1. (a) Procedures for conducting written and/or performance examinations are determined by the commission.
2. (b) As part of the training approval process, the designated training officer, except for a Basic Fire Suppression academy, will choose a test location and date from the list provided by the commission. The designated training officer of a Basic Fire Suppression academy may request during the training approval process to schedule the examination as soon as possible after the completion of the applicable course and at a place agreeable to the commission. The provider of training will receive from the commission an Application for Testing form with the course approval notice which will reflect the tentative date, time, and location of the examination. The provider of training must have each examinee complete the Application for Testing form and return it to the commission office no later than the third day of instruction. The commission, upon receipt of the Application for Testing form, will confirm the time and place for the examination.
3. (c) All training providers are responsible for ensuring that all testing fees due to the commission are paid in a timely manner. In addition, all training providers of a Basic Fire Suppression academy that schedule through the commission an examination for less than ten (10) examinees must pay an examination fee equal to the amount that would be charged for ten (10) examinees.
4. (d) If the designated training officer determines that the time and/or place of the examination as set by the commission is not acceptable for good cause, he or she may request the commission to reschedule or relocate the examination providing the request is received at least 20 days prior to the original scheduled time of the examination or the new proposed time, whichever would result in the earliest notification. The commission shall give all such requests due consideration and may reschedule or relocate the examination as necessary.
5. (e) Each examination must be administered by a lead examiner.
6. (f) The lead examiner may administer the examination alone or with the assistance of field examiner(s). The field examiners shall be approved by the commission prior to the administration of the examination.

7. (g) The lead examiner must:

   1. (1) ensure that the tests remain secure and that the examination is conducted under conditions warranting honest results;
   2. (2) collect all examination materials from any examinee who is dismissed;
   3. (3) monitor the examination while in progress;
   4. (4) control entrance to and exit from the test site;
   5. (5) permit no one in the room while the written test is in progress except examiners, examinees, and commission staff;
   6. (6) assign or re-assign seating; and
   7. (7) bar admission to or dismiss any examinee who fails to comply with any of the applicable provisions of this chapter.
8. (h) Examination booklets, answer sheets, scratch paper and grade roster(s) will be delivered to the lead examiner by means specified by the commission. The lead examiner must immediately notify the commission and document any errors detected in the examination materials provided.
9. (i) Immediately following the completion of the written examination, the lead examiner must remit to the commission all examination booklets, answer sheets and scratch paper in the return container provided by the commission.
10. (j) All official grading and notification must come from the commission. The commission staff must make available the preliminary test results within seven (7) business days after completion of the examination.

Source Note:The provisions of this §439.5 adopted to be effective March 27, 2006, 31 TexReg 2700.