Pre-Professional Assessment and
Certification (Pre-PAC) Program
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Introduction to the Pre-PAC Program
The American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) national organization has a proud 99-year history of providing support and leadership for family and consumer sciences professionals. AAFCS is pleased to announce the Pre-Professional Assessment and Certification (Pre-PAC) program, creating the premier family and consumer sciences pre-professional assessment and certification system in the nation. Pre-PAC utilizes the considerable grassroots network of AAFCS members, representing a broad range of business, industry, and education practice settings in collaboration with other stakeholders to develop and administer quality competency assessments and industry-recognized certifications for pre-professionals in family and consumer sciences careers. In addition to drawing heavily on business and industry input, Pre-PAC utilizes information from the National Standards for Family and Consumer Sciences Education and from the National Career Clusters initiative.
AAFCS has a well-established Credentialing Center that includes certification of professionals as Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS). With the growing emphasis on assessment and accountability in secondary and postsecondary education, including requirements for Perkins funding for Career and Technical Education, AAFCS believes that it important to move forward by adding to the association’s products and services a portfolio of standards-based assessments and industry-recognized certifications to support pre-professional level family and consumer sciences career areas and programs of study.
Click here for a one-page overview of the Pre-PAC Program.
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Assessment/Certification Development Process and Responsibilities
In creating the Pre-PAC program, AAFCS assumes the major responsibility for providing staff, infrastructure, and other resources supporting the development of competency assessments and corresponding industry-recognized certifications representative of a broad range of pre-professional level family and consumer sciences careers. AAFCS recognizes that program effectiveness depends heavily upon the involvement, contributions, and assistance of a broad range of stakeholders with an interest in assuring that family and consumer sciences education programs are effectively preparing students with the knowledge and skills necessary for demanding career opportunities, therefore providing a workforce to meet the needs of business and industry in the demanding U.S. economy. These stakeholders include representatives of business/industry providing career opportunities for those trained in family and consumer sciences programs of study; state leadership for secondary family and consumer sciences education, career and technical education, and higher education programs; FCS content specialists; and others responsible for the improvement and accountability of training programs.
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Product Portfolio and Development Schedule
The Pre-PAC program will initially develop pre-professional assessments and industry-recognized certifications for those areas of family and consumer sciences where there are current voids. Eleven general career areas are currently targeted for development by early 2010. Subsequently, additional development will occur based on need and feasibility.
Pre-PAC product development will progress according to the following schedule. All products will be launched and available for use during the semester following piloting.
- Spring, 2008 - Fall, 2008…………………Develop/pilot first asessment/ certification
1. Personal and Family Finance
- Summer, 2008 – Winter, 2009……Develop/pilot assessments/ certifications 2 & 3
2. Early Childhood Education
3.
Broad Field Family and Consumer Sciences
- Fall, 2008 – Winter, 2009………Develop/pilot assessments/ certifications 4, 5, & 6
4. Education Careers
5. Nutrition
6.
Interior Design
- Winter, 2009 – Spring, 2009……Develop/pilot assessments/ certifications 7, 8, & 9
7. Fashion, Textiles and Apparel
8.
Culinary Arts
9.
Family Services
- Fall, 2009 – Spring, 2010………Develop/pilot assessments/ certifications 10 & 11
10. Housing
11.
Food Science
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