Balancing PLA Credit: Easing the Tension Between Individual Needs and System

Sustainability

Bitsy Cohn

Director, Credit for Prior Learning

Colorado Community College System

Senior Consultant, CAEL

Who are you??

On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being “Be gentle, I’m new at this”

and 10 being “Move over, I got this”

How would you rate your knowledge of PLA credit and

developing PLA credit systems?

Today

What is balance, grasshopper?

The Process of developing the PLA

Credit System

Changes to past policy

Procedures

The PLA Credit Crosswalk Matrix

The DashboardThe PLA Credit

Manual

Scaling Efficiencies

What is balance, Grasshopper?

Investment perceived to be equal to

ROI

Resource allocations

recognize work load

Students Staff and Faculty

Duplication avoided through shared

resources

CO: The Process

• Redesign the current Colorado Community College System model for credit for prior learning to accelerate certification

CHAMP Grant: Credit for Prior Learning

• Registrars, testing specialist, VP, Deans, transcript evaluators, faculty, CAEL expertCredit for Prior Learning

Committee

• Develop System Presidents Procedures

• Credit crosswalk matrix in development/Standardized Test Matrix in place

February 2015:

Policy revisions approved by SBCCOES

• Webinars

• System Presidents Procedures: Approved

• PLA Credit Manual/Matrix: Distribute draft for input

December 2015:

Initial Rollout

• Launch PLA Credit.com Dashboard

• Open PLA Credit Website

• Training: Advisors/Registrars, Faculty, Leadership

Spring 2016:

Full implementation

CPL POLICY CHANGE PLA Credit

• Prior Learning Assessment CreditCredit for Prior Learning

• Credit transcripted when student applies/ declares major

One credit in residency requirement

• System–wide cost matrixVaried costs: <50% of tuition cost per credit

• Guidelines based on national best practices. Training for assessors

Assessment practices vary by college

• Manual: Updated and expanded crosswalks STAN, CHAL, PUBG, POTR

Handbook: specific to current policy. Most credit matrix

information 2008 or earlier.

The Procedures

• Clear and concise information

• