What are the possible outcomes on the interpreter test?

There are two classification levels for approved interpreters: Master and Journey. There are also two classifications for candidates who fail the exam. First, candidates may fail but reach the conditionally-approved level, which entitles to them to work on a limited basis (see below). The conditionally-approved level is considered to be the level of a trainee and includes everyone who reached certain scoring criteria and show promise of ultimately being able to pass the test. All other candidates have also failed, but are not allowed to work as court interpreters. All candidates wishing to retest must wait one year before doing so. Pass: Master To be classified at the Master level, a person must score as follows on the court interpreting oral exam and, if applicable, the written test: A. 80% or higher in each of the three sections of the interpreting test; B. 80% or higher in each section of the sight section of the interpreting test; and C. 85% or higher on the written exam (applies to candidates who entered the court interpreter approval/registration process via the mandatory one-day seminar between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2008, or via the written test on or after January 1, 2008, and anycandidate seeking a higher classification level). Pass: Journey To be classified at the Journey level, a person must have scored as follows on the court interpreting oral exam and, if applicable, the written test: A. 70% or higher in each of the three sections of the interpreting test; B. 65% or higher in each part of the sight section of the interpreting test; with an average of 70% or higher on both sections combined, and C. 80% or higher on the written exam (applies to candidates who entered the court interpreter approval/registration process via the mandatory one-day seminar between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2008, or via the written test on or after January 1, 2008, and anycandidate seeking a higher classification level). Fail: Conditionally Approved To be classified at the conditionally-approved level, a person must have scored as follows on the court interpreting oral exam and, if applicable, the written test: A. 50% or higher in each of the three sections of the interpreting test; B. 50% or higher in each section of the sight part of the exam; C. An average of 55% or higher across all sections of the exam. (Persons testing in a language for which there is only a simultaneous exam available must score 55% or higher on the simultaneous exam.); and D. 70% or higher on the written test (applies to candidates who entered the court interpreter approval/registration process via the mandatory one-day seminar between January 1, 2005 and January 1, 2008, or via the written test on or after January 1, 2008, and anycandidate seeking a higher classification level). Persons who score at the conditionally-approved level will be invited to register and may work initially in both Municipal Courts and State Courts (Superior and Tax Court). However, with respect to working in state-level courts, conditionally-approved interpreters are called for work “only when there are no approved interpreters for the particular language or when substantial effort has failed to locate an approved interpreter.” See Directive #1-17, Language Access Plan, Standard 1.3. NOTE: Typically, for purposes of working in any state-level court, persons who score at the conditionallyapproved level may remain in that status no longer than two years from the date the candidate completes the interpreting examination. If the candidate does not attempt to successfully reach a passing level during that time period: A. The interpreter may continue to provide interpreting services in Municipal Courts, but will no longer be eligible to be listed in the Registry of On-Site Interpreting Resources or deliver interpreting services in Superior or Tax Court (exceptions may be allowed upon clear demonstration of significant progress); and B. Should the interpreter ever wish to enter the testing program again, any portion of the interpreting test he or she may have previously passed will have to be taken again. In other words, for persons at the trainee level, passing a portion of the interpreting test is valid for only two years. Additionally, if the interpreter has NOT taken the written exam, he or she MUST take the written exam first in order to retake the oral exams. Fail: Everyone Who Did Not Pass or Who Reached the Conditionally-Approved Level Anyone who has not passed or who scored at the conditionally-approved level has failed the exam. Anyone who scored BELOW the conditionally-approved level has failed and is not eligible to interpret in ANY court. These persons are not eligible to work in any court or arm of the court under the jurisdiction of the New Jersey Supreme Court and must wait one year before retesting.