To CPRP or to not CPRP?
That is the Question
Presented by:
André Pichly, M.S., CPRP
Recreation Superintendent
City of West Sacramento
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Why do we love what we do? Each person will
attempt to articulate why they love or want a
career in the field of parks and recreation
• Identify what it takes to qualify for the CPRP
exam, the cost and process
• Motivation: Why pursue certification?
When you leave . . .
• You will have a better understanding of the
CPRP process and if it’s right for you
• Take material from this session and discuss
with your coworkers the value of certification
and if it’s a direction you and staff want to
pursue
What is a CPRP?
Small Group Discussion
Passion . . . . . . .
• Have you ever struggled to describe what you do for a
living or feel you have to provide some justification
for what you do? If so, why do you think that is?
• Why do you love the field of parks and recreation?
Be specific.
In short . . .
This is why I love what I do – the people,
programs, and parks – this is my passion
Meet Harry . . .
Why would you want to get certified?
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Professional Pride?
Having the CPRP letters behind your name?
Job requirement?
Potential for promotion or pay increase?
Strengthen your résumé and help you get a job?
Increase justification for more education and to go
to more conferences?
• Opportunities to become a CAPRA or COAPRT site
visitor?
• You need a challenge?
How do you feel certification has
benefited you as a professional?
“CPRP has help our staff take a deeper look at their profession
beyond their areas of expertise. It’s made training and continuing
education a priority and is a point of personal and professional
pride.”
Jason Mangum, Director
City of Novi Parks & Recreation (Michigan)
“There is no money and no fame in getting the CPRP; just the
personal satisfaction that I have a fundamental understanding of
the national standards in parks and recreation. Best. Career.
Ever.”
Susan Yerkes, Director
Nash County Parks & Recreation (North Carolina)
“Because I need to maintain certification my with continuing
education training, I use the CPRP as a tool to assure that I stay up
to date on the latest trends, practices and policies that effect how
we do business. ”
Kim Conrad, Director
Grove City Parks & Recreation (Ohio)
“When things get really busy or money gets tight, it’s easy to see
training go out the door. When you have your CPRP it’s always on
your mind to try to find ways to get to a training that offers CEU’s.
It may be a conference or it may be a local organized day trip. It
definitely forces you to remember that we NEED to get out there
to learn and mingle with others who do what we do so that we
can continue to be better at what we do.”
“I believe one of the most positive aspects of certification is the
requirement to obtain CEUs . This keeps one current in the field or
opens up new areas of interest. It announces that you will continue
learning and not be satisfied with the status quo.”
Kaisa Miller, Recreation Supervisor II
City of West Sacramento Parks & Recreation
Sandra Whitmore, Director (retired)
Alexandria Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities (Virginia)
“I think certification has lent credibility to my work. It
demonstrates that I have a professional commitment, a level of
intelligence to pass the test, and I am continuing to improve my
education by earning CEUs.”
Dirk Richwine, Accreditation Specialist
City of Henderson Police Department (Nevada)
Former Recreation Superintendent
“I would have to say validation. In a profession that is frequently
minimized, the certification shows a level of professionalism that
is only measured by a test and prescribed process.
My certification has also been very helpful at budget time, allows
me to compete with the public safety departments.”
Mike Jefferis, Recreation Superintendent
St. Petersburg Parks & Recreation (Florida)
You are eligible to become a CPRP if you:
• Have received, or are set to receive*, a Bachelor’s
degree from a program accredited by the Council on
Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and
Related Professions (COAPRT).
*Students who have not yet graduated from an COAPRT
accredited program with a major in recreation, park resources,
and leisure services but are in their final semester on campus
may be able to qualify for exam status
**1 year of part-time work experience in the field (20 hours+ per
week) = 6 months of full-time work experience in the field
You are eligible to become a CPRP if you:
• Have a Bachelor’s degree or higher from any
institution in recreation, park resources, or leisure
services, and also have no less than 1 year of fulltime** experience in the field.
• Have a Bachelor’s degree in a major other than
recreation, park resources, or leisure services, and also
have no less than 3 years of full-time** experience in
the field.
**1 year of part-time work experience in the field (20 hours+ per
week) = 6 months of full-time work experience in the field
You are eligible to become a CPRP if you:
• Have an Associate's degree and have 4 years of fulltime** experience in the field.
