Licensure Issues

UPDATE 10/26/2014
Ron McCulley of FDEP updated the Board

In 2008, FDEP contracted with the ABC to administer Florida’s operator licensing exams, primarily for two reasons. First, Florida did not have a bank of water distribution questions at the time, and second, ABC had extensive experience with implementing and administering computer based testing. However, of the $100 exam fee charged in Florida, ABC took $93 and recently insisted on increasing that fee to $97.

At this point, FDEP has developed a considerable question bank of its own. Florida’s water distribution exam questions were pilot tested recently, and the results will be distributed to the Exam Committee members next month.

A bid solicitation for computer based testing is presently under review in FDEP’s contract office. In addition, the Certification Office is discussing cooperative computer based testing alternatives with other state agencies, and if such arrangements can be made, FDEP’s costs could decline dramatically. This will help keep exam fees low.

To increase access to testing sites, Mr. McCulley invited Board members to suggest other sites where paper and pencil exams could be offered under tightly controlled conditions until the CBT is back online..

Complete this form and fax back to FDEP in order to be scheduled for the October, November and December dates for the Paper and pencil examinations.

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wff/ocp/docs/OCP-Pencil%20PaperExamSchedulingForm.pdf

Please fax your completed form to: 850-245-8410.

FDEP’s contract with its computer based testing vendor expires on August 28, 2014. A new request for proposals is in process, but FDEP will suspend computer based testing in favor of paper and pencil format for the next four months or so.

During that time, weekly exams will be offered in Tallahassee, and one exam offered per month at one of the following locations; Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, and Tampa. A two-week turnaround projected for incoming exam application.

FDEP will distribute notices to affected parties, providing additional details, within the next few weeks.