FSBPT History
“The Birth of Our Federation
In the early ’80s, several members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) began to discuss the idea of creating a separate organization—one that would eliminate any potential conflict of interest between the promotion of the profession and ownership of the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE).
”
These visionaries also had the foresight to recognize that a coalescence of member licensing authorities could serve a meaningful purpose: working together to protect the American public by promoting safe and competent physical therapy care. From these humble beginnings, our Federation was born.
“Proposal to Form a “More Perfect Union”
The APTA began to discuss the creation of a separate organization that would have responsibility for the national examination and could serve as a resource for licensing boards.
”
In the ensuing years, the APTA Section on State Licensure and Regulation members weighed the pros and the cons. More than a dozen valid reasons to form the proposed organization were cited, from promoting uniform standards nationwide to developing model licensing laws.
“Task Force Set in Motion
On June 9, 1986, a task force met in Chicago with one purpose in mind: to begin the development of a Federation. Bylaws were presented and adopted. The group discussed and prioritized no less than twenty-five potential objectives. Step by step, FSBPT was coming to life.
”
“Members Honored
From the beginning, there were seven individuals who worked tirelessly to bring FSBPT to life. In 1987, these founding members were officially recognized as “Honorary Members.”
”
Learn More
“FSBPT is Born
In February 1987, the culmination of our efforts was realized: twenty-two states committed to the formation of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). On April 22, FSBPT was incorporated as a non-profit in the state of Alabama.
”
“Transfer of Exam Ownership Begins
The biggest hurdle—forming FSBPT—was behind us. But many challenges awaited us, beginning with the transfer of ownership of the NPTE from APTA to FSBPT.
”
At the March 1988 FSBPT Board of Directors meeting, they discussed two key elements that paved the way for the transfer of NPTE ownership to happen: 1) the APTA would provide “continuing professional input” into the examination development process and receive “fair compensation” for the transfer of ownership, and 2) FSBPT would be “capable of assuming responsibility for the examination program.”
“NPTE Transfer Agreement Signed
On October 31, 1989, a transfer of ownership agreement was signed between the APTA and FSBPT. The process of moving the development and administration of the NPTE would take place over a three-year period.
”
“Building Our Organization
After the NPTE transfer agreement was signed, leaders on both sides worked closely to ensure the transfer would be accomplished by the deadline. Thanks to their determination, enthusiasm, and cooperation, these individuals were able to accomplish a long list of critical tasks in three short years. A strong foundation for FSBPT was laid, and the framework for a new organization began to take shape.
”
“First Summit Meeting
In October, FSBPT held its First Summit Meeting in Itaska, Illinois. More than sixty members, officers, staff, and facilitators came together to focus on the direction of the new organization.
”
The original mission, as defined by our founders, was reaffirmed at the Summit: “The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy is to serve as a resource to the member boards in their efforts to ensure the protection of the consumer of physical therapy services throughout the United States, its territories and possessions.”
“FSBPT Takes Ownership of the NPTE
In 1993 it became official; the NPTE was now the property of FSBPT.
”
”I remember first reading the contract for the Federation to buy the exam from APTA and the realization hit me that this organization was really going to happen....and last!” –Carolyn Bloom, PT, Honorary Member
“Fifty-Three Jurisdictions Join FSBPT
Gradually, the jurisdictions were convinced of the value of FSBPT. Membership rose from twenty-two charter members in 1987 to fifty-three boards in 1993.
”
“First Strategic Plan
Based on the goals established at FSBPT’s first Summit, we developed our first Strategic Plan. Since that time, our objectives have been refined year after year and we continue to engage in strategic planning.
”
“Computer-based Testing Introduced
Thirty-nine member boards drop the time-consuming “pencil and paper” method in favor of computer-based testing.
”
“One Passing Score
All members adopt the uniform passing score for the NPTE, which is criterion-referenced and is widely accepted as the methodology for establishing performance standards for high-stakes examinations. This was a huge step forward in allowing greater mobility of PTs and PTAs throughout the United States.
”
“New FSBPT Building
A dedication ceremony was held for FSBPT’s new office located in Alexandria, Virginia.
”
“First Model Practice Act
FSBPT publishes the first “Model Practice Act for Physical Therapy,” an invaluable tool used by many jurisdictions to update their practice acts, rules, and regulations.
”
“Council of Board Administrators Formed
After years of contributing to FSBPT, the organization formed a new group exclusively for administrators: the Council of Board Administrators (CBA). Additionally, a new position was established on the board of directors to be held by an administrator.
”
“President’s Award Established
J. Scott Stephens established the President’s Award to honor those people who, in the President’s estimation, had made significant and outstanding contributions to FSBPT during the past year.
”
Learn More
“Coursework Tools for Non-U.S. Educated PTs
With a growing number of foreign candidates being recruited to fill US physical therapist positions, FSBPT recognized it was critical to evaluate their education. We developed a Coursework Tool (CWT) for this assessment.
