Certification & Capstone Practicum
A rigorous, three-part capstone evaluated through rubric-based review controls — ensuring every graduate meets a transparent competency standard.
Accreditation Status (Transparent)
EFI curriculum design is mapped to ICF core competency language and NBEFC-relevant scope themes. EFI is an independent provider and does not currently claim formal ICF or NBEFC accreditation.
- ICF CCE status: Planning phase (application not yet submitted)
- NBEFC alignment: Internal competency mapping published and updated
- Current status date: February 16, 2026
What It Takes to Earn Your Certification
Certification requires successful completion of all six curriculum modules and a three-part capstone practicum that demonstrates coaching readiness.
Module Completion
Before attempting the capstone, candidates must complete all six modules with passing marks on every assignment:
- Module 1: Neuropsychology of Self-Regulation
- Module 2: Assessment Protocols & Intake Strategy
- Module 3: The Coaching Architecture
- Module 4: Applied Methodologies
- Module 5: Strategic Interventions & Special Populations
- Module 6: Professional Ethics & Practice Management
Three-Part Capstone Practicum
The capstone is the definitive assessment of your readiness to practice. It is not a written exam — it is a demonstration of competence across three distinct modalities:
- Intake Simulation (Written + Structured Prompt)
- Case Study Intervention Plan
- Original Resource Development
All three components must receive passing rubric scores before certification is conferred.
Three-Part Capstone Practicum
Each component targets a different dimension of coaching competence — interpersonal skill, analytical rigor, and creative contribution.
Intake Simulation (Asynchronous)
Demonstrating interpersonal coaching competence
Submit a structured intake simulation packet (prompt responses + session plan) that demonstrates warm, structured, and effective first-meeting design in an asynchronous format.
Rapport Building
Establish a collaborative alliance using active listening, empathic validation, and strengths-based language. The client should feel heard and understood within the first five minutes.
EF Explanation
Explain executive function to the client in accessible, jargon-free language. Use the "Air Traffic Control" metaphor or an equivalent analogy to demystify the neuroscience.
Goal Setting
Collaboratively identify at least two SMART goals grounded in the client's self-reported EF profile. Demonstrate the "Goodness of Fit" concept from Dawson & Guare.
Grading Criteria
Reviewers evaluate rapport quality, accuracy of EF explanation, collaborative goal-setting technique, appropriate use of assessment data, and overall session structure. A standardized rubric ensures consistency across reviewers.
Case Study Intervention Plan
Demonstrating analytical and theoretical rigor
You will receive a complex case file describing a client with multiple EF challenges across academic, professional, and personal domains. Your task is to produce a detailed intervention plan that demonstrates mastery of all three core models.
Required Plan Components
- Client Profile Analysis: Interpret the provided ESQ-R data, identify the top three deficit areas, and map them to the Barkley, Brown, and Dawson & Guare models
- Environmental Modifications: Propose at least three environmental changes citing Barkley's "Extended Phenotype" framework
- Skill-Building Interventions: Design targeted interventions for each deficit area using the Dawson & Guare two-tiered approach
- Temporal Management Strategy: Address time blindness using the Ward & Jacobsen "360 Thinking" model
- Fade Plan: Outline how scaffolding will be progressively reduced as the client develops independent EF capacity
- Theoretical Justification: Every recommendation must cite at least one of the three core models (Barkley, Brown, or Dawson & Guare)
Integration Requirement
Plans that rely on only one theoretical model will not pass. The purpose of this assessment is to demonstrate your ability to synthesize Barkley's mechanistic model, Brown's cluster framework, and Dawson & Guare's practical skill taxonomy into a unified, actionable coaching strategy.
Resource Development
Contributing to the open-source coaching community
Create one original coaching tool that could be used by any EF coach in practice. This component tests your ability to translate theory into a tangible, reusable resource — and it contributes to the growing open-source library of EF coaching materials.
