On November 1, the official agreement between the NCBTMB and the FSMTB, in which the NCBTMB agreed to get out of the licensing exam business, was signed, officially honoring the Letter of Intent detailed in last week’s blog.
Although the MBLEx has dominated the exam scene for the past few years, the NCBTMB had continued to hold on to their own exams, as they were a source of income, albeit a dwindling one. Now that they have given that up, their focus will be on promoting Board Certification and their Approved Provider program. And right there, the plot thickens.
I heard from several sources that Steve Kirin, CEO of the NCBTMB, received a standing ovation at the FSMTB annual meeting, held Oct 2-4 in Tucson, when he made the announcement about the exam agreement between the two organizations. Unfortunately, I also heard that after Kirin left the room, FSMTB Executive Director Debra Persinger made the announcement that the Federation would be moving ahead with their own CE approval program, and that she also stated that the NCBTMB knew of and approved of that plan.
I don’t buy it. Some of the people who were in the room didn’t buy it. And apparently, neither does the AFMTE, who put out a statement about it yesterday. They are urging the FSMTB to make nice with the NCBTMB. A statement posted to their website yesterday says in part:
Instead of creating a new and duplicative approval system for CE providers and courses, AFMTE strongly recommends that FSMTB partner with NCBTMB to be able to utilize their well-established Approved CE Provider Program which will better serve the needs of FSMTB and their Member Boards. AFMTE believes consolidation of this key function will be beneficial to all who are involved with the provision, approval, regulation and utilization of continuing education in our profession. A cooperative model, grounded in a legal agreement and with collective oversight of the program, will also resolve the problem of Improper Delegation of Authority that state boards currently have with their use of NCBTMB’s Approved CE Provider Program.
I had a conversation this morning with Leena Guptha, NCBTMB Chair, who was not present for that announcement. She stated to me that “It has been the priority of the NCBTMB this year, and will be in future years, to collaborate with any and all entities in the realm of Board Certification and continuing education in the best interest of the profession.”
It seems to me that this is a blatant power grab by the FSMTB…apparently, they want the NCBTMB to give until it hurts. In reality, myself and other Approved Providers will be the ones paying the price by way of an additional burden of paperwork and more fees–which we will then have to pass on to attendees in increased costs. I think the NCBTMB acted in good faith in this situation. I don’t believe I can say the same about the FSMTB.
If the Federation doesn’t mind their p’s and q’s, they are going to find themselves the object of just as much criticism, if not more, than the NCBTMB has attracted in years gone by. They have already inspired the ire of the majority of school owners and educators on my social media pages, first with the piece about accreditation in the MPA, and second with the changes to the MBLEx, which is now shorter–only 100 questions–and test-takers can no longer save questions and go back to them later. They’ve already inspired my personal ire with their vote to keep board members around for additional terms, long after their state board service is over, and refusal to take nominations from the floor. I’d like to know the thought process of the board members and delegates who thought that was a good idea. I’d also like to know the thought process of those present in Tucson who believe that the NCBTMB would just hand over their AP program, and that providers want yet another hoop to jump through, because I have some ocean-front property in Arizona I’d really like to sell.