• Have a high school degree or equivalent, and have 5
years of full-time** experience in the field.
**1 year of part-time work experience in the field (20 hours+ per
week) = 6 months of full-time work experience in the field
How to Apply:
1. Complete the Application (by Mail or Online)
2. Submit the Application Fee - $235 for
students/$255 for NRPA members/$299 for nonNRPA members*
* Application fee includes the examination fee
($195) and designated application fee.
3. Provide Proof of Education
• Bachelor’s Degree official transcript or
• Copy of High School Diploma
4. Complete and submit Work experience form (if
applicable)
What to Expect:
• Applicants will receive an email notification from
NRPA within one month of applying, verifying the
completion of the application process. This email
will include: information for scheduling your exam
with the professional testing company, the
candidate handbook, and information on how to
prepare for the exam (study guide and practice
exam).
• Applicants have one year from application
processing to sit for the exam.
Exam Content
1. Sample questions to familiarize you with the exam
structure and computerized testing (not scored)
2. 150 test questions, including 125 upon which your
score will be based, and 25 randomly inserted
questions that will not be scored, but are being
validated for possible future exam use
3. Content areas include finance (11%), human
resources (23%), programming (33%) and
operations (33%)
Passing Score for the Exam
• Passing scores are re-evaluated annually and are based on
how difficult that year’s test is determined to be by subject
matter experts. This means that the number of correct
answers needed to pass may vary slightly from year to year;
the number of correct answers to pass the test over recent
years has generally been within a few points of 85 (out of
125 questions).
• Test results are provided to you on-site.
• You will receive a separate score per content area, and a
total score; you will not be provided individual question
results.
To learn more about the
CPRP and to begin the
process go to
www.nrpa.org
How to Prepare for
and take the CPRP Exam
• Study the Handbook
• Think about preparing for the exam with a ‘study
buddy’
• When taking the exam . . .
– Round 1: answer what you know
– Round 2: read and select the best answer
– Round 3: what does common sense tell you?
For newly certified employees I have a brief pinning ceremony in front of my staff.
This is my way of honoring them and sends the message that certification is valued.
“When I applied for the Director job I have now, CPRP wasn't even preferred, but I think it helped me obtain the position. Nobody in our
department is currently certified, but I have encouraged our two managers to obtain it. Certification sets you apart from other
professionals. People know you have a certain level of knowledge based on passing the exam.
Sean Fletcher, Director
Kalamazoo Parks & Recreation (Michigan)
“If I were interviewing two candidates for the same job and they were fairly equal, the one with the CPRP would have the advantage
because of their commitment to learning and development.”
Dirk Richwine, Accreditation Specialist
City of Henderson Police Department (Nevada)
Former Recreation Superintendent
Maintaining Your CPRP
• All CPRPs must recertify every two (2) years by earning 2.0
CEUs. That’s the equivalent of 20 hours course work and/or
educational sessions.
• Conference educational sessions, college course work, and
webinars are just some of the ways to earn the minimum
amount of CEU’s needed to renew.
• Don’t assume all educational sessions provide CEUs. Check
before you register.
• Track earned CEUs. If you are audited by NRPA, be prepared
to show proof of CEU completion.
What is a CPRE?
“The Certified Park and Recreation Executive
(CPRE) establishes a national standard for
managerial, administrative and executive parks
and recreation professionals. This mastery-level
credential focuses on the practical knowledge
and current real-world skills necessary in today’s
changing park and recreation environment.”
What Other Opportunities
are Available to CPRPs & CPREs?
CAPRA
COAPRT
My CAPRA Experiences
If you want to become a trained CAPRA or COAPRT site visitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . you must be CPRP or CPRE Certified
Small Group Discussion
Motivation . . . . . . .
• Should you pursue certification? If yes, why?
• If your boss asks you why certification is important to you, what
would you tell them?
• Your employer says they will not pay for your certification, are you
willing to pursue it anyway? If not, why?
The Decision
“I want to become certified.”
• Answer the yes or no by checking the appropriate box
• If you answered no, then you’re done.
• If you answered yes, then please take a moment to fill
in the blanks on 1, 2 and 3.
Thank you!
Presented by:
André Pichly, M.S., CPRP
Recreation Superintendent
City of West Sacramento
(916) 617-4627
andrep@cityofwestsacramento.org
: www.linkedin.com/in/andrepichly
Department website: www.westsacfun.org