June 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 73

in
SUNY Faculty and Seniors Take the CPRP Exam
Student Preparation for the Certified Park
and Recreation Professional Exam: A Pilot Program
By Eddie Hill, Ph.D., CPRP; Sharon L. Todd, Ph.D., CPRP;
and Lynn Anderson, Ph.D., CTRS, CPRP

h e C e r t i f i e d Pa r k a n d
R e c r e at i o n P r o f e ss i o n a l (C PRP) certification, offered
through the National Recreation and Park
Association's (NRPA) certification program governed by the National Certification Board (NCB), is one of the most
sought-after certifications in the profession. Nearly 4,000 recreation and park
professionals representing every state
have earned this national certification, underscoring commitment to fostering the
highest standards of ethical and professional practice in the delivery of park and
recreation services. Agencies are increasingly recommending or requiring CPRP
certification when advertising for certain
positions.In order to encourage students
of the Recreation, Parks & Leisure Studies (RPLS) Department at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cortland to

prepare for and take the CPRP exam, faculty felt it important to model the professional behavior being asked of students.
Though some faculty members were already certified, both as CPRP and CTRS,
they felt that all faculty members should
" practice what we were preaching. " As
well, faculty members wanted to assess
the CPRP exam's viability as an outcome
measure and assessment tool in the curriculum. Thus, this past year, the remaining faculty members not yet certified
registered, prepared for, and passed the
CPRP exam.
By doing so, the department was able
to accomplish three objectives. First, faculty learned more about the national examination's fit with the curriculum as well
as details of the application process, exam
implementation, and results reports to
help them better prepare students for the

certification process. Second, they modeled the behavior desired from students.
Third, taking the exam helped faculty explore its mandatory use for program assessment in the department. The 2013
Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions
(COAPRT) accreditation standards focus
strongly on student learning outcomes and

Over the past six months the NRPA, in coordination
with the National Certification Board (NCB), has taken the
first steps in the possible creation of multiple levels of the
Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) program.
This movement was a direct result of an NRPA-conducted
survey in 2006 which indicated CPRP's were practicing in a
variety of positions and levels within the industry, thus requiring the need to maintain the current CPRP certification
and add advanced levels for park and recreation managers
and executives.
In December 2010, a job task analysis study (also known as
a practice analysis) was conducted to begin researching the

possible need for multiple levels of the CPRP program. A
group of 13 field professionals, representing park and recreation professionals at all levels of organizations from across
the U.S., met at NRPA headquarters to identify the tasks required to perform the job of an entry-level professional, manager, and executive in the field of parks and recreation. In
February 2011, a survey was sent to over 20,000 professionals
for feedback on the tasks identified by the job analysis committee. Over 2,500 professionals responded to the survey.
The National Certification Board and JA analysis committee are reviewing the survey results and will determine next
steps. An official announcement will be made in June.

www . N R P A . O R G

J U NE 2 0 1 1

Parks & Recreation

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Advancing the Profession Through Certification

June 2011 - Parks & Recreation

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