Approved By:	APSE Board of Directors
Changes Must be Authorized By:	APSE Board of Directors
Approval Date:	May 9, 2011
Revision Date(s):	July 27, 2020
Date Last Reviewed:	October 25, 2024

ESPCC Authority

The ESPCC has been established to develop, oversee and administer the CESP credential program. The ESPCC serves as an independent and autonomous committee within APSE with respect to the development, evaluation, and administration of all CESP credential program
policies and decisions related to certification eligibility, recertification, examination development and administration, budget development consistent with APSE policies, and program planning. ESPCC members, as individuals, have no authority over CESP credential program matters, except as authorized by action of the ESPCC.

All policies and procedures for the CESP credential program are determined and approved by the ESPCC and reported to the APSE Board of Directors. CESP policies and procedures specifically designated “Changes Must Be Authorized by: APSE Board of Directors”, must be approved by the APSE Board of Directors prior to implementation.

ESPCC Roles and Responsibilities

The ESPCC is solely responsible for all essential decisions related to the development, administration, and ongoing maintenance of the CESP credential program. While the ESPCC may delegate ongoing program operations to employees and/or sub-contractors as needed, these areas of policy level decision-making responsibility may not be subcontracted to any other organization or entity. The credential decisions for which the ESPCC is responsible include:

1. Establishing the policies and procedures for granting the credential, including eligibility requirements.
2. Establishing the policies and procedures for maintaining the credential, including recertification requirements.
3. Defining, expanding and/or reducing the scope of the CESP credential program.
4. Establishing policies and procedures for suspending or withdrawing the CESP credential, including the oversight of all disciplinary investigations and actions related to CESP credential holders.
5. Developing, maintaining, administering, and scoring the CESP examinations in a manner consistent with generally accepted psychometric practices to ensure that the examination is reasonably valid and reliable.
6. Establishing and enforcing an ethical code for individuals holding the CESP credential.
7. Proposing a budget for the operation of the credential program to the APSE Board of Directors and managing credential program operations within the established budget and financial policy.
8. Providing oversight of qualified personnel.
9. Providing oversight to any committees as needed (see Committee Roles and Responsibilities policy).
10. Establishing and implementing policies and procedures for the CESP credential program.

Limitations

The authority of the ESPCC is limited to the authority granted in the APSE Bylaws and by the APSE Board of Directors. The APSE Board of Directors is responsible for general oversight of the ESPCC and CESP credential program to ensure that the program remains compliant with APSE Bylaws and policy and procedure requirements and consistently implements ESPCC policies and procedures.

The ESPCC does not have the authority to create a deficit budget, to manage outside of the approved budget, or to approve significant negative impact on APSE without prior approval of the APSE Board of Directors.

The ESPCC shall not establish policies related to the development or delivery of educational content designed to prepare individuals to take CESP credential examination.

During their term(s) of service, members of the ESPCC will not participate in the development or delivery of any educational program designed or intended to prepare individuals to take the CESP credential examination.

Members of the ESPCC that participate in creating and/or reviewing content for the examination, including serving as item writers and/or item reviewers, may be subject to additional restrictions as established in these policies and procedures.