Certification in the fitness industry: The exam development for ACE and ACSM from 1975-1994

A historical report of the ACSM and ACE certification development process is presented. The history of the ACSM certification program begins in the early 1970s and continues into present time. Expert analysis and statistical procedures have assessed the content domain, test specifications, and passing score, as well as interpreted the level of reliability, validity, and objectivity. A continuing education program was instituted for all certifications in 1990. The liberation of many certification prerequisites occurred shortly after 1991. The history of the ACE (formerly the IDEA Foundation) begins in the early 1980s and continues into present time. The primary certification development procedures included a role delineation study, Kuder-Richardson 20 to assess reliability, Modified Angoff Technique to determine the passing point, and an item analysis to assess the quality of the testing items. Both the continuing education program and the prerequisites were included in the initial certification development process, and remain the same.