education standards advisory panel briefing

Education Standards Panel

BLA Workshop UpdatePamela Dillon, ESP Chair

September 12, 2011

Provide national agreement and consistency in boating education program content and course delivery for the nation’s boaters.

Education Standards Goal

Gauge efficacy of Standards based on risk assessments, accident and participation data analyses, other research studies and scientific resources


Primary Objectives

Implement a process for standards development that conforms to American National Standards Institute Essential Requirements


Primary Objectives

Openness Lack of dominance Balance Coordination and harmonization Notification of standards

development

Standards Development Process

ANSI’s Ten Essential Requirements

Consideration of views & objections Consensus vote Appeals (procedural) Written procedures Compliance



Openness Participation open to all persons directly and materially affected by the Standards



Lack of dominance Process not dominated by any single interest, individual or organization



Balance Process has participants from diverse interest categories to achieve balance



Coordination and harmonization Good faith effort to resolve potential conflicts between and among existing standards and candidate standards



Notification of standards development

Standards development activity must be announced in suitable media to give opportunity for participation



Consideration of views & objections

Prompt consideration of written comments on proposed standards – and effort to resolve all expressed objections



Consensus vote Procedures for reaching consensus must be stated

Evidence of consensus vote on standards by ‘consensus body’ must be documented



Appeals Written procedures to afford due process

Center on procedural issues – actions or inactions of Panel – not content/substance of the standards



Written procedures Govern methods used for standards development

Must be made available to any interested person



Compliance With normative policies and administrative procedures established by ANSI



NASBLA Executive Board authorized ANSI-based approach to standards development (Sept. 2010); clarifies goals (Nov. 2010)

Board appoints Panel chairperson (Nov. 2010) Draft ESP Rules (Dec. 2010 – March 2011)

Panel member candidate applications solicited, received, reviewed, appointed by Executive Board (April – June 2011)

First meeting (conference call) - July 2011 ; Second meeting (conference call) - August 2011

Developing the Panel & Operating Guidance

ESP Rules (available at www.nasbla.org): define Panel’s objectives, authority, organization, interest categories, and all procedures governing standards development and procedural appeals


Panel serves as ‘consensus body’ Panel members appointed by Board for 3-

year terms, with chance for reappointment. Term limits. (Staggered terms for those first appointed).

Maximum 15 members, including chairperson.

Application process open to all persons directly & materially affected by standards

Education Standards Panel – Key features

Stakeholder representation across ‘interest categories,’ with no category represented by more than 1/3 of total Panel members. State Boating Agency – maintained at 5 members.

Panel participation not conditional on NASBLA or other organizational membership

Members must comply with attendance, balloting, conduct, performance requirements stated in Rules

Advisory Panel – Key features

Interest Category Definition/ExampleCommercial Any person or representative from a for-profit

company or organization offering NASBLA-approved/sanctioned courses. Also covers boat and boat accessory manufacturers, insurance companies, boat dealers, marina owners, towing and salvage companies, trade association representatives, etc.

Non-Governmental Organization

Non-profit organizations offering boating safety courses or having an interest in boating and water safety.

Federal Boating Agency U.S. Coast Guard, international government agency, etc.

State Boating Agency (5 seats)

Members of the state boating agencies

Public Boaters, researchers, boating writers or others that have an interest in boating and water safety.

5 Interest Categories

Interest Category MemberCommercial Cindy Kalkomey, Boat Ed

Kerry Moher, Boater ExamNon-Governmental Organization

John Adey, ABYCJoseph Gatfield, Canadian Power & Sail SquadronsTerry Leitz, NMMA

Federal Boating Agency Robin Freeman, USCG AuxJohn Malatak, USCG

State Boating Agency (5 seats)

Anthony Cordoza, New HampshireEd Huntsman, ArizonaJeff Johnson, AlaskaMariAnn Koloszar, OregonBetsy Woods, Tennessee

Public Joseph Connolly, IIRobert SweetPamela Dillon (Chair)

5 Interest Categories

Part V. General (1)

Members shall “function independently as individuals and not as agents or representatives of organizations with which they are or may be associated or employed when engaged in the work of the Panel.”

Conflict of Interest & Ethical Conduct

Panel organizing its work: Instruction in ANSI Essential Requirements Training on consensus decision making/

development of decision criteria for assessing the proposal an approval of Standards

Gather/review boating accident and participation data and relevant scientific resources and research studies

Prepare for implementing a ‘call for proposed revisions’

Standards Development – First Cycle

Initiate ‘call for revisions’ – Winter 2011-12, effective 90 daysUse most currently approved version of the National Boating Education Standards (with effective date Jan. 1, 2012) as basis for first review5-year cycle for standards review


Instructions for submission, availability of the document containing the most currently approved standards will be announced in suitable media outlets.Submissions encouraged from panel members, NASBLA members, non-members alike.


We anticipate the process will simplify national boating education standards, emphasizing those based on risk analysis and accident data.

Planned/formatted to achieve ANSI certification in the future.

Moving Forward……

Most importantly, this process will result in a heightened level of national agreement and consistency in boating education program content and delivery for the nation’s boaters.

Moving Forward……

Thanks to NASBLA Executive Board,

Jim Graybeal, President

Questions?