Content exam exception case-by-case common errors, concerns and helpful tips
Case-by-Case (CBC) Common Errors, Concerns and Helpful Tips
Please use this webpage to help you develop, proofread, and submit your CBC exception request. Included here are common errors when submitting a CBC, concerns we have received from students regarding the CBC, and helpful tips for when you are drafting your CBC narrative.
Case-by-Case Info Session Recording
Common Errors
Below is a numbered list of the most common CBC errors and how to fix them. Please use this list to confirm your CBC request is completed correctly before submitting.
* If your request is not submitted correctly by the deadline, then your request will not be reviewed until the next semester. *
1. Only 1 Request for 2 Exams was Received
2. The CBC Exception Packet Received is Not a PDF
3. Incorrect/Incomplete Information on the Coverpage
4. Incorrect Content Exam Listed
7. Diagnostic Reports Not Present
8. Not All Score Reports on Record are Present
9. Transcripts are Incorrect/Incomplete
Common Concerns
Below is a list of common concerns that we receive about the CBC exception request. Please review them carefully before considering the CBC option.
Graduation Versus Certification
School Districts May See CBC Approval on eCert
Helpful Narrative Tips
Many narratives in CBC request submissions often miss crucial details, and these missing details may be the difference between approval and denial of a CBC exception request. Please review the helpful tips below to make sure that your narrative(s) include all of the details necessary to support your CBC request effectively.
The Narratives For Elementary Education NES Subtest 1 and Subtest 2 Should NOT be the Same
Utilize the NES/WEST-E Profiles as a Guide After Reflecting on Your Diagnostic Report
The Narrative(s) Should be Specific
The Narrative(s) Should Discuss Other Grade Levels
Common Errors
1. Only 1 Request for 2 Exams was Received
It is required that students submit a separate CBC request for each content exam they are requesting an exception for. This includes needing to submit a CBC exception packet for each Elementary Education NES subtest if requesting an exception to both. As a reminder, the Elementary Education NES Subtest 1 and Elementary Education NES Subtest 2 are separate content exams that cover different elementary education competencies and domains.
If you submit one request for both subtests, your request will be sent back for resubmission.
2. The CBC Exception Packet Received is Not a PDF
There are many resources available online and for free that can convert your current documents into a PDF; those resources can be found here.
3. Incorrect/Incomplete Information on the Coverpage
Please remember to complete your coverpage accurately and completely. This includes indicating which semester you student taught (i.e. “Fall 2021” or “Spring 2022”), checking the box for which campus you are attending, and checking the box for which program you are completing.
4. Incorrect Content Exam Listed
Make sure the content exam listed on your coverpage matches your application materials. You can choose the content exam for which you are requesting a CBC exception for from the dropdown menu in the PDF. When opening or saving a PDF form that has information you entered into it, always choose “Keep Form Data” to keep the information you entered on the PDF from disappearing.
5. Incorrect Order of Pages
The documents in your CBC exception request should be in the order listed on the coverpage directions.
6. Blank Pages
Please remove any blank pages in your CBC exception request PDF. There are many resources to help you add and remove pages in a PDF; those resources can be found here.
7. Diagnostic Reports Not Present
The CBC Review Committee will need a copy of the diagnostic reports for each content exam attempt alongside your score reports. The diagnostic report is a detailed breakdown of your performance on each section of the exam and is included with your official results when you received them.
8. Not All Score Reports on Record are Present
If you have taken the exam multiple times, you will need to include the score report and diagnostic report for each content exam attempt.
9. Transcripts are Incorrect/Incomplete
If you have attended other institutions besides WSU, you will need to include those transcripts in your packet alongside your WSU transcript (unofficial is fine). The transcripts included should be from any and all higher education institutions you have attended. Do not include your high school transcripts. Lastly, make sure that all the pages of your transcript(s) are present.
Common Concerns
Approval Likelihood
CBC exception approval is not guaranteed, but rest assured that the CBC Review Committee will look critically and thoughtfully at your request(s). Because of this, it is important to read and follow the directions very carefully. Think of the directions like a rubric – the less you meet what the directions ask you to include and discuss, the less likely you are to receive approval.
