Exam Registration

Step 1. Registration & Payment

You can select your exam location/date along with the type of exam registration.  Upon payment you will be asked to then upload the required documents outlined below. Your exam registration includes a complimentary membership from the date you pass the exam to the end of the current fiscal year  (6/30) the exam was passed in. 

Only applicants who meet all the following conditions are approved to sit for the national examination.

Requirements (see Step 2 for specific documentation requirements)

A.    Be at least 25 years of age

B.    Complete a program acceptable to the Board in the field of educational diagnostic services at an educational institution approved by the Board or the equivalent as determined acceptable by the Board.

C.    Have a minimum of two years of full-time teaching experience. A service record can typically be acquired by the HR department. 

D.    Be certified by the applicant’s State of Licensure/Certification as an Educational Diagnostician, or the equivalent thereof, as determined by the Board (counseling, educational leadership, school psychology and speech/language pathology are not equivalent certifications). Upload a request to review other documentation under “other documentation” if a state license/certification is not offered in the state of employment. 

E.     Have two school years of full-time experience acceptable to the Board as an Educational Diagnostician. A service record can typically be acquired by the HR department. 

F.     Submit to the Board a completed application form prescribed by the Board and  other information as the Board may require. All documentation must be submitted in the proper “upload area” of the application for the documentation to be considered completed. 

G.    Comply with standards of conduct and competency adopted by the Board.

H.    Pay an examination fee set by the Board. This fee will cover certifying the validity of the application materials and the cost of administering  the exam.

I.      Demonstrate mastery of the examination at the standard for acceptable performance set by the Board.

Letters of reference

Two (2) letters of reference must be submitted using our online form: http://www.ncedonline.org/reference
One reference should be from a supervisor.

Application fee of $320.00

The application fee in the amount of $320.00, will be paid online upon checkout using the form above. If you need to pay by check you can contact the Exam Chair at exam.ncedonline.org. If the Board determines you are ineligible to take the NCED examination, your fee will be refunded to you minus the $30 processing fee. 

Documents must be sent no later than 60 days prior to the exam date.

There are no refunds offered to examinees who decide to withdraw his/her application. A  fee of $25.00 will be assessed for any returned checks.  If an examinee cannot attend the testing session they registered for, they have the option to move testing locations without a penalty as long as it is within a year from the date of the submitted application. After a year, the application fee will be forfeited and the applicant must reapply. 

► In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the NCED Board requests that individuals who are applying to take the NCED examination and who require accommodations related to an existing disability should submit their need for accommodations and supporting documentation as part of their application process. This request must be part of the initial application, unless there is an onset of need after the application is submitted.

Test Sites

  • Texas
  • Louisiana
  • New Jersey

 

After paying for your exam registration, you will be directed to upload the following documents here: http://www.ncedonline.org/exam-info/

1. Advanced degree in special education or related field
Documentation should include a copy of your advanced degree (master’s, educational
specialist, or doctorate) in special education or related field (e.g., Learning Disabilities,
Reading Specialist, etc.) and an official transcript which documents coursework in testing
and evaluation (achievement and IQ), curriculum and instruction, and an internship of substantial (100 or more
hours) activities in educational assessment and intervention.

2. State certification/licensure to practice educational assessment
Documentation should include a copy of your residence/employment state license or
certificate that is valid, current, and in a non-psychology area. Additionally, include
documents from your State Department of Education’s professional standards which
substantiate your right to practice educational assessment (achievement and cognitive), or a letter from your school
district that stipulates that educational assessment is a state- approved part of your professional role.

3. Professional teaching experience
Documentation of professional teaching experience of at least two (2) academic years or
equivalent is necessary. Teaching experience may include either general or special
education in a public or private setting. Employment/personnel records verifying your
classroom teaching experience, or a letter from a school district administrator will suffice.

4. Educational assessment experience
Documentation of certified professional educational assessment experience of at least two (2)
academic years or cumulative equivalent in a public and/or private setting is required.
Employment service records, letters verifying part/full-time testing service, etc. are
acceptable. Please note that teaching and assessment experience may not be
concurrent. Assessment experience must be in addition to teaching experience and
documented accordingly and be inclusive of both achievement and IQ testing.

5. Letters of reference
Two (2) letters of reference must be submitted online here: http://www.ncedonline.org/recommendation/

ALL DOCUMENTATION MUST BE SUBMITTED IN THE PROPER “UPLOAD” area to be reviewed. IT IS THE APPLICANTS RESPONSIBLITY TO CHECK THE STATUS OF THE APPLICATION. THOSE APPLICANTS APPROVED WILL RECEIVE NOTICE OF APPROVAL VIA EMAIL.

 

We do not offer a study guide for the exam. You will need to be proficient in the federal regulations of IDEA including eligibility criteria and legal requirements for IEPs and all related information. Please note it is federal regulations not state. You will also need to be proficient and current in assessment practices including test batteries, test interpretation, recommendations based on testing and the statistics (validity, reliability, percentile ranks etc…) related to special education assessment including intellectual, academic, and functional assessments. This includes the ability to make recommendations from assessments based on sound instructional theories and practices.

The test is in multiple choice format using both case studies and single question formats. It is a paper and pencil exam.

Understand this is not a study guide. It is not possible to give you the full breath of the exam, but we hope it gives you a start on your preparation