NSCB Application

This fillable form can be saved and returned to by saving the URL that is provided.

For assistance and prior to submission, contact: [email protected]

This application has five (5) sections that must be completed in full. Provide as much documentation as possible, including attachments and website URLs where applicable.

• Section One: General Information
• Section Two: Program Requirements
• Section Three: Program Administration
• Section Four: Student Learning Outcomes
• Section Five: Application Fee Plan

Section One: General Information

If the training program is a partnership of more than one organization, the RO should be the applicant and there should be letters of support from the partners attached. If the training program is not in partnership with a RO, they may apply directly.

In describing your organization and program be sure to include enough information that NSCB may adequately describe your organization and program in any press announcements.

List Partners (if applicable) & attach letters

Organizational Description and History (Provide on separate page: max 100 words)

Sustainable Resource Management Training Program Summary & History (Provide on separate page: max 250 words, including implementation date of program)

Section Two: Program Requirements

Applicant certification program must document the following:

1. Program Certified by an accredited postsecondary institution (including instructor criteria)

Documentation required

List the accredited postsecondary institution, contact name and contact information.

Attach a letter from this institution that details their certification of the applicants program and the instructor criteria used in the certification program. A model agreement is available with Penn State University, Altoona that can be used directly or as a model for working with other institutions.

1. Certification Program must have a minimum of thirty (30) hours of course work and cover the entire student Learning Outcomes as detailed in Section Four. Courses must be in a classroom setting or in an electronic setting that includes extensive exchange and dialog among the instructors and students.

Documentation required

List the required and elective courses and their hours that comprise the certification program

In each course define the way the course is taught.

1. Certification Program must have progressive exams or other demonstration of competency (e.g., projects or reports) for each course and for the final exam.

Documentation required

Detail the type of exam or demonstration of competency used in each course and the final exam

1. Certification Program must include a recertification requirement.

Recertification must include a minimum of ten (10) hours per year of which a minimum of 30% must be classroom or course based hours. The remaining required hours can be meetings, conferences, or web based. Recertification time period cannot exceed three (3) years. All courses and meetings must be approved in advance by the Certification Administrator or Committee. Example a two year recertification time period would require 20 hours of credit of which a minimum of 6 needs to be classroom based (the 20 credits are over a 2-year period, it does not have to be 10 in year one and 10 in year two).

Documentation required

Describe in detail the recertification requirements (hours, time period and classroom hours) and process. Include the process to pre-approve hours, and who pre-approves the hours, types of courses or meeting appropriate, how to report hours, and who maintains the recertified list.

1. Alternate certification pathway available for experienced professionals

This requirement is not required of a program in its first application for accreditation, but is required to be implemented and operational at the time of application for reaccreditation.

Documentation required:

Describe and define the alternate pathway program, requirements, implementation date, exams, entrance requirement, and courses.

Section Three: Program Administration

1. Program Administrator or Team

Certification Programs need a point person or team that manages the day to day operations of the program, who works with the Certification Committee to define and adjust the program, manages the pre-approval process of re-certification credits based on criteria established by the Certification Committee, and manages the database of certified and recertified professionals.

Documentation required:

Define who is the program administrator or team. Describe the roles and responsibility of the program administrator or team, including

1. Broad based Certification Committee

To insure the relevancy of the Certification Program it must have a broad based Certification Committee that reflects the breath of the sustainable community that it serves as it implements and maintains a program. A smaller Committee or one with different representation may have been used in the past to develop existing programs. The Committee going forward must include 6 of these 8 categories:

• State recycling organization
• Municipal or regional recyclers
• Accredited postsecondary institution
• Reuse industry
• Recycling industry
• Composting industry
• Corporate environmental manager
• State Government officials

The Committee responsibility is to lead the development and ongoing management of the Certification Program. Its roles include (but are not limited to): reviewing and updating program relevancy and course content; reviewing courses and instructors using student evaluations; establishing, reviewing, and updating criteria for recertification credits; and developing, implementing, maintaining and updating an alternate pathway for certification.

Documentation required:

Describe and define the roles and responsibility of the Certification Committee. List the committee members by the categories they represent to show the committee meets the broad based criteria above.

1. Guiding set of Policies and Procedures

The Certification Program must have a set of policies and procedures that lay out the standards, processes, conflict resolution and program procedures and requirements that will assure that a fair and equitable program is maintained for all participants. These need to include defined instructor criteria to provide to postsecondary institution for their academic review to ensure that instructors are qualified and effective. Procedures need to address how Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be awarded on a class by class basis for certification and/or re-certification. Procedures will also define how the database of certified and recertified professionals is maintained and by whom, including a registry of certified professionals and related record keeping to facilitate thorough understanding of each participant’s status in the program.

Documentation required:

Describe and define the Guiding Policies and Procedures of the applicant’s Certification Program to demonstrate it meets the minimum criteria above.

Section Four: Student Learning Outcomes

The NSCB has developed a set of 25 minimum student learning outcomes (SLOs) that must be included in a Certification Program to achieve accreditation. The required minimum SLOs are listed in the chart below (the order and grouping of the learning outcomes is for required learning outcomes only, not for class organization).

Documentation required:

List all the courses that are required to attain Certification and how the courses are organized by subject areas. RO or postsecondary institution need to provide detailed descriptions of each course, its objectives and how it is taught. Describe how innovative and interactive approaches are used, how real world case studies and site visits are included, and how supplemental work (individual work beyond classwork) is included in courses.

Download the Student Learning Outcomes spreadsheet available at https://nrcrecycles.org/national-standards-certifi-board-slos/. indicate in which class, course or day each SLO is covered.

Describe what innovative elements and supporting materials are incorporated in the program. This might include credit for established programs such as:

• Market forums
• Specialty workshops
• Policy roundtables
• Annual conference sessions

Also describe details on supplemental materials, class offerings, class projects and how participation in class and preparation for classes will be encouraged and assessed. Describe how innovative and interactive approaches are used for as many classes as possible. Describe how real-world case studies and site visits will be included and which facilities and programs will be an integral part of the learning experience.

In addition to the classes, describe written materials that will be part of the instructional process, including chapters from books, manuals and other printed and electronic resources that will provide students with reference materials for use after classes have ended. It should be up to each individual to read and study supplemental materials on their own time.

Section Five: Application Fees

NSCB has set an accreditation application fee of $1,000. NSCB has established two payment options:

• Full payment of $1,000.00 at time of application.

or

• Two payment option – $500.00 due at time of application and $500.00 at a later specified time (set by the applicant) that has to be before issuing certificates to students. This option is intended to allow organizations to generate revenue from fees charged to students being certified, or to allow for sponsorships to be obtained after the submittal of the application.

Indicate which payment plan will be used, and indicate date when second payment will be made if selected Two payment option.

Before submitting application and payment, please contact the NSCB: [email protected]