Distributing score reports

PVTC Government Centers at U.S. correctional facilities are not required to distribute score report printouts to candidates and may disregard this section.

Exam sponsors may or may not provide a printed score report or other type of post-exam printout immediately after the candidate finishes the exam. Some exam sponsors do not provide a printed score report because a candidate's unofficial results appear on the screen after the exam. However, if an exam sponsor provides candidates with immediate score reports, the report prints automatically when a candidate finishes the exam. If the exam is supposed to produce a score report, it prints for all of that exam sponsor's candidates, whether they pass or fail the exam. In order for the system to score an exam, the candidate must completely exit out of the exam. Check the exam sponsor's client reference to see whether score report printouts are provided to candidates.

Note the following about score reports and other types of printouts that candidates receive after exams:

Some candidates do not receive a score report and instead receive a printed receipt indicating that the candidate has completed the exam. In these situations, candidates receive the score report directly from the exam sponsor.
Score reports may indicate "PASS" or "FAIL" with diagnostic information. The diagnostic information is different based on exam sponsor specifications. Sometimes the diagnostic information on a score report gives a percentage of pass or fail, and other times it indicates the number of questions answered correctly versus the number of questions required to pass the exam.

Do not distribute a score report until the candidate has returned all testing materials, including the erasable noteboard, and all other sign-out procedures have been completed.

Follow these steps to distribute score reports:

Ask the candidate for the primary ID that was taken into the testing room, and verify that the name on the score report matches the name on the ID.

Do not distribute a score report to anyone other than the candidate named on the score report. Information identifying or describing the candidate, a candidate's scores and performance, a candidate's participation in testing, and other information relating to the candidate is private and highly confidential between the candidate, exam sponsor, and Pearson VUE.

The exception to this rule is candidates who have a reader accommodation. These candidates may ask the reader to read the score report aloud.

Never discuss anything on the score report with the candidate except to verify the candidate's name and to resolve issues on the score report. (See step 3 for more information.) Aside from the candidate's name, test administrators must never discuss information on the score report with the candidate, including the actual score, rating, requirements, relative results compared to other candidates, opinions, or credential listed on the score report.

Check each page of the score report to verify that it printed completely and that there are no misprinted pages, missing pages, or additional information that does not belong with the score report.

While Pearson VUE understands that you may not be familiar with the particular details of every score report, the goal is to make sure you check each page of the score report before you give it to the candidate. Some examples of what to look for include:

The name on score report is not the candidate's name.
Missing pages that would be inferred by noticing text cut off mid-sentence, partial information on the bottom of a page that is not continued on the next page, and so on.
Strange characters are printed on the page. For example, part of the text is in non-English characters, there are many boxes (□), or there are other strange characters.
Additional pages that do not look like they belong with the score report. For example, you may have inadvertently picked up a candidate roster that was left sitting on the printer or the first page of another candidate's score report.

If you notice a problem or anything unusual with a score report, contact a program coordinator.

It is extremely important that candidates receive the proper score report and that the score report they receive is accurate and complete. Do not give the score report to the candidate until the issue is resolved. Store the original score report in a secure place until you receive further instructions.

If the issue cannot be resolved in a timely manner, tell the candidate that a corrected score report will be generated and sent in the mail. Instruct the candidate to contact the call center for more information.

Hand the score report to the candidate face down without discussing or commenting on the results.

When you present a score report to a candidate, do so privately and respectfully. Try not to give away the results with body language or verbal gestures. Because of emotional anticipation, sometimes a candidate will ask you to place the score report in an envelope, and you may comply with this request. Doing so may prevent an emotional outburst at your test center.

Never comment on a candidate's exam results or attempt to explain the results of a candidate's score. Avoid comments such as "Most people have passed (or failed) this exam" or "I have heard people complain that the exam is too hard."

The scoring process is the culmination of the candidate's hours of study, anxiety, and future hopes. This time can be emotional for a candidate and unpredictable for test administrators. If a candidate becomes distraught and begins yelling at test center staff, stay calm and instruct the candidate to call the call center if he or she has specific issues with the score report. Also document the situation in a case.

If the candidate has been granted a reader accommodation, bring the score report to the separate room or private testing environment where the candidate is seated. Ask if the candidate would like to have the score report read aloud by the reader. If the candidate says no, continue to step 4.

If the candidate says yes, give the score report to the reader. Instruct the reader to read the score report to the candidate after you leave the room and to hand the score report to the candidate afterward.

The reader should not be dismissed from the assignment until you ask the candidate whether he or she wants the score report read out loud. To ensure the candidate’s privacy, readers should not read the score report to the candidate in the lobby or other waiting areas of the test center. Never allow the reader to read the score report to the candidate in the presence of other candidates, yourself, or other test administrators.

If applicable, explain the online score report authentication process.

Some score reports have a unique set of numbers that can be used to verify the authenticity of the report. This feature is known as the online score report authentication. If an exam sponsor uses the online score report authentication, there is a registration and validation number at the bottom of each score report. Candidates or their employers can visit the Pearson VUE authentication website (http://www.pearsonvue.com/authenticate) to enter these numbers and see whether the score report is valid.

Review the exam sponsor's client reference to see if there is any additional information you must provide to the candidate. If there is, provide the additional information to the candidate.

If a candidate has just received a score report and wants to wait in the registration area to be picked up because of inclement weather, permit the candidate to wait in the area, but remember to be discreet when presenting score reports to other candidates.