CASLI (The Center for Assessment of Sign Language Interpreters), founded on July 1, 2016, is a separate testing entity which administers, maintains and develops the exams used for RID (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf) certification programs: National Interpreter Certification – NIC (awarded to ASL-English interpreters who are hearing) and the Certified Deaf Interpreter – CDI (awarded to ASL-English interpreters who are Deaf).
CASLI exams are currently transitioning, but they continue to have two components: a knowledge exam followed by a performance exam. The testing process cycle re-started on June 1, 2021 after a two-year pause due to the exam transitions and testing delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Candidates will have up to one year added to their time for testing eligibility.
The CGKE, the CASLI Generalist Knowledge Exam, is now taken by both CDI and NIC candidates. After some delays with the new testing company, this exam rolled out in December 2020 and is now available at more than 1,000 testing sites in the US.
CDI candidates who pass the CGKE go on to take the CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Deaf Interpreters. As of May 17, 2021, CDI candidates for the Performance Exam must have a Bachelor degree or equivalent instead of an Associate degree.
NIC candidates who have passed the CGKE take the NIC-Performance Exam (without the interview) until the new CASLI Generalist Performance Exam for Hearing Interpreters is ready, likely later this year or in early 2022.
CDI and NIC candidates who have passed the former knowledge exams, known as the CDI-Knowledge Exam and the NIC-Knowledge Exam, can get more details on how to proceed with taking their performance exams at the website below.
https://www.casli.org/exam-preparations/exam-iteration-transition-information-bridge-plans/
NOTE: RID awarded the Educational Certificate: K-12 (Ed:K-12) from 2007 to 2016 through an MOU (Memo of Understanding) with Boys Town National Research Hospital. Certificants demonstrated an EIPA (Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment) Level 4.0 or above. Although RID/CASLI no longer awards the Educational Certificate it is still fully recognized. It is unclear why this certificate is no longer awarded. The MOU is still in place today.