About PrintED
PrintED, administered by the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF), is a national accreditation program, based on industry standards, for graphic communications courses of study at the secondary and post-secondary levels. It was created in response to the need for skilled entry-level workers in the printing industry. Graduates of the program bring to the workplace an equivalent of six-months on-the-job training.

PrintED Examinations
Students in PrintED accredited programs are eligible to take standardized certification examinations. Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) offers standardized PrintED online examinations in two areas of PrintED accreditation:

• Press Operations
• Digital File Preparation

In response to the growing emphasis on accountability in education, this series of examinations provides graphic communications courses of study a means to measure and demonstrate their success.

Students are encouraged to take the national examination(s) to verify the level of knowledge they have achieved. Attaining a sufficient score will result in the awarding of a national certificate of completion or a national certification, which will be of significant value to a student whether entering the competitive workforce or pursuing further education.

2009 Guides
PrintEd Examination Proctor Handbook
PrintEd Examination Guide

Achievement Levels
 
• Successful Completion
Students who achieve a minimum passing score on the examination(s) will be awarded a Certificate of Completion, acknowledging that they have attained a basic working knowledge of the graphic communication industry.

• Full Certification
Students who achieve a high passing score on the examination(s) will be awarded a Full Certification.

• Full Certification with Distinction
Students who achieve exceptional scores on the examination(s) will be awarded a Full Certification with Distinction.

PrintED Pre-Assessments
To better meet the needs of educators and students, the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF) is now offering pre-assessments in the three PrintED accreditation areas that currently have online certification examinations.

Purpose of the Pre-Assessments
The purpose of the pre-assessments is to establish baseline knowledge and skills of the students. Teachers can then use the information gained in a pre-assessment to make instructional decisions about student strengths and needs.

To learn more about PrintED visit
http://www.gaerf.org/printed/printed.html

Click here for a list of sample questions.

For questions or more information, please contact:
Mandy McCall, NOCTI Project and Account Coordinator
800-334-6283
mandy.mccall@nocti.org

Eileen Cassidy, GAERF Director
(703) 264-7200
ecassidy@npes.org