The Washington State Department of Agriculture plans to scrap paper tests and adopt online testing for pesticide applicators. The computer tests will be more convenient and prevent cheating, but will cost more to take, according to the department.
The department administered more than 10,000 tests last year to applicators, exterminators and pesticide dealers. The tests cost an average of $13 to take. The department would need to increase the per-test fee to $55 to $65 to pay for computer testing, according to department records. The department collected about $135,000 in fees in 2017, and estimates needing approximately $540,000 annually to pay a company to develop, administer and score electronic tests.
Tests would be offered at more places and more often, and results will be available sooner. The department has fined test-takers for cheating on paper tests, another factor in the department's determination to move testing online.
The department recently filed a notice alerting the public that it plans to release a detailed proposal soon. The department administers 33 different tests on pesticides. More than 28,000 people hold some type of department-issued pesticide license.
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