January 22, 2021
This information is to update and add to the information that has already been shared regarding to the entry to practice exam. You can see the information already shared here:
Registrants who were expecting to write the registration exam in February will have heard from COMPASS and Yardstick that this extra exam sitting has been cancelled due to the provincial stay at home order.
Context
In the past, approximately 350 registrants have written the exam per sitting, over the two annual sittings we have traditionally held. The pass rate has consistently hovered around 84%.
The April 2020 exam sitting was cancelled by COMPASS because Ontario was under an emergency order and venues were not permitted to open. To make up for this, 2 extra days were added to the October sitting; however, restrictions on room occupancy due to COVID, combined with high demand, prevented some registrants from writing. Yardstick also had difficulty ensuring availability of proctors, due to workplace restrictions.
Questions and Answers
What does this mean for RP (Qualifying) registrants?
There is a requirement in the provincial registration regulation regarding exam writing. This regulation limits CRPO’s courses of action. We understand that RP (Qualifying) registrants who have only the exam requirement remaining to transfer categories may be frustrated that they are currently unable to do so. To be clear, maintaining the RP (Qualifying) status does not prevent a registrant from working. We are aware that there are issues related to employer concerns and third-party insurance payments. We will post more information regarding how RP (Qualifying) registrants may address these issues.
In the meantime, we are putting as much flexibility into registration timelines as we can. We are granting extensions to a deadline of two years for registrants to make their first attempt at writing the exam, and the 5-year window in which to pass the exam. We will continue to grant these extensions until we are at normal capacity for exam sittings. The Examination Committee is granting these requests automatically.
Moreover, flexibility in clinical supervision has already been approved by the Registration Committee, specifically:
- If an RP (Qualifying) registrant has enough clinical experience hours to transfer to RP but was unable to sit for the exam due to pandemic restrictions, the RP (Qualifying) registrant may reduce the frequency with which they receive clinical supervision to a ratio of approximately one hour of clinical supervision for every ten hours of direct client contact.
- If an RP (Qualifying) registrant has enough clinical experience hours for independent practice (which is achieved when a full RP registrant has successfully completed 1,000 DCC hours and 150 hours of clinical supervision) but was unable to sit for the exam due to pandemic restrictions, the RP (Qualifying) registrant may receive clinical supervision on an as-needed basis determined by the RP (Qualifying) registrant and their clinical supervisor.
CRPO continues to monitor the COVID situation and urges registrants to abide by public health directives to ensure their safety and that of the public.
Q: Were candidates who requested accommodations denied seats because of their needs?
A: As with exam offerings under normal circumstances, every attempt was made to meet the needs of candidates who requested accommodations. In October, the restrictions did make some accommodations more difficult to offer (e.g., one on one readers were not available because of physical distancing requirements, there were fewer rooms that met space requirements and fewer proctors were available overall). Going forward, efforts will continue to be made to provide accommodations.
Q: Is the exam going to be offered remotely?
A: Because of the simulation-based nature of the exam, COMPASS has advised CRPO that Yardstick’s proctoring software cannot currently be used to offer the exam remotely. CRPO has asked COMPASS to further explore other technological solutions; once one is available, CRPO expects it will be offered.
Q: When will the dates be finalized for the new sittings?
A: COMPASS and Yardstick are working to secure 3 dates in April and 3 dates in May. CRPO has also asked for extra days in October. The dates have not been finalized yet but will be publicized as soon as they are confirmed. The volume of people who may attend the spring sittings will likely be subject to COVID-19 restrictions, such as the number of people permitted indoors.
Q: Who can I contact with questions?
A: If you booked a seat in 2020 or for February 2021 and your seat was cancelled, you can contact COMPASS (info@compassexams.ca) with questions about priority status, accommodations, or next steps. If you have questions about refunds or test centre locations, you can contact Yardstick (testingsupport@getyardstick.com). If your questions are about the regulatory side of things, such as supervision or extensions to deadlines, then contact info@crpo.ca. Frequently asked questions about eligibility to write the exam, the sign-up process, exam resources, etc. are available on the Exam page of CRPO’s website. If CRPO receives questions for COMPASS or Yardstick, we pass the question along to the right person.