The Neonatal Therapy Certification Board (NTCB) oversees the Certified Neonatal Therapist® (CNT™) examination, the only credential of its kind for occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists working in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The exam is highly specialized, with a modest but growing candidate pool of over 1,200 certified neonatal therapists worldwide. The program targets a specialized demographic: occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists working in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Because this is an advanced practice area, the NTCB sees a small candidate audience, making direct access to big testing companies impossible.

The nonprofit organization runs entirely on volunteer leadership and sought a partner with certification expertise and the ability to provide logistical support, security, and psychometric tools at a sustainable price point. In 2020, NTCB partnered with Strasz Assessments to deliver the CNT at Pearson VUE centers worldwide. Five years later, the organization continues to work with Strasz to deliver and evaluate their exams.

“Our partnership with Strasz Assessments has allowed us to deliver in-person exams all over the world via Pearson, something that would have been impossible for us to afford as a low-volume certification,” said Alicia Fernandez-Fernandez, NTCB Exam Liaison.

Challenges

Before partnering with Strasz, NTCB encountered several challenges common to small-volume certification programs:

  • Global Delivery on a Budget. Reaching a niche group of candidates worldwide with secure, proctored exams through major testing vendors was cost prohibitive.
  • Reliance on Volunteer-Run Operations. Board members contributed clinical expertise but had a gap in certification program experience, requiring them to seek help with test publishing and candidate management.
  • Support Structure for a Growing Candidate Pool. Emergencies and testing glitches required responsive, compassionate support—something larger vendors often don’t provide to smaller programs.
  • Need for Professional Psychometric Expertise. As NTCB expanded, it needed reliable analysis tools to create new exams and support its ICE accreditation process.

Why the NTCB Chose Strasz for Test Delivery and Analysis

Since partnering with Strasz Assessment Systems, NTCB has been able to grow its testing program, supporting about 150 candidates each year.

“We come from different backgrounds and have different sets of skills, but none of us had specific expertise in the intricacies of a certification program when we started planning it a decade ago,” Fernandez-Fernandez said. “Having logistical help and access to key services at a reasonable price has been critical to our growth. Guidance and assistance for exam publishing, candidate uploads, scheduling, and issue resolution have been invaluable.”

  • Global Test Delivery via Pearson VUE: Through Strasz’s consolidator program, NTCB delivers secure, in-person exams worldwide—something otherwise “impossible for us to afford as a low-volume certification,” according to Fernandez-Fernandez.
  • Real-Time Support and Advocacy: Strasz staff, particularly Client Services Manager Lisa Everts, works directly with Pearson to troubleshoot scheduling, accommodations, and urgent candidate issues.
  • Psychometric Tools: Strasz’s item and form analysis application gives NTCB instant access to item and exam statistics, supporting ongoing form development and preparation for ICE accreditation. The tool processes files from Pearson containing response and scoring information, runs all files automatically, and generates instant item analyses, exam analyses, and score reports.
  • Seamless Exam Publishing: Strasz produces exams in a ready-to-consume Pearson format, ensuring compatibility, reducing QC timelines, and minimizing volunteer workload.

Results

  • Over 750 Secure Exam Deliveries, persevering during pandemic-related shutdowns when health-related certifications were prioritized.
  • High Candidate Satisfaction, thanks to Strasz’s rapid response to emergencies such as medical absences and technical challenges.
  • Confidence in Accreditation Readiness, with Strasz applications providing robust psychometric data for exam validation.

“To us, the personal factor has been very important. Lisa sold us on Strasz at an ICE Exchange conference, and she and the team made good on what they promised and beyond. Personalized attention, responsiveness, and services that deliver regardless of volume. Our certification program is very grateful for the opportunity to work with you all.”
—Alicia Fernandez-Fernandez, Exam Liaison, NTCB

Looking Ahead

While NTCB currently uses Strasz’s test delivery services and psychometric analysis platform, our plans include exploring AI-driven question development and advanced psychometric analysis. Strasz’s user group meetings have given NTCB a window into innovations, helping the board plan its long-term growth strategy.