Overview
As an Always Food Safe internal proctor you will have many responsibilities designed to maximize exam security and to ensure all examinees have an equal opportunity to succeed.
While the Food Manager training is delivered in the Opus Training app, the examination portion takes place in the Always Food Safe portal through the appointment of an internal proctor. To ensure the safety and integrity of the examination, the internal proctor must administer the exam in-person and on-site with the employee(s).
For a step-by-step overview on the proctor process from the proctor and examinee's point of view, please see the files attached at the end of this article.
Below is a detailed list of key responsibilities (mandated by Always Food Safe) for employees applying to become an AFS internal proctor for their organization. These guidelines help:
Maximize the security of exams
Ensure fairness for all examinees
Foster an environment where all examinees receive fair and equal treatment
Ensure that each examinee has all the proper materials needed and follows all directions for filling out forms and online answer sheets correctly
Choosing an examination site that meets health, safety and accessibility standards for all registered examinees
Follow all policies and procedures outlined in this guide
Report any procedure violations to The Always Food Safe Company
Any compromise of the exam must be reported to The Always Food Safety Company immediately. An Exam Irregularity Report must be completed by the end of the testing day.
Any occurrence that is out of the ordinary or that you believe may adversely affect the reliability or validity of the test should be recorded on this form. As a rule of thumb, if you are unsure about whether to report a situation or not, we recommend that you should always choose to file a report.
Conflicts of Interest
In addition, we also need to discuss potential Conflicts of Interest. A conflict of interest can be defined as “a situation in which the concerns or aims of two different parties are incompatible.” In plain English this means that you cannot for example, have a personal interest in an examinee passing the CFPM exam.
For this reason, there are the following rules that must be adhered to:
You cannot proctor the exam of a friend, family member, or a relative
You cannot proctor the exam for yourself
In addition:
You also are not allowed to advertise, offer or solicit business by claiming “a guaranteed pass”
The Always Food Safe Company uses advanced algorithms to monitor proctor and examinee performances and a “guaranteed pass” is easily detected.
Please keep in mind that the policies above are mandated by Always Food Safe. They maintain a strict policy where conflicts of interest are identified, and this usually results in an immediate suspension of proctoring rights for a minimum of 6 months to an indefinite suspension.
Exam Security
Policy
The most basic premise of the examination is the integrity and security of the examination. Exam security includes, but is not limited to, protecting the examination from risks such as illegal transfer or storage, unauthorized publication or unofficial access. Exam is security is the responsibility of everyone.
This includes:
Regulatory, government and law enforcement agencies in the United States
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Course and examination providers
Proctors
Examinees and their employers
The public
Exam Security - Specific Responsibilities of Proctors
Below you will find the required exam security procedures you are required to strictly follow as a proctor for The Always Food Safe Company:
Adhere to the guidelines contained in the Always Food Safe handbook regarding examination administration
Stay current and up-to-date with any changes in the establish procedures
Report any breaches of exam security immediately and cooperate fully with any associated inquiries
Organize all examination locations so as to create a fair, standardized and secure environment
Ensure there is one proctor for every 35 examinees per required room
Maintain appropriate documentation on conformance of the exam location
Verify the identity of each examinee to prevent false participation on someone else’s behalf. See Examinee Attendance List for more details
Ensure that all examinees are treated respectfully and equally, regardless of background
Conduct all examinations in strict adherence to the requirements established by local/State regulations
As a registered proctor you must be present at all times during the examination process
Ensure that assistant proctors are fully trained and supervised, with their availability guaranteed should the main proctor need to vacate the examination room for any reason in order to guarantee the authenticity of the examination
Assistant proctors may also be required on occasions where there are more than 35 examinees, or the exam is occurring in more than one room
In order to maintain the integrity and validity of the examination, it is essential that all proctors and assistant proctors do not:
Keep or discuss the examination in any form. This includes, but is not limited to, storing or publishing copies of the examination without permission
Share any information or advice regarding the exam or exam questions with anyone at any time, especially with examinees
Grade examinations yourself or make copies of answer sheets or print/make screen-shots of any online examination
Falsify or tamper with any examination materials in any way at all
Leave examination materials unattended beyond a secure area
Administer any examination in which you have a conflict of interest (e.g. where a friend or relative is an examinee), or to anyone who might pose a security risk
Allow examines to enter the session after it has already begun
For more information or a step-by-step guide on the proctor process, please refer to Always Food Safe's knowledge base or the guides below: