64B-1.008. Grading of Examinations; Grade Notification.

(1) Grading of all examinations shall be processed as follows:

(a) National examinations shall be graded solely and exclusively by the national examination provider or its contract provider.

(b) Department-developed practical or clinical or computer-based testing examinations shall be graded by the department or its contract provider. The department or its contract provider shall review any statistically questionable items for psychometric soundness via the item analysis after the examination has been administered. Based upon this review and/or the examination consultant’s recommendations, the department or its contract provider shall adjust the scoring key by rejecting psychometrically unsound questions, crediting for more than one correct answer, or giving partial credit for any question or procedure which does not adequately and reliably measure the applicant’s ability to practice the profession. The department or its contract provider shall calculate each candidate’s grade utilizing the scoring key, or adjusted scoring key if applicable, and shall provide each candidate a grade report.

(2) If there are additional adjustments to the scoring key due to mechanical or clerical miscalculations after the grades have been provided for a particular examination, amended grade reports shall be provided to all candidates whose status changes due to the adjustment unless the candidate has taken and passed a subsequent administration of the examination.

(3) Examinations developed for the department or by a professional testing entity other than a national examination provider shall be graded by that testing entity or by its contract provider.

(4) The department or its contract provider shall notify the candidate of the results of the candidate’s examination no later than 60 days after the examination date except when the grades are computed by or for a national organization responsible for a national examination in Florida. In the case of a national examination, the grades shall be posted on the Examination Services website at http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/Exam/index.htm or sent to the candidate no later than 30 days after the department’s receipt of the grades from the national examination provider.

(5) The department shall inform each passing candidate of the candidate’s status and provide necessary instructions for the receipt of a license.

(6) Any candidate failing to receive a passing score on a licensure or certification examination shall be notified of the requirements for re-examination. For department-developed examinations, failing candidates shall also receive information regarding post-examination review and election of hearing rights. Candidates must wait at least 30 days after an examination before they can re-examine.

(8) Computer-based testing examinations developed by or for the department may include pilot test or experimental questions for the purpose of evaluating the statistical and psychometric qualities of new or revised questions prior to their use in an examination.

(a) Pilot test or experimental questions will not be identified to the candidates as pilot test questions on the examination.

(b) The maximum number of pilot test questions included on an examination form shall not exceed 20 percent of the number of scored questions on the examination or ten questions, whichever is greater.

(c) Pilot test questions shall not be counted toward the candidate’s score on the examination. Answers to pilot test questions shall not be subject to review by the candidates during the candidates’ post-examination review session.

Rulemaking Authority 456.004(5), 456.017 FS. Law Implemented 456.017(1), 456.017(2) FS. History–New 9-7-98, Amended 7-20-03, 9-30-09, 3-19-12, 11-5-14.