and how

the notification should be made

in event of disqualification of a

candidate.

• . .Determine whether and under

what circumstances a disqualified

candidate may become eligible to

retake the exam.

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11

Handling Emergency 

Situations

Although it is not possible to plan

for all unexpected events, a proctor/

exam administrator should be prepared

to handle many different unexpected

events which may impact the conduct of

exams. For example, the proctor/exam

administrator should have written

procedures for handling situations that

require a response to unexpected events

such as a power outage or other emergency disruption of the exam process. 

A key goal is to protect the integrity of

the exams.

• . .If an exam must be discontinued for

all candidates due to a powerfailure,

fire or similar event, candidates

should be instructed to immediately

leave the exam room and to leave

behind all exam materials.

• . .If illness prevents a candidate from

completing an exam, or if the

candidate chooses not to complete

the exam for any other reason, the

candidate’s exam is concluded. If

the candidate wishes the exam

to be scored based on completed

answers, the candidate must follow

required check out procedures to

verify identity and ensure that all

exam materials, including scratch

paper, are returned.

• . .If a candidate discovers during the

exam that his or her exam booklet

is damaged, spoiled, illegible or

incomplete, the candidate should

immediately notify a proctor or

exam administrator who may

exchange the exam booklet for a

complete one. If the exam booklet

is incomplete, the proctor or exam

administrator should attempt

to determine if the candidate is

responsible for any missing pages. 

(A sufficient number of extra exam

materials should be brought to the

exam site to accommodate such

emergencies.)

Grading the Exam Answer 

Sheet

When exams are graded, the exam

results should be treated as information

which is not publicly available to anyone

other than the candidate. Exam answer

sheets should ideally be kept for a

limited time period and then destroyed. 

While the answers to specific exam

questions should never be shared with a

candidate, a state, tribe or territory may

want to assist unsuccessful candidates

by indicating the subject areas (based

on the exam blueprint) where the candidate needs to improve.

• . .If on-site grading of exams is permitted, they should be scored by

staff other than the proctors/exam

administrators responsible for

the conduct of the exams so that

the proctors/exam administrators

can devote full attention to the

conduct of the exams.

• . .If exams are scored at the exam site,

ensure that the appropriate answer

key is provided for each exam form

in use and that the correct key is

used to grade each exam.

• . .If answersheets are scored by hand,

it may be useful to place a check

mark next to each incorrect answer

along with the letter or number

representing the correct answer.

• . .The answer sheet should include

a place to calculate and record the

final grade.

• . .If exams are graded away from the

exam site, appropriate procedures

should be developed to maintain

the security and integrity of the

answer sheets and to provide a

standard method and process for

scoring answer sheets.

• . .Once the answer sheets are graded,

appropriate procedures should

address who receives or retains

the original answer sheet; how the

original answer sheet is securely

transmitted to the final repository

or how the original answer sheet is

shredded and destroyed; how information on final scores is stored; if

copies of the answer sheet must be

made, who receives or retains the

copies and how the copies are transmitted; and, required time frames

for transmitting the answer sheet

at each step in the procedures.

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Notification of Successful 

Candidates and Issuing 

the Certification

Procedures for the lead agency to

follow with successful candidates should

include:

• . .The time frame for scoring the

exam and notifying candidates

of their respective scores. For

example, all candidates will be sent

their exam results by first class

mail within ten business days following the exam date.

• . .The process and time frame for

the State Lead Agency to notify

successful candidates and to issue

the certification documents.

• . .If your state, tribe or territory

issues an applicator certification or

a temporary certificate at the exam

site to those who pass the exam,

step-by-step procedures should

be developed for proctors/exam

administrators to follow at the

exam site to complete and issue the

certificate.

When a Candidate Fails 

an Exam

Procedures for the lead agency to

follow when a candidate fails an exam

should address several issues:

• . .The time frame and the method

of notifying an unsuccessful candidate of failure to pass an exam.

• . .The notice of failure should advise

the unsuccessful candidate of the

procedures for retaking an exam.

• . .If there is a waiting period before

an unsuccessful candidate may

retake an exam, or if there is a

maximum number of times a candidate can take and fail an exam

within a specific period of time,

appropriate information should

be included in the notice to the

unsuccessful candidate.

Procedures Prior to the Exam

Unless prohibited by your state, tribe

or territory laws or regulations, preregistration for exams, pre-qualification

of candidates, and pre-payment of

exam fees should be required. This will

minimize the administrative burden

on staff, help to streamline procedures

at the exam site, and allow for better

planning and scheduling of exams.

Pre-registration and 

Pre-qualification

A process of pre-registration and

pre-qualification for all candidates is

recommended and has the following

advantages:

• . .Exam planning is facilitated since

you will know in advance of the

exam session who is coming and

how many of each type of exam are

needed.

• . .Candidates can be pre-screened for

qualification to sit for the exam. 

Unqualified candidates will not be

admitted to the exam room.

• . .Qualified candidates can be issued

an exam admission document so

that only those bearing a valid exam

admission document are allowed to

enter the exam room.

• . .The exam admission document can

identify the specific date, time and

location for each exam.

• . .Fees can be collected, and checks

can clear, prior to the exam session. 

The exam admission document may

be used as a receipt for payment of

required fees.

• . .Space needs at the exam site and

the number of staff persons necessary to proctor or administer the

exam can be easily determined in

advance.

