CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR ENGINEERS A CONDITION OF LICENSE RENEWAL

FIRST, A BRIEF HISTORY

1970S PLUS OR MINUS Iowa passes legislation requiring continuing education for all professions including engineering and surveying

CURRENT STATUS OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS Approximately jurisdictions currently require continuing education of some form as a condition of license renewal for professional engineers, more for surveyors To date, license applications by comity have not been denied if the applicant comes from a state which does not require continuing education. Compliance required if license is issued.

1988 Idaho Board went on record as supporting the concept of continuing education as a condition of license renewal but had three concerns. What about approval of activities? What about PE/LS licensees? What about out-of-state licensees?

1995 Idaho Association of Land Surveyors (now Idaho Society of Professional Land Surveyors) sponsored legislation to empower Idaho Board to require continuing education for land surveyors No hearings were held on the bill

1995 Idaho Board sent an opinion poll regarding continuing education to license and certificate holders

RESULTS IN BRIEF Highest return rate on the poll was about one-third Well over half of the PLSs favored CPD as a condition of license renewal Well over half of the PEs and PE/LSs did NOT favor CPD as a condition of license renewal The highest percentage of those favoring were Retired, who would not be affected

RESULT The Board did not include amendments to 1997 legislation which would result in the requirement of continuing education as a condition of license renewal

Board continued to seek input by holding public hearings throughout the state Testimony indicated strong support from surveying community and opposition from engineering community

1998 The Board made a conscious decision to call this Continuing Professional Development rather than Continuing Professional Competency, believing that competency can only be demonstrated by an outcomes assessment (test), and most continuing education does not include such a measurement.

1998 Board introduced legislation which empowered them to promulgate rules of continuing professional development not to exceed 16 hours per year for land surveyors only Legislation passed Board promulgated rules effective July 1, 1999 for land surveyors only

ISPE CPD SURVEY – % of PEs favored mandatory CPD 21% favored voluntary CPD 27% favored no action in implementation of CPD 3% didnt respond to the question

HOUSE BILL This was a Big Picture bill taking a wide view of the engineering and surveying professions Expanded authority of Board to promulgate rules of CPD to include professional engineers Bill went into effect July 1, 2008

RULE PROMULGATION Meetings held in July 08 in Coeur dAlene, Lewiston, Boise, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Twin Falls Proposed Rules published October 08 Public Hearing held in November 08 Final Rules published January 09 Rules have been reviewed by the Legislature and are effective upon adjournment of the Legislature this year

SCOPE OF RULES Now includes both professional land surveyors and professional engineers If a licensee is both a PE and a PLS he/she must meet the CPD requirements for each profession Some activities may qualify as CPD for both PE and PLS

WHATS A PDH? Professional Development Hour A contact hour (minimum of 50 minutes) of instruction or presentation. It is the common denominator for other units of credit.

CPD REQUIREMENTS Thirty (30) Professional Development Hours (PDHs) during the renewal biennium (or alternatively during the two calendar years nearest the renewal biennium) May carry forward up to 30 PDHs from previous biennium or from exempt biennium

WHAT COUNTS TOWARD CPD? An activity is defined as Any qualifying action with a clear purpose and objective which will maintain, improve, or expand the skills and knowledge relevant to the licensees field of practice or practices. PDH units must come from more than one activity

SOME ACTIVITIES AND THEIR CONVERSIONS 1 semester credit hour = 45 PDHs 1 quarter credit hour = 30 PDHs 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) = 10 PDHs

MORE ACTIVITIES AND THEIR PDH EQUIVALENTS 1 published paper = 5 PDHs (Maximum of 10 per year) Membership in organization = 1 PDH (Maximum of 2 per year) Active Participation in organization = 1 PDH (Maximum of 2 per year)

STILL MORE ACTIVITIES AND THEIR PDH EQUIVALENTS 1 Patent = 5 PDHs Presentations = 2 PDHs per hour of presentation Documented Self-Study = ½ PDH per hour (Maximum of 3 per year)

EXAMPLES OF WHAT COUNTS College Credits Continuing Education Units granted through workshops, seminars, conferences Teaching or instructing when it is above and beyond normal work assignments Authoring papers, article or books Membership in technical or professional organizations

MORE EXAMPLES OF WHAT COUNTS Active Participation in Technical or Professional Organizations (serving as an officer or committee chair at the national, state or local level) Being granted a patent Making presentations to organizations Documented Self-Study

DETERMINATION OF CREDIT Except as below, Board will not pre- approve Seminars and courses offered by an organization registered with NCEES Registered Continuing Education Providers Program are accepted

RECORD KEEPING Must keep a log Must have attendance verification

CPD LOG Type of activity claimed Sponsoring Organization Location Duration Instructors or speakers name PDH credits claimed Time and/or expense sheets may qualify Available on Board Website

ATTENDANCE VERIFICATION Completion Certificates Sign-in Sheets which identify date and organization

DOCUMENTED SELF-STUDY Abstract of material studied Date activity occurred Number of PDHs claimed Bibliographic reference of material studied Photocopy of pertinent parts of the material, annotated with date and number of PDHs claimed meets documentation requirement

RECORD RETENTION Maintain for six (6) years Provide to the Board upon request for audit purposes

EXEMPTIONS First Renewal Period of new Licensees Active Duty in the Armed Forces Extenuating Circumstances Retired and Receiving No Remuneration Expired License Remainder of current Renewal Period following Effective Date of CPD Rules Applying to Professional Engineers

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