Kenai River Guide Academy^®
Course Information

KRGA Background
In January 2004, a group of organizations and agencies began working together to create a certification program for Kenai River fishing guides. The Alaska State Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation (DPOR), Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), Kenai River Professional Guides Association (KRPGA) and Kenai Peninsula College (KPC), a community campus of the University of Alaska Anchorage, collaborated in creating the Kenai River Guide Academy®.

In early 2005, the Kenai River Working Group (KRWG) incorporated the Kenai River Guide Academy® program into their recommendations to DPOR for new State Park Regulations. Draft regulations were written and a public hearing was held in Soldotna in January 2006 to listen to comments about this program as well as other changes to Title 11. The regulations were signed by Lt. Governor Loren Leman and took effect on March 14, 2006.

Purpose
The purpose of the Kenai River Guide Academy® is to educate and train all Kenai River fishing guides in the following areas:

• Regulatory
• Safety
• Guide ethics and behavior
• Habitat and conservation

Mandatory Program
In 2006, this program is optional. In 2007, the course becomes mandatory for all new guides who wish to possess a Kenai River Commercial Guide Permit. Guide applicants must successfully complete a course approved by the director of DPOR that is specially designed to train persons to provide professional guide services as sport fishing guides within the KRSMA. The course you are taking at Kenai Peninsula College is the only approved course presently offered. Guides must pass the course in order to receive a DPOR commercial operator permit to guide on the Kenai River; when they have to take the course is based upon the number of years they have been professionally guiding on the Kenai.

Kenai River Professional Sport Fishing Guides who have held a valid permit prior to December 31, 2005 are required to successfully complete the course within a specified amount of time based on the number of years as a Kenai River Guide:

• One year but less than 6 years, must successfully complete the course by May 2008.
• 6 years but less than 11 years must successfully complete the course by May 2009.
• 11 years or more must successfully complete the course the course by May 2011.

The cost of the course is $206 for the 5-day course and the fee includes four lunches provided by the Kenai River Sportfishing Association.

Curriculum and Meeting Times
All classes meet at Kenai Peninsula College, Room 107. Meeting times are:

• Monday—8 am-5 pm
• Tuesday—8 am-5:30 pm
• Wednesday—8 am-5:30 pm
• Thursday—8 am-6 pm
• Friday—8 am-3 pm. Untimed written tests will be given and scored immediately after you complete the test. After receiving your score, you will sit for your 20-minute oral examination. Oral exam results and Certificates of Completion for those who successfully pass both the written and oral exams will be available in the classroom from 2-3 pm.

Attendance & Cell Phone Policy
Everyone is expected to attend and participate in every class. Much of the learning that takes place will be a result of your interaction with other guides in the class and by engaging in the class discussions. There will be no makeup class time. Remember the more class time you miss, the more you decrease your odds of passing the written and oral exams.

Cell phones are permitted in class but must be set to vibrate. Cell phones will be checked with the test proctor during the written exams.

Accommodations & Breaks
Coffee will be available each morning and you are welcome to bring donuts, etc. Upon arrival, you will be given a lunch menu that you will fill out and return to the person facilitating the program. Lunch will be delivered outside the classroom and be eaten in the room during class since we will work through lunch. Instructors will try to give a five-minute break every 1.5 hours; however, feel free to leave the classroom if you need to use the facilities.

Grading Policy
This is a pass/fail course. You must pass the written test with an 80% or higher while oral exams are graded as pass/fail. Guides that do not pass the written test in any year can retake the test up to three times that same year. If a guide does not pass the test on the third try, they will be required to take the course again, pay the class fee again and take the exams again.

Testing Out/Challenging the Course
There is no test out option. All guides are required to take the course and pass the tests in order to receive their Kenai River Commercial Guide Permit.

Exam Information
On Friday morning, all participants will take a 100-question multiple choice/true-false test. A passing score on the test is 80% meaning you can miss up to 20 questions and pass. Exams will be graded while you wait.

You have as much time as you need to take the written test. This is a “closed book” test. You are not permitted to have any papers, notes, etc., at your table when taking the test. All test materials become the property of the college and no exam materials may be taken from the room or with you when you finish the exam.

Cell phones must be turned off and placed on the table in front of the room. As with any test, cheating of any type will not be tolerated. Those caught cheating will be failed from the course. They will be permitted to take the test one more time, at another time. Your test proctor will review those options with you. If you cheat the second time, you will be disqualified from the course. You will be eligible to take the course and another test, the following year after paying another course fee.

If you receive a failing score on the written exam, you will be allowed to take the test up to two more times in the Kenai Peninsula College Learning Center. Your test proctor will provide you more information about this if you are not successful in passing the test. If you need to take the test a second time, it will be a different test.

After completing the written test, you will take an oral exam. The oral exam will be given by members of the Kenai River Guide Academy® board of directors and selected fishing guides. The oral exam will consist of six questions, primarily made up of scenarios that you might encounter while guiding and also questions that will test your knowledge of the Kenai River.

If you fail the oral exam, the only time it can be retaken is when the next course is offered. Remember, you must pass both exams in order to receive your Kenai River Commercial Guide Permit from Alaska State Parks.

*In accordance with the phase-in period explained at the beginning of this document under the Mandatory Program section.

Presenting Your Certificate to State Parks
If you pass both the written and oral exam, you will receive a Certificate of Completion and be awarded three Continuing Education Units from Kenai Peninsula College. For new guides, beginning in 2007, you will need to present this certificate at the Kenai River Center in order to receive your Kenai River Commercial Guide Permit. Alaska State Parks will have a list of those who successfully pass the course and will confirm your certificate against the list they have been provided by the college.

Disability Accommodations
If you experience a disability and would like information about KPC support services, contact Disability Support Services, Kenai River Campus, Room 131, 262-0328. If you believe you need these services, you need to set up your service on the first day of this class. For a complete list of KPC Campus Services, visit our web site at www.kpc.alaska.edu