Acceptable Formats
- Worksheets or planning mats
- Visual strategy cards or infographics
- Session protocol templates
- Assessment or self-monitoring tools
- Psychoeducation handouts for clients or parents
- Digital tools or interactive templates
Evaluation Criteria
- Theoretical grounding: Clearly rooted in at least one EF model
- Practical utility: Immediately usable in a coaching session
- Clarity of design: Professional quality and accessible language
- Originality: Represents a novel contribution, not a copy of existing tools
- Documentation: Includes a brief guide explaining the intended use and theoretical basis
Review and Quality Control
Submissions are scored against a published rubric and released with delayed feedback. High-variance scores are flagged for manual audit review.
How It Works
Each capstone component is evaluated with a structured rubric focused on conceptual accuracy, intervention quality, ethical scope, and actionability.
Rubric Scoring
Your submission is scored by the rubric engine against weighted criteria. The output includes strengths, improvements, and category-level results.
24-Hour Delayed Release
Feedback is intentionally released after a 24-hour hold window to support controlled quality checks and consistent communications.
Manual Audit Escalation
Flagged submissions can be manually audited by EFI reviewers before final credential decisions are issued.
Turnaround SLA: most module reviews are released within 2-5 business days (after 24-hour hold), and capstone decisions are typically released within 5-10 business days depending on revision volume.
Why This System?
Rubric-based scoring creates a documented, repeatable standard. Delayed release plus audit escalation reduces inconsistent grading outcomes.
Operational Transparency
EFI does not currently market this as an external accreditation process. It is an internal certification workflow with published standards and verification controls.
Reviewer lead profile currently listed: Jacob Rozansky (Educator).
Integrity Guarantee
Every certified graduate has demonstrated competency against the same published rubric and review thresholds.
Capstone Evaluation Criteria (Sample)
Below is a public sample of how submissions are distinguished between passing and needs-revision outcomes.
Component 1: Intake Simulation
| Domain | Passing Standard | Needs Revision |
|---|---|---|
| Rapport Building | Uses open-ended prompts and reflective listening; validates frustration without judgment. | Relies mostly on advice-giving or closed questions; skips emotional validation to jump to fixing. |
| EF Explanation | Explains EF in accessible, strengths-based language (for example, \"air traffic control\" framing). | Uses dense jargon without translation; frames EF as personal character failure. |
Component 2: Intervention Plan
| Domain | Passing Standard | Needs Revision |
|---|---|---|
| Theoretical Grounding | Interventions explicitly map to Barkley, Brown, Ward, or Dawson/Guare frameworks with rationale. | Uses generic tips (for example, \"try harder\" / \"use a calendar\") with no model-based justification. |
| Environmental Modification | Proposes concrete external supports before relying on willpower-based behavior change. | Focuses on internal motivation alone; no practical context/environment redesign. |
This sample is representative. Full scoring includes additional weighted criteria and evidence checks.
Anonymized Passing Outline Examples
Intake Simulation
Opens with strengths inventory, names one friction pattern, maps to two measurable goals, and closes with first-week execution plan.
Intervention Plan
Links each intervention to at least one model citation, includes environment redesign first, and includes a clear prompt-fading schedule.
Original Tool
Provides one-page usage protocol, intended client profile, and adaptation notes for school/home/work settings.
Ethics Pledge & Certification Renewal
Certification is not just a credential — it is an ongoing commitment to ethical practice, professional growth, and accountability.
The Ethics Pledge
Upon passing the capstone, every candidate must sign a digital Ethics Pledge before their certification is conferred. This pledge is a binding commitment to the professional standards that define EF coaching.
I will maintain clear boundaries between coaching and therapy. I will not diagnose, treat, or counsel for mental health conditions. When a client presents with needs beyond my scope, I will refer to an appropriate licensed professional.
I will ground all interventions in peer-reviewed research and the theoretical models taught in this program. I will not promote pseudoscientific approaches or make unsubstantiated claims about coaching outcomes.
I will respect the autonomy and dignity of every client. I will practice strengths-based coaching, reject deficit-only language, and empower clients to develop their own self-regulation capacity rather than fostering dependence on the coach.
I will protect client data with appropriate security measures, obtain informed consent for all assessments and session recordings, and comply with applicable privacy regulations.
I will pursue ongoing professional development, stay current with emerging research in executive function and neuroscience, and contribute to the growth of the EF coaching community.
