NBCC and CCE are pleased to share a service opportunity inviting counselors to positively transform the counseling profession. The Assessment Programs team at NBCC has established an Examination Sensitivity and Bias Review Committee, which will conduct ongoing reviews of assessments, assessment processes, and assessment data to help ensure that our examinations are fair and representative. This committee’s recommendations will ensure that NBCC and CCE assessment programs offer equal opportunity for success to candidates despite differences in personal demographic characteristics, including, but not limited to, ethnicity, gender, and native language. 

Standardized examinations have long faced scrutiny for cultural fairness and equity of opportunities for understanding and interpretation within test items. Ensuring that the validity of interpretation is consistent and fair across all demographic groups is a necessary facet of the cultural fairness of assessments and examinations. NBCC and CCE strive to ensure the cultural fairness of existing examination programs through the engagement of diverse staff and personnel in drafting examination items and materials and reviewing and revising all examinations. Additionally, review of test items and forms for trends across examinees by region, institution, and available demographic information has helped to ensure fairness and validity within items and forms.

This committee will help integrate the learned impact of culture and context on assessment performance into existing programs. They will examine potential method bias, test item interpretation, and the impact of culture and context on item performance and will regularly provide reports and recommendations to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and leadership of the Assessments Department. 

For those who are invested in equity and access within counseling, sharing your time and talents to strengthen fairness in counselor credentialing examination materials is one way to move the profession forward, and NBCC and CCE invite you to consider applying to serve as a member of the Examination Sensitivity and Bias Review Committee.

Committee Eligibility Requirements

Education: Committee members must hold a minimum of a master’s degree from a CACREP-accredited program or a counseling program in a regionally accredited institution. A doctoral degree is preferred. 

Certification and Licensure: Committee members must be in good standing with their respective credentials and licenses and must be licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate (LPCA), or a clinical mental health counselor for two or more years.

Representation: We seek committee members with expertise in cultural fairness and representation in standardized testing and who are representative of the complexity and diversity of the counseling profession.

Years of Experience: Committee members should have at least three years of professional service. 

Test Preparation Program Exclusions: Committee members shall not be involved in test prep or other educational preparation and/or required training for any NBCC examination (this does not limit an individual from the teaching or facilitation of counselor education regular coursework—this point is limited to examination preparatory seminars, classes, etc.).

Committee Service Responsibilities

Term: Committee members will serve the committee for a term of five years with a possibility of renewal for one more term.

Attendance: Attendance is expected at three to five committee meetings of varying length. In the first year, we expect three meetings to set review guidelines for item writers and examination review committees. Most meetings are held in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the NBCC conference center or online; however, we anticipate all meetings being held virtually into fall 2021 or as long as needed for safety related to COVID-19.

Nature of Work: The committee is expected to set guidelines for item writers and examination reviewers to handle bias at item and test development stages. The committee will review test items on an annual basis and will also make recommendations to the TAC, as appropriate, regarding examination processes to reduce potential method bias.

Confidentiality and Security Requirements: All committee members must agree to adhere to confidentiality and security compliance requirements.

How to Apply

In order to be considered for this role, please submit a copy of your current CV to itemwriter@nbcc.org. NBCC will review each individual’s qualifications, and invitations will be sent out on an individual basis to attend meetings. Time commitments can vary, and this position is voluntary. Meetings are held virtually as well as in the NBCC office in Greensboro, North Carolina. NBCC will cover travel and accommodation expenses during your trip. If you need additional information, please email itemwriter@nbcc.org.