“Foreign Credentialing Commission Created
FSBPT recognized that individuals educated outside the United States who wanted to work as physical therapists in the United States must meet certain criteria. To protect the American public and provide credentialing services to these individuals, we created the Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT), a separate organization from FSBPT.
”
“Defining Our Mission
In 1999, FSBPT held its Second Summit Meeting in Dallas, Texas. What emerged was our current mission statement: “The purpose of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy is to protect the public by providing service and leadership that promote safe and competent physical therapy practice.”
”
“Exam Development and Administration Brought In-House
By adopting an automated online system, FSBPT was able to bring the exam development, scoring, and reporting in-house. The results were impressive. Turnaround time for scoring and reporting dropped dramatically.
”
“Richard McDougall Long Term Service Award
In recognition of the critical and ongoing work of Honorary Member Richard McDougall, FSBPT created the Richard McDougall Long Term Service Award.
”
“Updated FSBPT Vision Statement
FSBPT’s Delegate Assembly voted to expand its vision to provide a more concrete representation of FSBPT’s goals:
”State licensing boards and their Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy will achieve a high level of public protection through a strong foundation of laws and regulatory standards in physical therapy, effective tools and systems to assess entry-level and continuing competence, and public and professional awareness of resources for public protection.””
“NPTE Earns Accreditation Status
Following a rigorous evaluation of the NPTE test development, administration, and security practices, FSBPT received Stage One and Stage Two Accreditation from the Buros Institute for Assessment Consultation and Outreach (BIACO).
”
“New FSBPT Building
FSBPT moved to a new office building on West Street.
”
“Coursework Tools for the Non-U.S. Educated PTA
When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began requiring foreign-educated PTAs to show certification of equivalence, we developed a Coursework Tool (CWT) for assessing their education.
”
“Snowmageddon
The weather forecast was ominous: a massive snow storm was on the horizon. But Exam Committee volunteers were undeterred from attending their weekend meeting. As it turned out, the “Snowmageddon” snowstorm of 2010 surpassed the 1898 record for total snowfall in Washington, D.C.
”
“Earthquake 5.8: All Shook Up
First the 5.8 earthquake and then Hurricane Irene. There was some slight damage to the building, but as this was the first earthquake experienced by most of us in metro DC, there was quite a bit more damage done to our nerves.
”
“Third Summit Meeting
In response to serious breaches in exam security, a Third Summit Meeting was held in Dallas, Texas. Members discussed the future direction of the NPTE and its role of public protection.
”
“Item Writing Task Force
FSBPT created the Item Writing Task Force to normalize the importance and leadership role of item writers who have made significant contributions to the NPTE item bank and to the item development process. The creation of the task force allows FSBPT to concentrate resources and training on a core group of item writers who have demonstrated the ability to write high-quality NPTE items. The task force also allows FSBPT to react quickly to changes/needs in the item bank as a result of security threats or changes in the test content outline.
”
“Leadership Issues Forum
FSBPT held the first Leadership Issues Forum (LIF) in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2012. LIF provides our leaders with an overview of the topics and projects that are currently on the “front burner” for FSBPT. The rich discussions at this annual two-day meeting have been essential to moving FSBPT forward.
”
“Launching the JAMs
We launched our first Jurisprudence Assessment Module in 2015.
”
“Snowzilla
Once again a little (or a lot) of snow doesn’t get in the way of our mission. Volunteers forged ahead at a JAM Item Writing Workshop in Alexandria, Virginia.
”
“Healthcare Regulatory Research Institute
FSBPT established the Healthcare Regulatory Research Institute in 2017. The purpose of HRRI is to create a forum for the exchange of information and ideas and to pursue research and education to enhance regulation in support of public protection.
”
“The Pt Compact is Officially Enacted
FSBPT launched the PT Compact to increase consumer access to physical therapy services by reducing regulatory barriers to interstate mobility and cross-state practice. The PT Compact was officially enacted on April 25, 2017, when the tenth jurisdiction became a member. Now, more than thirty jurisdictions are members.
”
“COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every part of our lives, and high-stakes licensure exams are no exception. In mid-March 2020, it became clear to FSBPT that we needed to shut down the April testing window. This resulted in an unprecedented testing disruption. There were 5,922 displaced candidates. For context, over the last eight years, in total, FSBPT had forty-three candidates displaced in the month of April. Fortunately, through swift action, testing disruptions were minimal following the spring of 2020. FSBPT also moved all membership and committee meetings to virtual settings for the remainder of 2020 and most of 2021.
While COVID-19 continues to impact the global community, FSBPT settled into a new normal for meetings, exam processes and administration, and stakeholder engagement.
”
“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”
— Leonardo da Vinci
About FSBPT
FSBPT strives to live by a clearly defined mission and vision. Our mission conveys the direction of our organization and our vision inspires us to achieve a common purpose.
Our Mission: To protect the public by providing service and leadership that promote safe and competent physical therapy practice.
Our Vision: To achieve a high level of public protection through a strong foundation of laws and regulatory standards in physical therapy, effective tools and systems to assess entry-level and continuing competence, and public and professional awareness of resources for public protection.