Scheduling Exams

• . .When an exam is scheduled for a

pre-registered candidate, a confirmation notice to the candidate

should use a unique confirmation

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13

number (which may be keyed to

that candidate) and should provide

the candidate with information on

the date and time of the scheduled

exam(s), the exam(s) for which

the candidate has registered and

the location of the exam site. The

confirmation notice may also be

used to instruct the candidate on

positive identification requirements

to verify the identity of the candidate

(to prevent another person from

taking the exam for the applicant)

and, if necessary, to confirm that

the candidate meets minimum age

requirements. Additional information which should be provided to

the exam candidate priorto the exam

is discussed in the Exam Candidate 

Bulletin section.

• . .If an exam is being given as a

part of a training or educational

program, the sponsor of the

program should be responsible

for ensuring that all candidates

are properly pre-registered.

• . .Information on scheduled exams

and pre-registered candidates

should be used to prepare a roster

of all registered candidates that

indicates the exam(s) each candidate is scheduled to take on

exam day. The roster will facilitate

exam administration at the exam

session and will help to ensure

that an appropriate supply of the

necessary exams is brought to the

exam site on exam day.

The purpose of an Exam Candidate

Bulletin is to provide each candidate

with general information and instructions concerning the exam. An Exam

Candidate Bulletin should be provided

to each registered exam candidate

prior to the exam date. A Sample Exam

Candidate Bulletin is in Appendix A. 

The Exam Candidate Bulletin should

include the following information:

Information About 

the Exam

Thissection oftheExam Candidate

Bulletin includes information the candidate should be provided concerning

the exam itself:

• . .The date, time and location of each

exam for which the candidate has

registered if not already provided

to the candidate.

• A statement that the exam is copyrighted and may not be used or

reproduced in any manner without

the express written permission

of the copyright holder, that the

exam booklets and answer sheets

may not be removed from the

exam room and that theft of exam

materials will be prosecuted to the

fullest extent possible.

• . .Details concerning the exam

format such as whether it is written

or oral, open or closed-book,

multiple choice, true/false, or

practical; the number of questions

on the exam; the amount of time

available to complete the exam;

whether the exam is available in

any language other than English;

and the minimum passing score.

• . .Clear and concise candidate

instructions on how to take the

exam and how to complete answer

sheets or otherforms. For example,

if scanable or bubble sheets are

used, the candidate should be

instructed how to properly indicate

the answer for each question so

that the answer may be properly

scanned.

• . .Candidates are not permitted to seek

help from a proctor/exam administratorto interpret an exam question. 

A proctor/exam administrator will

not provide this type of assistance. 

A candidate may, however, take

advantage of established procedures

to challenge a question.

• . .Adescription ofthe required checkout procedures the candidate must

follow when the exam is completed. 

The Exam Candidate bulletin

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For example, candidates should

remain seated until they complete

their examinations. When the

exam is completed, the candidate

should raise a hand and wait for

a proctor/exam administrator to

collect all exam materials, return

the candidate’s photo identification

document and dismiss the candidate from the exam room. The

candidate must promptly exit the

exam room when directed to leave. 

Leaving the exam room without

following check-out procedures

will result in disqualification of

the candidate, termination of the

exam and dismissal from the exam

room. (See Check-out Procedures at 

the Conclusion of the Exam.)

• . .Candidates should come to the

exam room prepared to remain

until the conclusion of the exam. 

If a candidate leaves the exam

room during the exam for any

reason (for example, to eat, drink

or smoke) the candidate’s exam

will be concluded and all exam

materials must be returned before

leaving the exam room following

required exam check-out procedures. (If a candidate is scheduled

to take more than one exam, the

candidate may be allowed to leave

the exam room between exams.)

Being Prepared for 

the Exam

Thissection oftheExam Candidate

Bulletin provides the candidate with

information on how to arrive properly

prepared to sit for the exam:

• . .Candidates must arrive on time. 

Any candidate arriving late will

be refused entrance to the exam

room and any exam fees will be

forfeited.

• . .Facilities or accommodations for

disabled exam candidatesshould be

described along with a description

of allowable special accommodations and the procedure to request

special accommodations. All

special accommodations requests

must be made and approved prior

to exam day.

• . .A description of the type(s) of

positive identification/photo

identification document that each

candidate must bring to the exam

site. (See Positive Identification of 

Candidates.)

• . .A description of materials which

a candidate must bring to the

exam session. For example, if the

candidate is required to supply the

writing instruments, the number

and type should be specified (e.g.,

two No. 2 pencils.).

• . .If an exam requires mathematical

calculations and the candidate is

permitted to bring into the exam

room an electronic calculator, the

types of permissible calculators

should be described. For example,

a non-printing, battery or solar

powered, electronic calculator

may be permitted.

• . .A list of materials and items prohibited from the exam room and

a warning that possession or use

of any of these materials or items

in the exam room will result in

the immediate disqualification

of the candidate, failure of the

examination and dismissal from

the exam room. (See Permitted/

Prohibited Items.)

• . .Aseparate notice that prohibited

materials include any type of

writing pad, loose leaf binder,

notebook, or other source of

scratch paper. If the use of scratch

paper is permitted during an exam

session, it will be provided by the

proctor or exam administrator. 

Candidates will be required to

record their name and other

identification information on the

scratch paper. All scratch paper,

including unused scratch paper,

must be returned to the proctor/

exam administrator at the conclusion of the exam.

• . .Candidates should be advised that

neither the pesticide program nor

the proctors/exam administrators

will be responsible for the loss or

damage of any personal property

and that prohibited items should

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15

be left at the candidate’s home,

hotel room, vehicle, or other

location, as appropriate.

