February 14, 2017

In January 2017, the NASBA Board of Directors approved and the AICPA Board of Directors took a position of support for exposure of revised Model Rules covering continued professional education. Unlike the Statement on Standards for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Programs (Standards), which are directed to CPE program providers, the Model Rules are directed to licensees and are provided as a set of rules that prescribe baseline standards for use by Boards of Accountancy in state rules and laws. The CPE Model Rules were reviewed and revised due to increased interest in the development of uniformity in rules and requirements for CPE among the jurisdictions.

The CPE Model Rules Exposure Draft details the fields of study that are technical and non-technical and requires completion of 50% of the total CPE credits required for the CPE reporting period in technical fields of study. Taking into consideration the varying renewal periods among jurisdictions, the CPE Model Rules recommends completion of CPE that averages no fewer than 40 credits of qualified CPE, including an average of 2 credits of ethics, for each annual period included in the CPE reporting period.

Additionally, the CPE Model Rules Exposure Draft recommends that compliance with the Standards be required of all providers of CPE regardless of whether the provider is the AICPA, state accounting societies, members of NASBA’s National Registry of CPE Sponsors or other firms, associations, and groups recognized by the Boards of Accountancy. The Standards include the development, presentation, measurement and reporting requirements of the two new instructional delivery methods: nano learning and blended learning.

To assist Boards of Accountancy in the review and discussion of the CPE Model Rules, NASBA has provided a video specifically related to the new instructional delivery methods: nano learning and blended learning. It is a condensed PowerPoint presentation that plays like a video and contains an example of nano learning content as well as the application and review process that CPE program providers will undergo when seeking approval on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors.

The proposed revisions represent the collective effort of NASBA’s Uniform Accountancy Act (UAA) Committee, the CPE Committee and a task force comprised of stakeholders in the CPE area, including Boards of Accountancy, state accounting societies, industry practitioners and CPE program providers.

The CPE Model Rules Exposure Draft is available for download at nasba.org. Interested parties are encouraged to review and provide comment on the exposure draft by June 30, 2017. Please submit comments to the attention of Louise Haberman at lhaberman@nasba.org.

See Full Document
Draft Model Rules for Continuing Professional Education (CPE)

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