Hybrid National Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification Training FAQs

What is the hybrid course offering?
The hybrid course offering is a delivery method of the National Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST) Certification Training comprised of student self-paced e-learnings, scheduled virtual meetings and in-person sessions including hands-on activities and skills evaluations.

Is the hybrid course offering the same as the in-person course offering?
Both delivery methods for the National CPST Certification Training, hybrid and in-person, cover the same content. Supplemental multi-media tools are used in the hybrid offering to enhance the student experience and create a learning environment similar to that in the in-person offering.

What is the fee for the hybrid course?
The national fee for the hybrid course offering is the same as the in-person course offering - $95. Local fees may be added on to both offerings and will vary by course.

How do I register for a hybrid course?
To register for a hybrid course, go to https://cert.safekids.org/.

Click on “Find a course” and select “Hybrid” from the drop-down menu to see where and when hybrid courses are offered. The letter “H” at the end of the course number will denote hybrid courses. Once you select a course, follow the on-screen prompts to fill in the requested information to register and pay the national fee for the course.

Can I register for any hybrid course regardless of location of the course? 
The in-person sessions during a hybrid course are mandatory for all students. Confirm you are able to travel to the location of the mandatory in-person sessions prior to registering for the hybrid course.

Is there a deadline for registering for a hybrid course?
Registration must be completed at least seven days prior to the course kick-off session. 

Once I’m registered, how do I access the hybrid course materials? 
Hybrid course materials are set-up and made available the week following the course registration deadline and before the course kick-off session. Registered students will receive email communication from [email protected] as well as from the online resources’ automated systems (Car Seat Education & Slack) with directions for accessing the e-learning materials within the Child Passenger Safety Learning Portal and the class online communication platform, Slack.

What do I do if I have technical issues with the learning management system?
Technical issues with the LMS may be directed to the National Safety Council’s curriculum representative: 844-573-6531 or [email protected].

What do I do if I have technical issues with the Safe Kids Worldwide Certification website and my online profile? 
Technical issues with the Safe Kids Worldwide registration process may be directed to Customer Service: 202-875-6330 or [email protected].

What if I can’t attend the in-person sessions of the hybrid course?
Attending the in-person sessions of the hybrid course is mandatory for all students. If you know in advance that you won’t be able to attend the in-person sessions, look for a different course, hybrid or in-person, when you are able to attend the in-person session.

If there is an emergency during the course affecting attendance at an in-person session(s), you may submit the Emergency Fee Course Refund Application for consideration to [email protected].

If I registered for a hybrid course, can I change my registration to an in-person course?
Any individual can transfer their hybrid courseybrid course registration to an in-person PUBLIC course at any time, up to and including the first day of the original course. Organization managers can transfer the registrations of their organization’s affiliates to an in-person PUBLIC course at any time, up to and including the first day of the original course. Payment for the hybrid course registration will be transferred to the in-person course registration at no additional charge.

If you have registered for an in-person course and want to change your registration to a hybrid course, the transfer must be completed seven business days PRIOR to the hybrid course kick-off session. Payment for the in-person course registration will be transferred to the hybrid course registration at no additional charge.

What are the recertification requirements after I'm certified in a hybrid offering of the National CPST Certification Training?
The recertification requirements are the same for Technicians completing the hybrid and in-person offering of the National CPST Certification Training.

• Conduct all five different types of seat checks. 
• Participate in at least one community education. 
• Earn at least six continuing education units (CEUs).
• Pay the recertification fee. The recertification fee for Technicians is $55. A detailed fee table is available on this website under Resources-FAQs/Fees.

You must complete all recertification requirements, including paying the recertification fee, on or before the expiration date of your current certification. Check your Safe Kids Certification profile if you are not sure when your certification expires.

An interested co-worker is curious and wants to learn more about the hybrid course. Can I share my access to the e-learning materials?  
Only students who have registered, paid the national fee and appear on the official course roster should access the hybrid e-learning materials on the learning management system.

Member of the general public can access a digital copy of the 2020 Technician Guide at cpsboard.org/technician-resources.

Instructor Related FAQs

How much flexibility does the instructor team have in scheduling a hybrid course?  
As with an in-person course, a hybrid course must be at least 3 days long and completed entirely within 6 months. Additionally, there is a maximum of 10 hours per day for in-person sessions.

Instructors cannot add or delete information from the course. Lead Instructors may adjust the agenda to fit the needs of the students, however, all e-learning content as well as the mandatory virtual meetings and in-person sessions must be completed within the scheduled dates of the course.

As the lead instructor, what are my best sources of information on managing a hybrid National Child Passenger Safety Technician Certification Training course? 
The Safe Kids Certification Policies and Procedures Manual and the Hybrid Protected Instructor Materials provide answers to most course-related questions.

I want to offer a hybrid course with just one instructor. Is that even a possibility?
As with an in-person course, there is a two-instructor minimum requirement for a hybrid course. 

What will be the instructor to student ratio for a hybrid course?
As with an in-person course, the instructor to student ratio is 1:5 for a hybrid course.