• . .A description of appropriate

behavior including following all

instructions given by an exam

proctor/administrator and not

talking with other candidates while

the exam is in progress. Failure to

comply with any exam instructions or requirements, or giving or

receiving exam assistance will result

in disqualification of the candidate,

termination of the exam and dismissal from the exam room.

• . .Additional advice to candidates

may be included such as, “Do not

share the content of any exam with

others; this lowers the value of

your certification. Do not cheat or

use cheat sheets that teach to the

exam; this does not help you learn

the information needed to become

a competent applicator. Discourage

others from cheating and report

to the pesticide program any

instances of cheating or teaching

to the exam; this protects the value

of your certification.”

What Happens After 

the Exam

This section of the Exam Candidate 

Bulletin should include information

on scoring the exam, how successful

candidates will receive the certification

document, and how unsuccessful candidates can apply to retake the exam:

• . .The time frame for scoring the

exam and notifying candidates

of their respective scores. For

example, all candidates will be sent

their exam results by first class mail

within ten business days following

the exam date.

• . .For successful candidates, the

process and time frame for the

State Lead Agency to issue the

certification documents, as well as

any additional steps the candidate

may need to take.

• . .For unsuccessful candidates, the

policy and procedures for retaking

an exam, including information on

any limits on the number of exam

failures or waiting period between

exams.

How to Get More 

Information

The Exam Candidate Bulletin should

include the name and telephone number

or other contact information for the

person a candidate should contact with

questions or for further information.

Procedures at the Exam Site

The procedures to be followed at the

exam site represent guidelines for each

proctor/exam administrator to follow to

properly administer the exam.

Exam Room Environment

• . .The exam room should have an

adequate number of chairs and

desks or tables for registered

candidates. Consider appropriate

seating arrangement of candidates

and available furniture to facilitate

exam administration and to minimize opportunities for cheating.

• . .Heat, light and ventilation should

be adjusted as necessary to create

a comfortable exam room environment. Any distractions which

may interfere with the exam

session should be eliminated.

• . .Determine what other events in

the vicinity of the exam site may

interfere with conducting the

exam, particularly if the exam

is given on a weekend, and take

appropriate steps to minimize any

impact on the exam.

• . .Determine how best to accommodate candidates with physical

disabilities.

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Physical Security

• . .Security concerns arising out of

the events of 9/11 may prompt

proctors/exam administrators

to prohibit personal belongings

including backpacks, briefcases,

lunch bags, and similar items

from being stored in the exam

room whether in aisles, around

the perimeter of the room or

under candidate’s desk or table

space. Building security concerns

may result in any unattended

items left outside the exam room

being removed and disposed of by

security staff.

• . .Items such as exam admission

documents, photo identification

document and writing instruments

which are allowed in the exam

room should be on display on the

desk ortable where the candidate is

seated. Exam administrators may

want to take additional security

steps such as requiring candidates

to carry such materials in a clear

plastic bag of up to one gallon in

size. Candidates who insert or

remove items from their pockets

or clothing may risk disqualification for cheating.

Proctor/Exam 

Administrator 

Responsibilities before 

The Exam Begins 

Appropriate responsibilities for the

proctor/exam administrator before the

exam begins include:

• . .Proctors/exam administrators

and any support staff should

arrive at the exam site at least

30–60 minutes prior to the time

candidates have been directed to

report. 

• . .Bring to the exam session the

previously prepared roster of all

registered candidates which indicates which exam(s) each candidate

is scheduled to take. Use the exam

registration roster to ensure that

each candidate receives the proper

exam. The roster may also be used

as a checklist to help verify which

exams have been distributed and

which exams must be returned.

• . .If writing instruments are supplied, the proctors or exam

administrators should have an

adequate supply for scheduled

candidates.

• . .Write important notices and

reminders for candidates on a

blackboard or poster.

• . .Prepare all necessary exam materials for distribution.

• . .Control access to the exam room. 

No persons other than exam candidates, who possess a valid exam

admission document, and exam

proctoring and administration

personnel should be admitted to

the exam room or be allowed to be

present in the exam room during

the conduct or administration of

an exam.

• . .Do not allow prohibited materials

to be brought into the exam room

or allow exam materials to be

removed from the exam room.

• . .Use the procedures described

under Positive Identification of 

Candidates to positively identify

each candidate. Retain each

candidate’s photo identification

document until the exam materials

are turned in at the conclusion of

the exam.

• . .For exam sessions where more

than one person is present to

sit for an exam in the same type

or category, the proctor/exam

administrator should ensure that

candidates taking the same exam

are seated sufficiently far enough

apart to eliminate the possibility

of copying answers, unless multiple or scrambled versions of the

exam are used. In the latter case,

candidates seated next to each

other should not have the same

version of the exam.

• . .Provide candidates with the Exam 

Day Instructions for Candidates in

the following section.

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• . .Prior to issuing an exam booklet

to a candidate, a proctor/exam

administrator should inspect each

exam booklet to verify that it

does not contain any extraneous

markings or information of any

type other than the examination

and corresponding instructions. 

Marked, damaged or incomplete

exam booklets should not be

issued and should be secured for

appropriate destruction.

• . .Ripped, torn or spoiled exam

booklets, as well as used scratch

paper, should not be disposed of

at the exam site. Such materials

should be returned to the office

in a secure manner, shredded and

properly destroyed.

• . .Distribute exam materials immediately prior to starting the exam

and ensure that the proctors or

exam administrators hand the

appropriate exam booklet to each

candidate individually, one at a

time, to minimize opportunities

for theft of exams. Do not distribute exams by passing several

copies down a row of candidates. 

