2010 Police & Fire Testing Summit Agenda

Welcome and Introduction (9am - 9:15)

New Haven’s Fire Promotional Testing Law Suit (Ricci) and Beyond (9:15 - 10:25)

A prominent employment law litigator and partner with Littler Mendelson will discuss the ramifications of the Supreme Court’s decision in Ricci v. DeStefano (2009) as well as review a subsequent law suit filed by an African American plaintiff in New Haven.  The Supreme Court ruled that the city of New Haven must use the results of promotional exams and interviews that were developed and administered by I/O Solutions in 2003.  I/O Solutions’ lead attorney will discuss the legal implications of this ruling and what it means for other cities/agencies that seek to implement fair and valid testing processes.

Break (10:25 - 10:45)

Break-Out Session 1 (10:45 - 11:30)

Two sessions will be offered with Q and A to follow each:

•  Common Flaws in Entry-Level and Promotional Testing Processes and Appropriate Remedies
• Designing Better Oral Interviews – Convention Versus Best Practice

Break-Out Session 2 (11:30 - 12:15) 

Two sessions will be offered with Q and A to follow each:

• The Purpose and Value of Subject-Matter Experts (SMEs) in Designing Testing Processes
• Entry-Level Testing Primer:  A Review of Common Testing Methods and What Each Method Should be Measuring

Lunch (12:15 - 1:15)

Enjoy a complimentary lunch while socializing with fire and police professionals, HR staff, and commissioners from neighboring cities.

Break Out Session 3 (1:15 - 2:05) 

Two sessions will be offered with Q and A to follow each:

•  Review of common regulations that affect testing practices including the following: Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and CALEA accreditation requirements for law enforcement.  A synopsis will be presented regarding how each regulation affects testing practices and what each agency needs to do to be compliant.
• A Comprehensive Approach to Designing Better Job-Knowledge Exams:  We will review best practices towards laying the groundwork for building more valid and defensible multiple-choice written exams.  We will review such topics as selecting study sources, establishing study periods, setting cut-off scores, gauging item/test quality, etc. 

Break (2:05 - 2:25)

 

A Test Developer’s Reaction to Ricci (2:25 - 3:25) 

A test development expert will discuss best practices that need to be applied to designing valid and defensible testing practices in relation to the Ricci Supreme Court ruling.  This presentation will focus on strategies for reducing adverse impact, best practices that bolster defensibility, using off-the-shelf exams and steps that can be taken to transport validity or provide local validity evidence, and more general lessons from the Ricci case.  In a highly litigious environment where every decision you make will be scrutinized, this presentation will serve as a testing survival kit.

Closing Remarks (3:25 - 3:40)

Reception (After Conclusion of Testing Summit) 

Please stay after the Testing Summit to mingle with fire and police professionals, HR staff, and commissioners while enjoying complimentary hors d'oeuvres and beverages.