FAQs

What is the CPLP certification?

CPLP is a credential for training and development practitioners offered by ASTD Certification Institute. It is a broad-based certification and addresses nine areas of expertise as defined by the ASTD Competency Model.

Who can apply for the CPLP?

Professionals in the training and development field who have a minimum of three years related work experience may apply, though five years and higher is preferable. Take the CPLP™ Readiness Assessment to help you decide.

Click here to access the CPLP Readiness Assessment

What do the CPLP exams cover?

The CPLP testing process requires candidates to pass both a knowledge exam and a work product assessment. The knowledge exam has 150 multiple choice questions covering nine areas. The work product assessment requires a sample of recent project work and essay responses. The work product must pertain to one of the following areas: Designing Learning, Delivering Training, Improving Human Performance, Measuring and Evaluating, and Managing the Learning Function.

Click here to access the CPLP Sample Test™

How much studying and preparation is required?

Study times vary by individuals. Most candidates spend a minimum of 8-12 weeks to prepare for the knowledge exam and at least 40 hours to prepare for the work product submission, in addition to the time it takes to complete the project itself.

What are the CPLP testing dates and fees?

See the CPLP Test Schedule and Test Fees for more information.

How long is the certification valid?

Te CPLP credential is valid for three years. Individuals must maintain their certification by earning recertification credits. Go to CPLP Recertification Program for more information.

Click here for CPLP Recertification Program information.

What is the pass rate for the Knowledge Exam?

There is a slight variance in passing rates from window to window. On average, candidates must answer approximately 65% of the test items correctly. On average, approximately 75% of individuals taking the exam pass each window.

Click here to see the pass/fail statistics for the knowledge exam by testing window.

Click here to see cumulative program statistics.

What is the pass rate for the Work Product Exam?

Click here to see the pass/fail statistics for the 2/22/13 work product cohort.

Click here to see the cumulative annual program statistics.

Why did I fail when work product reviewers guaranteed that I would pass?

We hear this frequently and want to clear up some misconceptions. There are no ASTD CI authorized work product coaches. Therefore, no individual or program can guarantee a passing score on the work product.

Why does ASTD CI not provide feedback on the work products?

ASTD CI will not provide individuals with one-on-one feedback, but it does provide four sub-scores and a total score. Providing individuals with additional, specific feedback can result in program integrity and fairness questions. Providing only high-level feedback is not unique to ASTD CI; other well respected and reputable programs in the certification testing space, like CompTIA CTT+, also do this.

Professionals working in a field where feedback is fundamental understandably expect more than high level feedback. ASTD CI is committed to actively exploring ways to address this issue within the boundaries of acceptable testing practices and standards.

Candidates are strongly encouraged to thoroughly review the scoring rubric information in the Candidate Bulletin specific to their AOE to determine where they may have missed points.

Why is it not possible to resubmit the same work product?

Best practice in testing usually requires candidates to submit entirely new work products if their submissions fail. The rationale behind this is similar to multiple choice exam practices. After individuals have received their test results, they may not retake the exact exam. Submitting the same work product may seem benign but ASTD CI has strict policies around this practice. For more information, see the CPLP Candidate Bulletin, Chapter 2, page 8.

When did ASTD CI change their scoring procedures for the work product?

Not recently. The current practice has been in effect since January 1, 2012 and are outlined in the Candidate Bulletin, Chapter 11. To summarize: Two rater scores for each of the four categories are averaged then totaled. Half points are rounded up in the total score. The maximum possible score is 12 which is a perfect score of 3 across all four categories. The passing score is 8.

Why has the work product pass rate dropped?

In 90-95 percent of cases a failing score is the result of two issues: the lack of quantity or quality of evidence, and sometimes both. Please note that "evidence" refers to the evidence in ones' work product sample, since responses to the essays are not considered evidence (this is used by the raters only as content background information). There has been an increase in the amount of misinformation circulating about work products, especially with respect to what constitutes a passing work product. As as reminder, only ASTD CI staff and the CPLP Candidate-Bulletin provide the most up-to-date, official information about CPLP policies and requirements. Please contact ASTD CI staff directly with any questions you may have.

Who can I contact with specific questions?

Email customercare@astd.org or call Customer Care at 1.800.NAT.ASTD.

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