Do not allow candidates to pass

exam materials to other candidates. This may result in the theft

of exam booklets.

• . .If a candidate is taking more than

one exam during the session, distribute the exams one at a time. A

completed exam must be turned in

before the next exam is distributed. 

Use the exam roster to keep track

of such exams.

• . .When ready to begin the exam,

candidates should be instructed

to clear the desk/table tops of all

materials other than the exam

admission document, photo identification document and writing

instruments. All other materials

should be prohibited from the

exam room. Proctors/exam administrators may choose to review the

list and allow candidates to immediately remove any prohibited

materials from the exam room. 

Possession or use of such materials or devices once the exam has

begun should result in immediate

disqualification of the candidate,

termination of the exam and dismissal from the exam room. (See

Permitted/Prohibited Items.)

• . .Start all candidates on their exams

at the same time and note the

beginning time at the top of the

exam roster. 

Exam Day Instructions for 

Candidates

On exam day, candidates should be

provided the following information and

instructions:

• . .The exam is copyrighted and may

not be used or reproduced in any

mannerwithoutthe expresswritten

permission of the copyright holder,

that the exam booklets and answer

sheets may not be removed from

the exam room and that theft of

exam materials will be prosecuted

to the fullest extent possible.

• . .A general orientation to the exam

including whether it is written or

oral; open or closed-book; multiple

choice, true/false, or practical; the

number of questions on the exam;

the amount of time available

to complete the exam; and the

minimum passing score.

• . .Clear and concise instructions on

how to take the exam and how to

complete answer sheets or other

forms.

• . .A reminder that if a candidate

leaves the exam room during the

exam for any reason (for example,

to eat, drink or smoke) the candidate’s exam will be concluded

and all exam materials must be

returned before leaving the exam

room following required exam

check-out procedures.

• . .A review of the type(s) of positive

identification/photo identification

document that each candidate

must have in their possession to be

able to sit for the exam. Candidates

without the required positive

identification document will be

dismissed from the exam room.

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• . .A reminder of any other materials

which candidates may have in

their possession in the exam room. 

Instruct candidates as to what

materials or items may or may not

be on their desks/tables.

• . .Possession or use in the exam

room of any of the prohibited

materials or items described in the

Candidate Bulletin will immediately disqualify the candidate and

will result in termination of the

examination and dismissal from

the exam room. Proctors/exam

administrators may choose to

review the list and allow candidates to immediately remove any

prohibited materials from the

exam room.

• . .A statement concerning whether

or not scratch paper may be used

during the exam session. If scratch

paper may be used, it will be

provided by the proctor or exam

administrator. Candidates will be

required to record their name and

other identification information

on the scratch paper. All scratch

paper, including unused scratch

paper, must be returned to a

proctor/exam administrator at the

conclusion of the exam.

• . .Neither the pesticide program nor

the proctors/exam administrators

will be responsible for the loss or

damage of any personal property

brought to the exam room or the

exam site.

• . .A description of appropriate

behavior including following all

instructions given by an exam

proctor/administrator and not

talking with other candidates

while the exam is in progress. 

Failure to comply with any exam

instructions or requirements, or

giving or receiving exam assistance will result in disqualification

of the candidate, termination of

the exam and dismissal from the

exam room.

• . .A reminder that candidates are

not permitted to seek help from

a proctor/exam administrator to

interpret an exam question, and that

a proctor/exam administrator will

not provide this type of assistance.

• . .Adescription ofthe required checkout procedures the candidate must

follow when the exam is completed. 

For example, candidates should

remain seated until they complete

their examinations. When the

exam is completed, the candidate

should raise a hand and wait for

a proctor/exam administrator to

collect all exam materials, return

the candidate’s photo identification

document and dismiss the candidate from the exam room. The

candidate must promptly exit the

exam room when directed to leave. 

Leaving the exam room without

following check-out procedures

will result in disqualification of the

candidate, termination of the exam

and dismissal from the exam room. 

(See Check-out Procedures at the 

Conclusion of the Exam.)

• . .Refer candidates to the Exam

Candidate Bulletin for details on

the time frame for scoring the

exam and notifying candidates of

their respective scores, the process

and time frame for the State

Lead Agency to issue the certification documents to successful

candidates, and, for unsuccessful

candidates, the policy and procedures for retaking an exam,

including information on any

limits on the number of exam

failures or waiting period between

exams.

• . .Print all personal information and

other required information on the

answer sheets and other forms. If

scratch paper is used, each candidate should print the required

personal information on each

piece of scratch paper.

• . .Do not open the exam booklet

until told to do so.

• . .Do not rip, tear or mutilate exam

booklets, write in or on any exam

booklet, or remove an exam

booklet or any part of it from the

exam room.

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Sample Exam Day Instructions for 

Candidates may be found in Appendix B.

Positive Identification of 

Candidates

Prior to receiving any exam materials (exam booklet, answer sheet, etc.)

each candidate should be required to

temporarily surrender, to the proctor/

exam administrator, his or her valid,

government-issued, photo identification document. Acceptable photo

identification documents include a

driver’s license (or a non-driver photo

identification document issued by a

state motor vehicle agency), passport or

immigration green card. The driver’s

license or non-driver photo identification document should be issued by

the examining state or, in the case of a

reciprocity exam, the home state of the

candidate. This is an important security

step to positively identify each candidate. In addition, by holding the photo

identification document until all exam

materials (booklets, answer sheets, etc.)

are returned it is easy to identify who

may have taken any exam materials not

turned in at the end of the exam.

