National Roadside Vegetation Management Association

Beautiful Roadsides - The key to a beautiful America

Home

Purpose

Officers & Board Members

Links

Contact NRVMA

Conference Info

Conference Sponsors

Certification Information

National Certification Guidelines

NationalCertForm

State Associations

National Certification
Program Guidelines...

A National Certification Program For

Certified Professional Roadside Manager (CPRM)
Certified Professional Roadside Technician (CPRT)


A certification program sponsored by the National Roadside Vegetation Management Association (NRVMA)
in cooperation with

Hawkeye Community College Natural Resources Management Program
Waterloo, Iowa

Last Revision: October 1, 2001

[Go to the Application Form]

[Go to the Study Material]

I. THE PROGRAM

National certification, as either a CPRM or CPRT, is a voluntary program which provides recognition of professional and technical competency. The public has a right to expect that personnel involved in roadside management are professionally competent, especially within those areas which affect public and environmental safety and the stewardship of our natural environment.

NRVMA certification is available to those individuals who:

  1. meet the requirements for admission as set forth herein;
  2. pass a qualifying examination; and
  3. maintain the minimum requirements for recertification.

These pages explain the certification program, standards and procedures, describe the examination, and recommend study material for those individuals interested in either level of national certification.

II. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of NRVMA's National Certification Program are:

  1. To improve the technical and professional competency of personnel involved in the roadside management industry;
  2. To provide incentives for those individuals to continue their professional development;
  3. To increase the credibility of the profession; and
  4. To provide the taxpaying public a means to identify those who, through a professionally-developed examination and certification process, have demonstrated a thorough knowledge of roadside management.

III. MINIMUM EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Personnel applying for certification as either a Certified Professional Roadside Manager (CPRM) or a Certified Professional Roadside Technician (CPRT) must meet one of the following requirements:

CPRM
CPRT
No college degree, but a minimum of ten (10) years progressively responsible managerial, administrative and/or supervisory experience in roadside management-related activities Less than 30 college credits but with a minimum of six (6) years progressively responsible technical or managerial or field experience in roadside management-related activities
Individuals with a BS/BA* degree plus six (6) years progressively responsible managerial, administrative and/or supervisory experience in roadside management-related activities 30-60 college credits plus four (4) years progressively responsible technical or managerial or field experience in roadside management-related activities
Individuals with a MS/MA* degree plus four (4) years progressively responsible managerial, administrative and/or supervisory experience in roadside management-related activities 61 + college credits plus two (2) years progressively responsible technical or managerial or field experience in roadside management-related activities
Individuals with a Ph.D* degree plus two (2) years progressively responsible managerial, administrative and/or supervisory experience in roadside management-related activities  

* Degrees in natural, physical, agricultural or environmental science, landscape architecture or related fields are acceptable.

The applicant shall forward to NRVMA the completed Certification Application Form and required fees by the deadlines established by NRVMA. Application fees as described below MUST accompany the completed Certification Application Form.

IV. APPLICATION AND RETEST FEES

The application fee for personnel applying for certification as a CPRM is $125 (US).

The application fee for personnel applying for certification as a CPRT is $125 (US).

Receipt of the appropriate application fee and an approved Certification Application Form entitles the applicant to sit for the examination. If a qualified applicant fails the exam, there is a $25 (US) re-test fee for each subsequent exam.

V. RENEWAL FEES

Both the CPRM and the CPRT certification shall be valid for a 24 month period beginning on January 1 of the year immediately following the year in which the successful candidate sat for the examination.

Annual renewal fees for both the CPRM and the CPRT certifications are $50 (US).

The initial renewal fee of $50 shall initially be due on the 2nd anniversary of the January following the year in which the certification was originally awarded. Renewal fees shall be due and payable annually on or about each January 1 thereafter. Annual renewal fees paid automatically entitle the certificate holder to general membership privileges within NRVMA.

VI. RENEWAL FEE DISCOUNT

To encourage continuing education and participation in local vegetation management-related professional organizations, the annual CPRM and CPRT renewal fees will be discounted from $50 to $25 for those certificate holders who:

  1. provide evidence that they attended the annual conference of a vegetation management association within their state of residence; and/or
  2. provide evidence that they have received at least five (5) continuing education units within the preceding twelve (12) months through participation in vegetation management-related training.

