Exam calendar is full until May 2024. We are decreasing the number of exams we offer monthly until we clear the grading backlog.
During 2023, 116 exams closed, up from 83 in 2022.
The Exam Team has made significant progress on the backlog of primarily non-English exams via increased focus on translations and a native grading initiative that is starting to take roots.
A large number of exams have been translated and are now waiting graders as shown in the chart below.
The Exam and Grader Activity graphic displays the number of exams administered, exams closed and the number of distinct active graders per year during the past 10 years.
As you can see the pandemic took a toll on both exams administered and our active grader pool. Our grader pool has partially recovered, but only to 2013 levels.
As the next graphic demonstrates, our grading time has remained mostly consistent once our graders get the exams to evaluate. We have a very long lag that is due to translation of non-English exams and waiting for available grading volunteers. This lag has increased from 2 to 3 weeks to 3 to 4 months on average. Several translations have dragged this average down.
Today we have a grading backlog of approximately 40 exams and are currently assigning exams administered in August 2023 to grading teams in addition to older exams coming in from translation. This is introducing a lag of 5 months on grading.
We ask for more grading volunteers
The Exam Directorate has decided to loosened requirements around grader training for experienced graders, if you are able to grade, please fill out the Grader Sign-Up Form linked below.
If you are a National or above ranked Judge, please consider getting involved with grading by signing up with the form linked below. This is one of the best ways to learn how to write better score sheets.
And finally to all our active graders, you are doing great work to keep the program moving. We’ve added a section to the sign-up form that allows you to schedule when you want to receive an exam, and how often.
Everyone that is interested in grading, please sign up here: Grader Sign-Up Form