Proctor/Exam 

Administrator 

Responsibilities after the 

Exam Begins

Appropriate responsibilities for the

proctor/exam administrator after the

exam begins include:

• . .Check to ensure that no two

candidates taking the same exam

are sitting close enough to one

another to present an opportunity

for cheating.

• . .If a candidate is scheduled to take

more than one exam during the

session, distribute the exams one

at a time. A completed exam and

related exam materials must be

turned in before the next exam is

distributed. Use the exam roster to

keep track of such exams.

• . .Circulate around the room during

the exam. Be obvious in watching

candidates during the exam to

discourage talking or cheating. In

the event a candidate is found to

be talking or cheating, follow procedures for disqualification of the

candidate, termination of the exam

and dismissal from the exam room.

• . .Confiscate any unauthorized

scratch paper and follow procedures

for disqualification of the candidate,

termination of the exam and dismissal from the exam room.

• . .Ensure that no study materials

or cheat sheets are present or in

use. Confiscate any such materials

found and follow procedures for

disqualification of the candidate,

termination of the exam and dismissal from the exam room.

• . .Ensure that no candidate gives

or receives any form of written

or oral assistance in selecting or

determining answers to exam

questions.

• . .Ensure that candidates do not write

their answers in the exam booklet. 

All marks are to be made on the

answer sheet or scratch paper.

• . .Do not answer candidate questions concerning an exam item or

provide any information as to the

appropriateness of any answer.

• . .Do not read an exam item aloud

or translate an exam item into

another language.

• . .Do not allow a candidate to leave

the exam room without concluding

the exam for that candidate and

retrieving all exam materials,

including scratch paper.

• . .Do not leave the exam room unattended for any reason.

• . .Stop the exam once the maximum

allowed time has expired. Note the

ending time at the top of the exam

roster.

• . .Follow the Check-out Procedures 

at the Conclusion of the Exam.

• . .Prepare any exam materials which

are ripped, torn, damaged or

spoiled, as well as all used scratch

paper for return to the office in

a secure manner to be shredded

and properly destroyed. No exam

SUGGESTED CONTENT for a state, tribal or territorial EXAM ADMINISTRATION AND SECURITY PROCEDURES MANUAL 19

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Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

materials should be discarded in a

wastebasket or trash container at

the exam site.

Cheating

Any evidence of cheating will

automatically disqualify the candidate

and will result in the failure of the exam

and dismissal from the exam room. If a

candidate is to be accused of cheating

or removed from the exam room for

cheating, the evidence should be clear

and convincing and likely to withstand

challenge.

Check-out Procedures 

at the Conclusion of 

the Exam

When a candidate has finished an

exam or at the conclusion of the exam,

the candidate must follow established

check-out procedures. A candidate must

not be allowed to leave the exam room

until after all check-out procedures

have been completed for his or her

exam materials. Since a number of candidates may complete the exam at the

same time, secure adequate check-out

staff to avoid backlogs. A proctor/exam

administrator must individually checkout each candidate and should:

• . .Verify that the name on the candidate’s answer sheet and any other

required form matches the name

on the candidate’s photo identification document and that the

candidate information on exam

materials is complete and legible.

• . .Verify that the answers on the

answer sheet are legible.

• . .Confirm that all exam materials

including exam booklet, answer

sheet and all scratch paper have

been returned.

• . .Count the exam booklet pages to

verify that none are missing.

• . .If all is in order, return the

candidate’s photo identification

document. This should always

be the last step in the process. In

the event of problems or missing

materials, the proctor/exam

administrator will still possess the

photo identification document of

the offending individual.

Security

Pesticide certification exams

are considered high stakes exams. 

Consequently,security remains a critical

consideration with remote testing and

on-line exams. Remote testing through

the use of on-line exams requires that

the exams be delivered in a secure environment with on-site proctors or exam

administrators. All of the considerations

discussed above apply to remote testing

through the use of on-line exams. In

addition, good Internet security and

password protections are critical.

Exam Item Security

When exam items are loaded on

an end user’s local area network, access

to the exam items must be controlled

through appropriate use of user IDs and

passwords and encrypted data transportation. When an exam is delivered

over the Internet, all exam items should

remain encrypted until they are actually

displayed to the candidate. The delivery

of exam items should use software that

eliminates the possibility of making

screen prints or otherwise capturing

the exam items in any manner.

Recording Exam Results

Candidate responses should be

automatically recorded as each exam

item is completed. If the system

crashes or the exam must otherwise

be restarted, the candidate should be

able to pick up the exam where it was

interrupted. If the final results of the

exam are transmitted over the Internet,

similar security steps must be taken to

maintain the integrity of the exam.

 Special Considerations for Remote Testing and

On-Line Exams

20

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Special thanks in the preparation of

this manual go to the CTAG Pesticide

Safety Workgroup and the Subgroup

on Testing Issues members: David

Duncan, CA, Subgroup Leader; Carl

Martin, AZ; Pat O’Connor-Marer, CA;

Jeanne Heying, EPA; Pat Hipkins, VA;

Bob McKenna, US Army; Al Muench,

EPA Consultant; Vivianne Servant,

Canada; Dean Herzfeld, MN; Andrew

Thostenson, ND; and Diana Roll,

OH. In addition, thanks to Elizabeth

Braxton, FL; Carl Rew, IN; Kathy

Dictor, VA; and Colleen Hudak-Wise,

NC who shared their current procedures for exam administration and

security and who served on the review

panel for this manual.