What is the pre-course Instructor meeting?
The Lead Instructor should have at least one meeting before the start of a course, hybrid or in-person, with the entire team to make sure that everyone is prepared and understands their role. Discussion should include the distribution of course resources for each student.

The pre-course instructor meeting is required.

At the meeting, the team should:

• Confirm all instructors appear on the course profile.
• Go over the detailed delivery of the e-learning modules, mandatory virtual meetings, optional office hours and mandatory in-person sessions.
• Confirm which Instructor Team members will advance the students in the e-learning modules.
• Review and plan all hands-on activities and skills evaluations that will be held during the in-person sessions.
• Review general course administration.

All members of the Instructor Team must have a clear idea of the plan for the entire course. All Instructor Team members need to be prepared in case there is an emergency and they need to fill in for another team member.

A student doesn't show up to the required virtual meeting, in-person activities and skills evaluations due to an emergency. As the Lead Instructor, what are my options?
Provide the student with the Emergency Fee Course Refund Application (available under Resources-FAQs/Forms) to submit for consideration. Applications should be sent to [email protected].

What are the options if a student fails the course? 
When teaching a hybrid course, there may be times when students fail the online quizzes or skills evaluation. This situation should be handled delicately in order to preserve the student’s privacy and avoid any possible embarrassment or ridicule for the student. The Instructor Team should discuss what they will do in advance of the class during their pre-course meeting.

If a student fails the course during a quiz or the skills evaluation delivered in the learning management system, the Lead Instructor should talk with the student in private about their scores. This discussion can take place via several communication channels: the Lead Instructor can place a phone call to the student, reach out to them through the class online communication platform, or schedule time for a call on the virtual platform used for the office hours/checkpoints. The student has the option to:

• Stay for the remainder of the course.  The student could then act as a scribe for Skills Evaluation 4.
• Discontinue the course.  If the student chooses not to continue seek to understand how they would like their absence addressed if other students inquire.

If a student fails the course during the in-person skills evaluations, the Lead Instructor must speak to the student privately to let them know they did not pass the course. The student has the option to stay and assist as a volunteer for Skills Evaluation 4, but they may not take on any of the roles upon which students are being evaluated.

Whatever the choice the student selects, grades are confidential, and the Instructor Team must be careful not to single them out.

How long should the Lead Instructor keep paperwork from a hybrid National CPST Certification Training course (e.g. teaching hour allocation and skills evaluations) in case there is an issue or desk audit?
Courses are subject to a desk audit, at which time the course paperwork and finalization is reviewed. The course finalization is the official course grading and teaching hours record but the Lead Instructor should keep the paperwork for one certification cycle, 2 years, in case there is a desk audit, appeals, complaints or other course concerns. Many Lead Instructors choose to scan and save the course documentation rather than keeping the hard copies. The course record could include the finalization form indicating Instructor teaching hours, the roster of the course with the completion of scores, Instructor skills log form, Candidate score sheet, skills evaluations, course evaluations, and the Instructor Team summary of the course. The summary of the course could include any issues or concerns that occurred during the course and how they were corrected or resolved.

Specific to hybrid courses, keep a log of optional office hours, mandatory checkpoints, and notes and include in the course documentation.

Car seat check forms, as legal documents, should be kept for three years. At Safe Kids, you may use the National Digital Car Seat Check Form (NDCF) or we can scan the check forms and keep them stored digitally.

How do I earn instructor teaching hours in a hybrid course?
Teaching hours are based on the number of hours of lecture and participation in hands-on skills activities and evaluations.

What counts for teaching hours?

• Leading a virtual checkpoint in Learning Blocks 1, 2 or 3
• Co-teaching during a virtual checkpoint in Learning Blocks 1, 2 or 3 (both are active lecturers)
• Leading or Participating in a hands-on activity/skills evaluation
• Leading quiz reviews
• Actual time at the checkup event (while students are checking car seats) - e.g. 12 noon to 3 pm

What does not count for teaching hours?

• Back up for a colleague (following along in the book, etc.)
• Adding a comment to the teaching Instructor's presentation
• Setting up a classroom activity
• Setting up an outside activity
• Setting up the checkup event
• Breaking down the checkup event

Additionally, Instructors may earn up to 8 course administration hours for time spent reviewing videos and coaching of students.

*Please note: All instructors on the team must have the hybrid endorsement in their certification profile to be added as an instructor in the course. Instructors without the hybrid endorsement will not be able to be added and therefore not able to earn teaching hours for the hybrid course. 

How many hours would I be able to earn by teaching a hybrid course?

• Total eligible hours for Lead instructors: 7.5-11 hours, plus up to 10 hours for course administration
• Total eligible hours for other instructor Team members: 7.5-11 hours, plus up to 8 hours for course administration

Can you do your instructor candidacy in a hybrid course? 
No.  Requirements for Instructor Candidacy are not able to be completed during a hybrid course.

What happens if a student can't do the actual installations due to a physical restriction?
Should any student require assistance with the physical requirements of the course, they should talk with the Lead Instructor. The Instructor Team may accommodate the student by assigning an Instructor to install car seats following the student's specific instruction in each step of the selection, direction, and location process.