VII. SUSPENSION OF CERTIFICATION

For a certified individual, if the required renewal fee has not been received within 12 consecutive months following the initial expiration of the certificate, NRVMA will assume the individual has voluntarily withdrawn from the certification program and the certificate holder's name will be dropped from the active certification list. Recertification will then occur only after the applicant has:

  1. completed a new Certification Application Form;
  2. transmitted all required fees as required; and
  3. successfully passed the appropriate Certification examination.

VIII. CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION

Certification examinations for the CPRM designation shall consist of a minimum of 200 questions.

Certification examinations for the CPRT designation shall consist of a minimum of 100 questions.
Question categories for both certification categories, and assigned weights for each category are shown below:

CPRM
CPRT
CAT
DESCRIPTION
WEIGHT
CAT.
DESCRIPTION
WEIGHT
I
Principles of Integrated Vegetation Mgt
15%
I
Principles of Integrated Vegetation Mgt
25%
II
Public Safety & Environmental Stewardship
14%
II
Public Safety & Environmental Stewardship
20%
III
Pesticides
13%
III
Equipment Calibration / Maintenance
17%
IV
Public Relations
10%
IV
Pesticides
17%
V
Regulatory Issues
10%
V
Erosion & Sediment Control
13%
VI
Erosion & Sediment Control
9%
VI
Noxious / Invasive / Threatened / Endangered Plants
8%
VIII
Revegetation / Stabilization of Disturbed Sites
9%
TOTAL:
100%
VIII
Noxious / Invasive / Threatened / Endangered Plants
8%
   
IX
Aesthetic Treatment of the Right of Way
7%
   
X
New Technology
5%
   
TOTAL:
100%
   

No reference or study materials may be utilized during the examination.

To receive certification, candidates must achieve an overall score of at least 70%, and must take each of the required category tests. Your overall score is computed by determining the arithmetic mean of the sum of all of the category scores.

Successful candidates must also achieve a minimum weighted score of at least 60% within each of the individual categories listed above. Your weighted score is computed by subtracting, from your score for that individual category, the amount equal to your individual category score times the stated weight percentage.

Example 1: A person scores 75 on an individual category which has been assigned a weight of 15%. The individual's weighted score for that category would be 64 (75 minus 11). The individual would PASS both the overall and the weighted score for that category.

Example 2: A person scores 75 on an individual category which has been assigned a weight of 25%. The individual's weighted score for that category would be 56 (75 minus 19). The individual would have PASSED the overall score, but would have FAILED the weighted score for that category.

When you receive your examination results, please remember that the categories are weighted, and the average of the weighted scores for the appropriate certification level will not be equal to the overall score. If both the overall score and the weighted scores are achieved, the candidate will be considered a certified roadside professional by NRVMA and will receive suitable certificates from NRVMA.

If the overall score is achieved but the applicant does NOT score the minimum weighted score on all of the testing categories, the candidate must retake and score a passing level within those category(ies) not passed.

If an overall passing score is NOT achieved, the applicant must retake the entire examination.

Examinations will normally be administered during the annual, NRVMA National Conference. At NRVMA's discretion, examinations may also be given through local NRVMA proctors.

All completed examinations will be returned to and graded by the Natural Resources Management Program of Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, Iowa, under the direction of Ms. Terri Rogers, Environmental Conservation Instructor.

Your score results will be mailed to you within approximately six (6) weeks following your test date. Score results will contain your overall score as well as the score within each category.

Your scores are strictly confidential. Therefore, your results cannot be obtained over the telephone, by fax, or through Email. If you have questions concerning your test results, you should direct them in writing to NRVMA. Because of the need to maintain test security, examination booklets cannot be made available for review of the questions and answers, and NRVMA does NOT provide a list of questions you answered incorrectly or correctly. The only information available regarding your performance on the examination is provided on your individual score report.

The certification examination is selected from a question bank developed by a panel of NRVMA members who are experts in selected phases of roadside vegetation management. NRVMA's Executive Board will facilitate the analysis of questions on an annual basis. NRVMA will evaluate the examination scores statistically and will coordinate the development of new questions for the question bank. Questions that, in NRVMA's opinion, do not perform satisfactorily will be removed from the question bank.

If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding NRVMA's National Certification Program, please send them to:

John Reynolds
NRVMA Executive Director

5616 LYNCHBURG CIRCLE
HUEYTOWN, AL 35023
HOME: (205)491-7574
FAX (205)491-2725
Email:
Jreynoldsnrvma@aol.com