Special Thanks

CTAG welcomes your comments

and suggestions. If your exam procedures vary significantly from these

recommendations, if you would like to

recommend additional procedures, or if

your circumstances make one or more

recommendation difficult or impossible,

please send a note to Michelle DeVaux

at devaux.michelle@epa.gov so we can

continue to improve this manual.

How to Improve this Manual

Special thanks • how to improve this manual 21

Exam Admin Manual_combined.indd 21 7/27/06 4:13:44 PM
Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

Notes

22

Exam Admin Manual_combined.indd 22 7/27/06 4:13:45 PM
Appendix A: 

Sample Exam Candidate Bulletin

The purpose of this Exam Candidate

Bulletin is to provide each candidate,

in advance of the exam, with general

information and instructions concerning the exam.

purpose

Note: Each State, Tribe or Territory may use this Sample Exam Candidate Bulletin as a 

template for producing its own Bulletin. Underlined material should be changed, as necessary, based on your specific requirements.

information about the exam

Your Exam(s)

You are scheduled to take the following exam(s):

Core Exam

Ornamental and Turf 

Category Exam

Your exam date is:

9:00 a.m. on Saturday,

October 16, 2004

Your exam location is:

City Library, Room 201,

175 Main Street, Crystal City, VA

(This section may be omitted if the candidate 

has already been given information on the 

exam or exams for which the candidate has 

registered, as well as the time, date and 

location of the exam or exams.)

Exam Security

Each of our pesticide applicator

certification exams is copyrighted and

may not be used or reproduced in any

manner without the expressed written

permission of the Commissioner of the

State Department of Agriculture.

You may not keep any exam materials after the exam. No exam booklets,

answer sheets or other exam materials

may be removed from the exam room. 

We will prosecute the theft of exam

materials to the fullest extent possible. 

Recording Your Answers

The answer sheet for each exam

is machine readable. You must use a

Number 2 pencil to completely fill in the

circle corresponding to your selection

as the answer for each question. More

detailed instructions for completing the

answer sheet will be given to you on

exam day.

Passing Score

Each exam for which you are registered will be a written, closed-book

exam. Each exam will consist of ninety

(90) multiple choice questions and you

will have up to two (2) hours to complete each exam. The minimum passing

APpendix a: sample exam candidate bulletin 23

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24 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

score is 75%. To achieve the minimum

passing score you must correctly answer

at least 68 questions on each exam.

If you are registered to take the

core exam and one or more category

or private applicator exams, you must

pass the core exam before we will score

other exams.

Arrive On Time

You must arrive on time. If you

arrive after the exam proctor begins

giving the instructions to candidates

you will not be admitted to the exam

room.

You should come to the exam room

prepared to remain until the conclusion

of the exam. If you leave the exam

room during the exam for any reason

(for example, to eat, drink or smoke)

your exam will be concluded and all

exam materials must be returned. 

Before leaving the exam room you must

follow the required exam check-out

procedures which are described later

in this Bulletin. (If you are scheduled

to take more than one exam, you may

be allowed to leave the exam room

between exams.)

Special Accommodations

The exam site is handicapped

accessible. If you feel you need special

accommodations pursuant to the

Americans With Disabilities Act, you

must document and submit your request

in writing so that it is received by the

Commissioner of the State Department

of Agriculture not less than twenty-one

(21) days prior to the date of your exam. 

We will notify you before exam day if

your request is approved or disapproved.

Items You Must Bring to 

the Exam

Prior to receiving any exam

materials (exam booklet, answer sheet,

scratch paper, etc.) you will be required

to bring to the exam and to temporarily surrender to an exam proctor

your valid, government issued, photo

identification document. Acceptable

photo identification documents include

a driver’s license (or a non-driver photo

identification document), passport or

immigration green card. The driver’s

license or non-driver photo identification document must be issued by our

State Department of Motor Vehicles or,

in the case of a reciprocity exam, by the

Department of Motor Vehicles in your

state of residence. Your photo identification document will be returned to

you at the end of the exam after you

have completed the required check-out

procedures. 

You must also bring to the exam at

least two Number 2 pencils.

Items You May Not Bring 

to the Exam

Do not bring any of the following

items to the exam:

• . .Any books, study or training

materials, or review notes.

• . .Any type of writing pad, loose

leaf binder, notebook, or other

source of paper. (If the use of

scratch paper is allowed during

an exam session, it will be provided by an exam proctor.)

• . .A calculator or any type of

electronic device (computer, personal digital assistant or PDA,

camera, radio, recording device)

or any device capable of sending,

receiving or storing information

or communicating with others.

• . .Any pager, cell phone and other

communication device.

Possession or use of any of these

items in the exam room will result in

your immediate disqualification, failure

of your exam and dismissal from the

exam room.

Neither the pesticide program nor

any exam proctor will be responsible

for the loss or damage of any personal

property. Prohibited items should be

left at your home, hotel room, vehicle,

or other location, as appropriate.

taking the exam

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Instructions Given by an 

Exam Proctor

You are expected to follow all

instructions given by an exam proctor. 

Failure to comply with any exam instructions or requirements may result in your

disqualification, failure of your exam and

dismissal from the exam room.

Cheating

Do not talk with other candidates

while the exam is in progress or give

or receive any type of exam assistance. 

Any evidence of cheating will result in

your immediate disqualification, failure

of your exam and dismissal from the

exam room.

You may not seek help from an

exam proctor to interpret an exam

question. An exam proctor will not

provide this type of assistance. 

