Determining BACB Examination Content and Standards

The standards associated with high-stakes professional credentialing are well established in the field of testing and measurement and are well supported by antitrust, administrative, and contract law. These standards have evolved to assure that the scope of work for a field's practitioners is appropriately reflected in the content of credentialing examinations and that the means by which credentials are earned include practitioners and other stakeholders throughout all phases of the credentialing process. This article describes the procedures by which the content of credentialing examinations is determined. The certification programs administered by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board are used as an illustration throughout. The article also considers the implications of these procedures and mechanisms.