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PRAXIS, CPA centers could take some time
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Posted on Mar 11 2005
The challenge of making the CNMI a center for the U.S. Certified Public Accountancy test and PRAXIS may take awhile as the Commonwealth needs to obtain authorization from the National Association of State Board Accountancy to administer the accountancy exam here, according to Education finance director Richard Waldo.
This comes soon after testing agencies for PRAXIS indicated a willingness to have the exam administered in the CNMI if the U.S. CPA exam could also be administered here.
Waldo, who has been tasked by Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos to look at the possibility of establishing a PRAXIS testing center here on Saipan, met with governor senior policy adviser Bob Schwalbach and Board of Accountancy chair Michael Johnson last Monday to discuss the issue.
Waldo said that Johnson and Schwalbach both agreed with the PSS recommendation and both will be communicating with NASBA about this.
Waldo said they will have to wait for NASBA to respond. He said this could take some time. “Bureaucratic slow down. It’s in NASBA’s court now, they have to decide [if they want to bring the exams here],” said Waldo.
CNMI teachers and U.S. CPA takers would have to wait awhile before the test center is provided for them. “We love to do it quick[ly] but we have to wait for the whole thing,” Waldo said.
Waldo has been coordinating with testing firms like Educational Testing Service and Prometric, the exclusive testing agent of NASBA, which offers both PRAXIS and CPA tests. Prometric is the provider of the nursing licensure exams in the CNMI.
He said PSS would have to get NASBA representatives to visit Saipan to inspect the site.
Waldo said they are looking at Chacha Oceanview Middle School as the site for the center, based on the specifications of NASBA provided to PSS.
“NASBA would still have to decide if it’s worthwhile to come over here,” said Waldo, “and when they decide to do it, PSS would welcome them.”
