CERTIFICATION
Each candidate who meets current ATR-BC application requirements and passes the examination for board-certification purposes will receive a certificate and will be allowed to designate himself or herself as a Board Certified Art Therapist (ATR-BC).
RETESTING
The ATCB allows candidates to retake the exam up to three (3) times in 12 months*. Individual states using the exam for licensure purposes may have further restrictions regarding re-testing for licensure applicants. We must abide by these requirements.
*A 90-day waiting period between exam administrations is required to maintain the exam rigor and integrity practices.
APPEALS
Examination Appeals will be reviewed by the ATCB Board of Appeals only if the appeal meets the requirements as outlined in the ATCB appeals policy. Per best practices for the validity of the exam, test scores cannot be changed, but alternatives such as retesting may be allowed.
Examinees may submit an appeal concerning an examination administration, the content of an examination, or a special examination accommodation under the following circumstances:
1. Examination Administration Appeals. An examinee may appeal a failing test result where the examinee believes that a test administration condition negatively affected his/her ability to complete or pass the examination (administration appeal). Such appeals are limited to examinee complaints regarding significant physical test site conditions, test computer equipment problems, test administration issues, and the conduct of test center personnel or others present during the test administration. For an administrative appeal to be considered, the examinee must:
– Promptly report and identify the test administration condition or issue to the test proctor or examination administrator at the test center immediately following the examination administration, and provide all relevant information requested by the proctor/administrator concerning the condition or issue necessary to complete a Case Report with the testing provider.
– Submit the appeal as outlined in this policy, the narrative must describe the test administration condition or issue affecting the examinee’s performance on the examination, and identify the Case Report number provided by the proctor/administrator at the test center. Appeals concerning testing conditions shall be considered only if exam candidates reported testing experience or irregularities that may have impacted their performance to the National Office at exams@atcb.org within 72 hours of exam administration.
2. Examination Content Appeal. An examinee may appeal one or more specific examination items and/or answers as inaccurate or incorrect, where the examinee believes that his/her failure to receive credit for such items and/or answers caused the examinee to fail the examination (content appeal). In order for a content appeal to be considered, the examinee must in the appeal narrative:
– the specific test items and/or answers subject to the appeal and a detailed narrative explaining why the examinee believes that the identified test items and/or answers are inaccurate or incorrect and be supported by references to relevant professional sources, particularly peer-reviewed, scholarly literature that show that the identified test items and/or answers are inaccurate or incorrect.
A candidate appealing improper questions on the ATCBE may appeal the decision of ATCB by submitting a written appeal thirty (30) days of receiving notice of results on the ATCBE. Appeals concerning testing conditions or accommodation issues shall be considered only if the exam candidate reported testing experience or irregularities that may have impacted their performance to the National Office at exams@atcb.org within 72 hours of exam administration.
3. Special (Disability) Examination Accommodation Appeals. An examinee may appeal an alleged failure to provide an approved special (disability) examination accommodation during the test administration, or other issues relating to the provision of approved accommodations during an examination administered by the testing services provider at a test center (accommodation appeal). The ATCB will not accept an accommodation appeal concerning a testing accommodation that was not previously approved by the ATCB or the relevant State licensure agency. In order for an accommodation appeal to be considered the examinee must:
– promptly report and identify the special examination accommodation issue to the test proctor or examination administrator at the test center immediately following the examination administration, and provide all relevant information requested by the proctor/administrator concerning the issue necessary to complete a Case Report.
– Submit the appeal as outlined in this policy, the narrative must describe how the accommodation was not met and identify the Case Report number provided by the proctor/administrator at the test center. Appeals concerning accommodation issues shall be considered only if the exam candidate reported testing experience or irregularities that may have impacted their performance to the National Office at exams@atcb.org within 72 hours of exam administration.
– Special examination accommodation appeals concerning accommodations that were not expressly approved by the ATCB, or the relevant State licensing agency, will not be accepted or considered.
Unacceptable Grounds For Examination Administration Or Examination Content Appeals. The following grounds cannot serve as the basis of an examination administration or content appeal, and ATCB will not accept such examination appeals:
1. The examinee’s lack of knowledge or understanding of the test administration policies or procedures. All examinees are required to read and understand the policies and procedures identified in the relevant Candidate Handbook prior to sitting for the examination.
2. The examinee’s failure to follow examination administration instructions: provided by the test proctor or examination administrator related to the examination administration; or, included as part of the examination tutorial prior to initiating the test.
3. The examinee’s mental state during the examination, including nervousness or anxiety.
4. Personal circumstances of the examinee that may have affected the examinee’s completion of the examination, such as illness, injury, or family problem.
5. Examinee errors or omissions related to understanding examination items, or understanding or recording answers, except those caused by circumstances outside the examinee’s control.
6. Computer-related problems that do not impact the administration of the examination, and that are resolved by the test proctor or examination administrator within thirty (30) minutes, including power outages, electrical surges, or other circumstances.
7. Reasonable and commonly occurring sounds and noises in the testing center or room. [NOTE: Noise-cancelling headphones and earplugs are provided at all testing services provider test centers].
8. Late arrival for the test administration appointment. Or not showing for the testing administration appointment.
9. The validity of the content of the examination in general.
10. The passing score of the examination established by the ATCB the process used to determine the passing score.
All appellants will provide written narratives and supporting documentation to the Board of Appeals via the appeals@atcb.org email. The Board of Appeals meets quarterly, all appellants will receive an outcome of their appeal within 90 days of appeal submission.
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