Challenging an Exam 

Question

All exam questions have been

professionally prepared and reviewed. 

If, however, you wish to challenge an

exam question, you should contact the

Commissioner of the State Department

ofAgriculture and ask for anApplication

to Challenge a Pesticide Applicator

Exam Question. You will not be allowed

to review your exam to prepare a challenge to an exam question.

You must remain seated until you complete your exam. When you complete

your exam, you should raise a hand and

wait for an exam proctor to collect all of

your exam materials, return your photo

identification document and dismiss you

from the exam room. You must promptly

exit the exam room when directed to

leave. Leaving the exam room without

following these check-out procedures

will result in your disqualification and

termination of the exam. You will not

be allowed to re-enter the exam room. 

If you leave the exam room with any

exam materials, including scratch paper,

we will prosecute the theft to the fullest

extent possible. 

25

required check-out procedures

Your Exam Score(s)

You will be notified of your score

on each exam by first class mail within

ten (10) business days following your

exam date.

If You Pass Your Exam(s)

(Describe the process and time

frame for the State Lead Agency to issue

certification documents to a successful

candidate, as well as any additional

steps the candidate may need to take to

become certified.)

If You Fail Your Exam(s)

(Describe the policy and procedures for retaking an exam, including

information on any limits on the

number of exam failures or any waiting

period between exams.)

what happens after the exam?

If you have any questions regarding

the exam process, please contact (Name

of Contact) at (Telephone Number)

during normal business hours.

how to get more information

APpendix a: sample exam candidate bulletin

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26 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

Do not share the content of any exam

with others; this lowers the value of

your certification. Do not cheat or use

cheat sheets that teach to the exam; this

does not help you learn the information

needed to become a competent applicator. Discourage others from cheating

and report to the Commissioner of the

State Department of Agriculture any

instances of cheating or teaching to the

exam; this protects the value of your

certification.

final advice

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Appendix B: 

Sample Exam Day Instructions

for Candidates

Note: Each State, Tribe or Territory may 

use these Sample Exam Day Instructions for 

Candidates as a template for producing its 

own Exam Day Instructions. These Sample 

Instructions are a companion to the Sample 

Exam Candidate Bulletin. The text may be 

changed based on the specific requirements 

of the state, tribe or territory. Underlined 

material should be changed, as necessary, 

based on your specific requirements.

Important informat ion and

instructions need to be conveyed to all

candidates at the exam site before the

exam begins. The following material

is a guide for exam proctors to use to

convey the information and instructions to candidates:

Instructions From Exam 

Proctors

You must follow these instructions

and all other instructions given by an

exam proctor. Failure to comply with

any exam instructions or requirements

may result in your disqualification,

termination of your exam and dismissal

from the exam room.

Positive Identification

To be eligible to take your

scheduled exam(s) you must have with

you a valid, government issued, photo

identification document. Acceptable

photo identification documents include

a driver’s license (or a non-driver photo

identification document), passport or

immigration green card. The driver’s

license or non-driver photo identification document must be issued by our

State Department of Motor Vehicles or,

if you are taking a reciprocity exam,by

the Department of Motor Vehicles

in your state of residence. Prior to

receiving any exam materials (exam

booklet, answer sheet, scratch paper,

etc.) you will be required to temporarily

surrender your photo identification to

the exam proctor. The exam proctor

will inspect your photo identification

and your applicator certification documents to verify your identity. Your

photo identification document will be

returned to you at the end of the exam

after you have completed the required

check-out procedures which will be

described in a moment.

Candidates without the required

positive identification document will

not be allowed to take any exam and

must leave the exam room now.

Items You May Not Have 

With You in the Exam 

Room

You may not have any of the following items with you in the exam

room:

• . .Any books, study or training

materials, or review notes.

• . .Any type of writing pad, loose

leaf binder, notebook, or other

source of paper.

APpendix B: sample exam day instructions for candidates 27

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28 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

• . .A calculator or any type of

electronic device (computer, personal digital assistant or PDA,

camera, radio, recording device)

or any device capable of sending,

receiving or storing information

or communicating with others.

• . .Any pager, cell phone and other

communication device.

If you have any ofthese itemsin your

possession, please remove them from the

exam room now. Otherwise, possession

or use of any of these items in the exam

room will result in your immediate disqualification, failure of your exam and

dismissal from the exam room.

Neither the pesticide program nor

any exam proctor will be responsible

for the loss or damage of any of your

personal property.

Exams Are Copyrighted

Each of our pesticide applicator

certification exams is copyrighted and

may not be used or reproduced in any

manner without the expressed written

permission of the Commissioner of the

State Department of Agriculture.

You may not keep any exam materials after the exam. No exam booklets,

answer sheets or other exam materials, including scratch paper, may be

removed from the exam room. We will

prosecute the theft of exam materials to

the fullest extent possible. 

Type of Exam

Each exam for which you are registered will be a written, closed-book

exam. Each exam will consist of ninety

(90) multiple choice questions and you

will have up to two (2) hours to complete each exam. The minimum passing

score is 75%. To achieve the minimum

passing score you must correctly answer

at least 68 questions on each exam.

If you are registered to take the

core exam and one or more category

or private applicator exams, you must

pass the core exam before we will score

other exams.

When exam materials are distributed, make certain you receive the

correct exam for which you registered.

Scratch Paper

If scratch paper is to be used:

• . .Scratch paper will be allowed

for this exam. One (1) sheet of

scratch paper will be distributed

by an exam proctor to each candidate. You may not use your

own scratch paper

If scratch paper is not to be used:

• . .No scratch paper may be used

for this exam.