This is you presenting your case to a committee of experts; do your best to justify, using clear, specific evidence, your ability to teach in the content across your endorsement grade band.
Graduation Versus Certification
The content exam(s) are a certification requirement for your endorsement(s), not a degree requirement. You will still graduate with your peers and receive your degree so long as all other degree requirements are met (you can check this through your advisement report on myWSU). However, if you do not pass your content exam(s) or receive CBC approval for them, you will not be recommended for that endorsement and this may keep you from receiving your WA residency teacher certificate if requesting a CBC exception for your major endorsement. Unfortunately, this will severely limit your ability to participate in the teaching profession.
School Districts May See CBC Approval on eCert
School districts are not able to see the exact scores you received on your content exams in eCert, but they can see that you have been CBC approved. Districts are not supposed to use testing information for hiring purposes, but, if approved, your CBC approval will be visible on eCert, processed through OSPI and, by default, visible to school districts.
Helpful Narrative Tips
The Narratives for Elementary Education NES Subtest 1 and Subtest 2 Should NOT be the Same
If you are submitting a CBC request for both the Elementary Education NES Subtest 1 and Subtest 2, the requests/answers should not be the same. The Elementary Education Subtest 1 and Subtest 2 content exams cover vastly different domains, standards, and competencies, and so your CBC requests should address these two areas very differently. Your courses listed and competency charts should be different, your attached exam reports and diagnostic reports should be different, and your narratives should be completely different. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate how hard you’ve worked and will continue to work; having the same evidence for both requests doesn’t represent this and will likely work against your favor.
Utilize the NES/WEST-E Profiles as a Guide After Reflecting on Your Diagnostic Report
The NES Profile or WEST-E Framework for each content exam can be extremely helpful when you are writing your narrative(s) and explaining how you have met the content knowledge in areas that your diagnostic report(s) indicate you have not. They can be found on the testing website under the Preparation Materials section of each content exam (Tests (nesinc.com)). The Profile/Framework outlines which content domains the affiliated exam covers and specific competencies the exam(s) evaluate. You can then match them with their related domain competencies found on the PESB website (Endorsement competencies – Professional Educator Standards Board (wa.gov)) for further discussion.
If you are an elementary education student, you will want to focus on competencies listed under “1.0 Knowledge of academic content.” The remaining areas, “2.0 – Understanding of learners and their communities,” “3.0 – Learning community,” “4.0 – Instruction,” and “5.0 Assessment” are related to pedagogy and not content knowledge, and so it is not recommended to discuss competencies from those areas in your narrative.
The Narrative(s) Should be Specific
When discussing resources and coursework materials that have prepared candidates to be proficient in their endorsement content knowledge, narratives often lack specificity. Being specific allows the review committee to see compelling, concrete, and tangible evidence that justifies your ability to teach your endorsement content to your future students accurately and successfully. Avoid vague statements such as “I completed an assignment in my class that taught me this,” or “I learned a lot in my class.” Instead, consider the following the questions: What specific class did you take? What specific assignment did you complete and what were the learning outcomes of that assignment? What specific feedback and/or grade did you receive from your instructor? And how does this assignment and class align with the specific competencies of your endorsement?
Although it may be tempting to include copies of lesson plans, coursework, PDEFEs, assignments, etc. as specific evidence, these documents are not listed in the directions and so you should not include them. The CBC Review Committee usually has a large number of submissions to review within a limited timeframe, and so you will need to make a brief but compelling argument in your 1-2 page narrative.
The Narrative(s) Should Discuss Other Grade Levels
To be endorsed in your content area and be approved to be exempt from the content exam, you must demonstrate that you can teach any grade level associated with your endorsement grade band (elementary education: K-8; secondary: 5-12). When the review committee approves your request, they are telling the state, school districts, parents, and students that you are competent in the content area for your entire endorsement grade band. For this reason, we recommend using specific examples and specific resources that detail how you are proficient in instructing outside of your preferred grade level and particular subject/topic preference.