program in which member states could pool financial resources and professional expertise to eliminate duplication of expense and effort, and lower the cost of interpreter test development and administration for all of the member states. Thus, the Consortium was created to counter the high costs of test development and associated proprietary interests by providing a vehicle for exchange of expertise while safeguarding work products. The Consortium has prepared and maintains standardized manuals for test construction, test administration (including a candidate information booklet), and test training. This documentation is housed at the National Center for State Courts office in Williamsburg, Virginia, on behalf of state court systems in the United States. Further information about the Consortium may be found at . In 2009 the Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts contracted ALTA Language Services, Inc. to assess the Consortium for Language Access in the Courts’ examinations for certifying member state court interpreters. The purpose of this assessment was to determine the level of functional equivalency between California’s court interpreter certification examinations and the Consortium’s exams, and to determine how California could use Consortium exams if comparable testing standards were established. ALTA was charged with analyzing Consortium test content and identifying the overall strengths and weaknesses of the Consortium testing program. Additionally, ALTA examined the degree to which the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a California court interpreter are covered by the Consortium exams. Based on the recommendations of the 2009 study by ALTA Languages Services, Inc., the AOC adopted the court interpreter certification exams developed and utilized by the Consortium effective July 1, 2010. The following table illustrates historical candidate counts for the written exam for registered and certified interpreters, which has been the first step in the testing process. This historical count may be used to estimate the number of candidates who may take oral proficiency screening exams in both English and a foreign language. Historical Candidate Counts Year Number of Candidates FY 2003 2004 1239 – FY 2004 2005 1492 – FY 2005 2006 1248 – FY 2006 2007 1117 – FY 2007 2008 1777 –
program in which member states could pool financial resources and professional expertise to eliminate duplication of expense and effort, and lower the cost of interpreter test development and administration for all of the member states. Thus, the Consortium was created to counter the high costs of test development and associated proprietary interests by providing a vehicle for exchange of expertise while safeguarding work products. The Consortium has prepared and maintains standardized manuals for test construction, test administration (including a candidate information booklet), and test training. This documentation is housed at the National Center for State Courts office in Williamsburg, Virginia, on behalf of state court systems in the United States. Further information about the Consortium may be found at . In 2009 the Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts contracted ALTA Language Services, Inc. to assess the Consortium for Language Access in the Courts’ examinations for certifying member state court interpreters. The purpose of this assessment was to determine the level of functional equivalency between California’s court interpreter certification examinations and the Consortium’s exams, and to determine how California could use Consortium exams if comparable testing standards were established. ALTA was charged with analyzing Consortium test content and identifying the overall strengths and weaknesses of the Consortium testing program. Additionally, ALTA examined the degree to which the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of a California court interpreter are covered by the Consortium exams. Based on the recommendations of the 2009 study by ALTA Languages Services, Inc., the AOC adopted the court interpreter certification exams developed and utilized by the Consortium effective July 1, 2010. The following table illustrates historical candidate counts for the written exam for registered and certified interpreters, which has been the first step in the testing process. This historical count may be used to estimate the number of candidates who may take oral proficiency screening exams in both English and a foreign language. Historical Candidate Counts Year Number of Candidates FY 2003 – 2004 1239 FY 2004 – 2005 1492 FY 2005 – 2006 1248 FY 2006 – 2007 1117 FY 2007 – 2008 1777
CPAS-201101-RB-_RFP-Court-Interpreter-Exam-Admin.docx