ICF & NBEFC Alignment
The EFI Ethics Pledge is designed to align with the professional standards established by major coaching bodies:
International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Our ethical framework maps to ICF Core Competencies and Code of Ethics to support professional best-practice alignment.
National Board for Executive Function Coaching (NBEFC)
Our scope-of-practice training and ethics curriculum reference NBEFC competency themes.
EFI is an independent training provider and is not currently represented as formally accredited by ICF or NBEFC.
Certification Validity & Renewal
- 2-Year Validity: Certification is valid for two years from the date of issuance
- CEU Renewal: Renew by completing a minimum of 20 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) within each two-year cycle
- Approved CEU Sources: EFI advanced workshops, ICF-approved trainings, NBEFC events, relevant conference presentations, or peer-reviewed publication
- Ethics Reaffirmation: Re-sign the Ethics Pledge at each renewal to confirm ongoing commitment
- Community Contribution: Participate in at least one quality-review or standards refresher cycle per renewal period
The Certified Coach Launch Kit
Every certified graduate receives a full collection of professional tools organized into three categories — everything you need to open your practice on day one.
Assessment Tools
Instruments for understanding your client's EF profile from the very first session.
- Digital ESQ-R: Administerable version of the Executive Skills Questionnaire — Revised with automated scoring and profile generation
- Intake Script: Structured intake conversation guide featuring the "Air Traffic Control" metaphor for explaining EF to new clients
- Parent Interview Protocol: Structured interview template for gathering parent/guardian perspectives on a student's EF functioning
- Student Interview Protocol: Age-appropriate self-report interview designed to build rapport while gathering functional data
Intervention Tools
Ready-to-use coaching resources grounded in the three foundational EF models.
- "Get Ready, Do, Done" Planning Mats: Visual planning worksheets based on the Ward & Jacobsen 360 Thinking model for backward task planning
- Time Horizon Visualizers: Tools for making abstract future time concrete — addressing Barkley's "time blindness" through visual-spatial representations
- "Wall of Awful" Worksheet: Guided exercise for identifying and processing the emotional barriers to task initiation — based on the emotional regulation dimension of all three models
Practice Management
Business templates and documentation systems for running a professional coaching practice.
- Service Agreement Template: Customizable client contract aligned with ICF standards, including scope of practice disclosures and cancellation policies
- SOAP Note Templates: Structured session documentation using the Subjective-Objective-Assessment-Plan format adapted for EF coaching
- Coach's Dashboard: Client tracking system for monitoring goals, session notes, and progress across multiple clients
- Business Plan Template: One-page business plan framework covering niche definition, target audience, pricing strategy, and revenue projections
Implementation Roadmap
The phased timeline for building and launching the EFI certification platform.
Content Production
Months 1–3
- Finalize all six module curricula with readings, assignments, and rubrics
- Develop capstone case files and scoring benchmarks
- Create the complete Launch Kit resource library
- Publish asynchronous lesson briefs, walkthrough docs, and rubric examples
- Build calibration anchor submissions for standards training
Platform Build
Months 4–5
- Build the learning management system (LMS) with module progression tracking
- Implement submission review workflow enhancements and calibration controls
- Develop the digital ESQ-R assessment with automated scoring
- Create the Ethics Pledge digital signature system
- Integrate CEU tracking and certification renewal management
Beta Launch
Month 6
- Recruit a 20-user asynchronous pilot group from diverse professional backgrounds
- Run the full certification pipeline from Module 1 through capstone
- Collect detailed feedback on content clarity, pacing, and assessment difficulty
- Calibrate rubric thresholds based on real submission data
- Iterate on Launch Kit tools based on pilot user experience
Public Launch
Month 7+
- Open enrollment to the general public
- Launch the Certified Coach Directory — a searchable listing of all EFI-certified coaches
- Establish partnerships with schools, universities, and corporate HR departments
- Begin offering advanced specialization tracks and CEU workshops
- Activate community forums for peer support and case consultation
Ready to Earn Your Certification?
Join a rigorous, science-based program that prepares you to deliver consistent, measurable coaching outcomes.
Decision Checklist
Review requirements, capstone rubric expectations, and scope boundaries first. If that structure fits your goals, enroll and start with Module 1.