IAABO Test Results
 

I looked on our state's website tonight, and they had posted the percentages for this year's test. A score of 86 is needed to pass.

23% passed, 30% are provisional (scored 76-84), 39% are trainees ( scored 60-74).

It really makes one wonder if the test is deliberately set up for folks to not pass.....

How did your state fare?

You wonder wrong. It is set up so that an IAABO certified ref knows the rules. IAABO is weeding out the people who do not know the rules and should not be IAABO certified.

Your state is lenient. In my state you pay your money to enroll and go to classes and take the test and if you pass, you are in and if you do not pass you are sent home... You can try again next year, by starting all over.

After passing the rules test, there is a class on floor mechanics and a test on floor mechanics as well but that part is more of a teaching exercise while watching and helping the newbies ref real scrimmages.

Sounds like you are starting with a poor attitude but I hope I am misreading your post.

The IAABO test is handled a bit different in Missouri. I assume it is the same test in all states. If it is, then that test was real easy (for me). I got in a group with about 12 other fellow IAABO officials and they might have been hard pressed to get an 86. Some are 'senior' officials. They need to open the rule and case book.

I think you did misread. I'm not in my rookie year.

I passed the test my first time out, so it's not a "personal" thing. I know folks that have taken the test 2,3,4 times, and have not passed it, but on the court are very good officials.

Where my "wondering" comes from is in the wording of some of the questions. Is it deliberately designed to "trip one up"? ( i.e. "shall" instead of "could")..

Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree..


On edit: Our state ( each area) has the rules study classes ( usually start in August), then the test is administered first Monday of Nov. in a closed book, proctored environment. The tests are sent from each area to the state where they are graded and sent back to the area directors. They ( the a.d's) then inform each tester of their scores.

hoops, sounds like your state is quite a bit tougher. So, if someone doesn't pass the IAABO test, they're sent home? I'd be curious about the ref retention rates where you are.

I took the test 4 years ago in CO, and don't remember it being a problem. Of course, I'd been working a few years in Iowa, and while I'm no Nevadaref, I have a pretty firm grasp of the rules. The wordings are similar, IIRC, to the NFHS tests; at least in format.

I think the problem is there some pretty good officials who don't have a firm grasp of the the rules. These are the guys who seem to want to apply "first to touch," move the players behind the division line for technical foul or intentional foul free throws, and require a player to "establish" position inbounds with two feet. It's little things that don't come up often, so their games aren't really affected too much.

From a different angle, I have been in an IAABO state, and now I am not. I agree that the IAABO exams are difficult. However, if an official is in a pressure cooker of a game, and an unusual situation arises, would you want a seat of the pants guy or a guy who has studied the rules & has shown that he knows the rules, especially for unusual situations, on that game?
When I took the IAABO exam as a college student way back in the mid-70s, only 9 of us passed out of more than 35 who took the exam. It was difficult then. For veteran officials, who have seen many of the unusual situations arise that appear on the tests, the exams often reflect real game experience that newbies do not have.
Some IAABO states have differing requirements after the first year. Some have floor tests. Some do not. I would much rather have a partner who has demonstrated proficiency in rules knowledge than one who has not. And some folks just should not be officials.

My opinion on this is that the questions are worded that way to determine if the official really knows the definitions or not; really knows when the ball is live or dead; really knows when a 2-10 can be corrected or not.

Anybody can tell you if it's legal to run 4 steps while holding the ball. It's a little tougher to tell whether a player can catch the ball, land on one foot, jump and land on both feet and then lift one foot off the ground again. You have to really know the traveling rule to answer the second one.

I don't think the questions are meant to confuse the test-taker. The people who write the test realize that it's being designed for brand new recruits (as opposed to established officials who frequent this forum). But they need to know whether the test-taker really knows important distinctions. JMHO.

Agree. It a good test of an official's rule knowledge. I write it every year- refresher and regular both- even though I'm non-IAABO and don't have to. A friend sends them to me. It's part of trying to keep current imo.

Your exam result usually tells you where you are, like it or not.

That's a good point, JR, and I agree.

I'm sure that IAABO has their reasons for writing the tests as they do, it just seems a shame that only 20-30% of folks that take it pass it. Then, especially in states like where hoopsref is, someone pays out the money for the books and test, then fails, and gets sent home, sans their investment.

Oh well, onward and upward. 2 MS games tonight....