You May Not Return If 

You Leave During An 

Exam

You should be prepared to remain

in the exam room until the conclusion

of the exam. If you leave the exam room

during the exam for any reason (for

example, to eat, drink or smoke) your

exam will be concluded and all exam

materials must be returned. Before

leaving the exam room you must follow

the required exam check-out procedures

which will be described in a moment. 

Once you leave, you will not be allowed

back into the exam room. (If you are

scheduled to take more than one exam,

you may be allowed to leave the exam

room between exams.)

Cheating

Do not talk with other candidates

while the exam is in progress or give or

receive any type of exam assistance.

Any evidence of cheating, including

giving or receiving information or

talking during an exam, will result in

your immediate disqualification, failure

of your exam and dismissal from the

exam room.

You may not seek help from an

exam proctor to interpret an exam

question. An exam proctor will not

provide this type of assistance. 

Check-out Procedures

You must remain seated until

you complete your exam. When you

complete your exam, you should raise

a hand and wait for an exam proctor

to collect all of your exam materials,

return your photo identification document and dismiss you from the exam

Exam Admin Manual_combined.indd 28 7/27/06 4:14:01 PM
room. You must promptly exit the exam

room when directed to leave. Leaving

the exam room without following these

check-out procedures will result in

your disqualification and termination

of your exam. You will not be allowed

to re-enter the exam room. If you leave

the exam room with any exam materials, including scratch paper, we will

prosecute the theft to the fullest extent

possible. 

Other Information

Please refer to your Exam

Candidate Bulletin for details on the

time frame for scoring the exam and

notifying candidates of their respective

scores; the process and time frame

for the Commissioner of the State

Department of Agriculture to issue

certification documents to successful

candidates; and, for unsuccessful candidates, the policy and procedures for

retaking an exam.

Distribution of Exam 

Materials

(Exam materials should not be

distributed until after each candidate’s

identity has been verified and the

photo identification document is collected. Exam booklets, answer sheets

and scratch paper, if used, should be

personally distributed, one at a time, to

each candidate and should not be passed

down a row of candidates.)

Do not open the exam booklet

until you are told to do so.

Do not rip, tear or mutilate any

exam booklet, write in or on any exam

booklet, or remove any exam booklet,

answer sheet or scratch paper, or any

part of any exam materials from the

exam room. We will prosecute the theft

of exam materials to the fullest extent

possible.

Recording Your Answers

Give candidates clear and concise

instructions on how to properly complete the answer sheet or other forms. 

For example:

Record your name and certification identification number at the top

of the answer sheet for each exam. The

answer sheet is machine readable. You

must use a Number 2 pencil to completely fill in the circle corresponding

to your selection as the answer for each

question.

Print all personal information

and other required information on

the answer sheets and other forms. If

scratch paper is used, you must print

your name and certification identification number at the top of each piece

of scratch paper.

APpendix B: sample exam day instructions for candidates 29

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30 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

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Appendix C: 

Accommodating Persons with Visual

Impairments in Federally Assisted State

Training and Certification Programs

for Pesticide Application

Is there a federal standard with regard 

to accommodating persons with disabilities, including those with visual 

impairments?

Yes. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973

(Rehab Act), EPA’s regulations implementing the act, and related case law

require that persons with disabilities,

who are otherwise qualified, not be

excluded from federally assisted state

programs pesticide application training

and certification programs if they can

perform the essential functions of the

training and certification examinations

with reasonable accommodation of their

disabilities.

What is accommodation? 

The adjustment or assistance with

which a qualified person with a disability

can perform the essential functions of a

program. The nature of the accommodation should be determined by means

of an interactive process between the

program and the person with a disability.

What is reasonable accommodation?

One that does not impose an

undue hardship. Since most accommodations are not expensive, however,

mere cost usually will not constitute

undue hardship. EPA is implementing

regulations set forth factors to consider

in determining hardship.

What if a person cannot safely participate in training or testing safely 

even with accommodation? 

The person must be able to perform

the essential functions of the training

and testing. When application of toxic

substances is involved in a particular

certification program, safety does

become a consideration. It is an essential

function of participation in the training

and testing that the person be able to

apply the substances safely. The Rehab

Act does not require a state to permit

persons to participate in a certification

program when their participation

would pose a danger to themselves or to

others.

What if it does not appear that a person 

with a disability will be able to work as an 

applicator, even if they can complete a certification program with accommodation? 

Whether such a person will be able

to work as a pesticide applicator, even

with accommodation, is a live question. 

But it is a separate matter from whether

accommodation can be provided to

enable the person to participate in a

certification program, and legally may

not enter into this determination.

Where can I obtain information on 

accommodation of visual impairments?

There are many available options,

APpendix c: accommodating persons with visual impairments 31

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32 Examination Administration and Security Procedures Manual

depending on whether a person’s

visual impairment is partial or complete, whether print magnification

or adjustment of lighting or glare is

helpful, whether a person will benefit

from different optical devices, whether

a reader or scribe is necessary, etc. 

An excellent source of more detailed

information on this subject is the Job

Accommodation Network (JAN) web

site at a service ofthe Office of Disability

Employment Policy of the United

States Department of Labor. JAN’s

“Work-site Accommodation Ideas for

Individuals with Vision Impairments”

can accessed directly at http://www.jan.

wvu.edu/media/Sight.html. Questions

may be directed to EPA’s Persons with

Disabilities Employment Program

Manager at (202) 564-7284.

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