I know in VT, a person getting an 80 had a chance to re-take in the spring. But, if someone gets below that, should they be given the responsibility of doing HS games? And should the IAABO chapter re-imburse all that do not pass for the cost of materials? I know it is rough, but studying and learning and knowledge of test taking are all important. For those who do not pass, I am sure they can still go to games and learn.

Where do I stand...
 

Washington is not an IAABO state. Every year we get a copy of the exam and then we go through it in the Association and then everybody takes it online. Doing it that way doesn't let me know where I am in my rules knowledge. I always complete the exam online before we go through it in both football and basketball because I want to know where I stand in regards to rule knowledge. It doesn't do me any good to get a 100% on a test when I have had the answers given to me during a group study session with the test. But that is just me...there are those who just take the answers and call it good. :(

I know of some IAABO boards that are so shorthanded they will use people that fail the written test if they pass an on-court test. And that includes some of their more highly-rated officials. It also includes some areas/associations that write the FED tests. It ain't a perfect world when you've got a ton of games to cover.

Confused In Connecticut ???
 

Are we all talking about the same thing? An IAABO Exam for new officials, or an IAABO Refresher Exam for veterans? Here in the "Constitution State" these are two very different exams.

If you're talking about new recruits passing the Written Exam (50 question test), then they're simply not getting good instruction before taking the exam. My IAABO board regularly has an 80+% passing rate for new recruits, and that's with only 10 hours of class instruction.

If you're talking about existing members taking the Refresher Test, I agree that it's harder and every year there are several vague questions. But it's not that hard. If less than a third of your members can pass that test, somebody needs to set up some serious "continuing ed" programs. I honestly feel bad for the teams in your area.

Yes, this is the new recruit Written, not the Refresher. 80%+? Wow! Can you give me some ideas on what you guys are doing to get that kind of success? Do you have class outlines, use video, etc.? I told my association that I would compile a list of ideas so that we can start bucking this trend in our area.

Thanks for the help in advance. Also, if there's any instructors that want to chime in with some of their methods, I'm all eyes.

I know in VT they have about 10 2 hr classroom sessions before the test is given. They are now using Ref Town to supplement the teaching. Studying old tests or refresher tests is the best way to finish the test preparation. If you fail to study, you study to fail.

Training In Transylvania ...
 

Here in my little corner of Connecticut we offer twelve hours (eight sessions, ninety minutes each) of group instruction with major emphasis on Rule 4 (Definitions) and Rule 6 (Live Ball and Dead Ball); and moderate emphasis on Rule 7 (Out of Bounds and Throw-in), Rule 8 (Free Throw), Rule 9 (Violations and Penalties), and Rule 10 (Fouls and Penalties). Rule 1 (Court and Equipment), Rule 2 (Officials and Their Duties), with the exception of correctable errors which are covered in detail, Rule 3 (Players, Substitutes and Equipment), and Rule 5 (Scoring and Timing Regulations) get little emphasis, with the instructor, our interpreter, just going over the important sections of these rules.

Reftown is utilized, as are old Refresher Exams. Applicants are given written homework, in the form of questions about each rule, after that rule is covered. They are given the correct answers to these questions at the next session. Individual guidance is offered by training committee members one half hour before, and one half hour after, each of the eight clinic sessions, generally to go over homework questions that the applicants got incorrect.

This year approximately thirty applicants took the exam. Almost all passed (86% correct). Two failed the exam outright. Approximately five did well enough to get a retake later, after the mechanics instruction portion of their training. These numbers really don't compare well to past years. Normally we have no outright failures, and just two, or three, eligible for a retake. I've heard that the exam was very difficult this year, but I can't confirm that since I switched from the rules subcommittee to the mechanics and floor exam subcommittee.

As a retired, thirty plus years, middle school science teacher, I believe that our training committee, under the guidance of our interpreter, does an outstanding job. As 26 Year Gap stated earlier, "If you fail to study, you study to fail." Former players often think that they know all the rules and don't attend all of the training sessions that are offered, or they attend and don't take the instruction that they receive very seriously.

As a Newbie, normally my area gets 12-20 Rookies each year and with the economy messed up, we had 50 show up for rookie class...many are looking under any rock for $$$...so there might be a weed out process underway.

BTW, I studied hard and created my own notes from the books to help myself digest the numerous details of the rules.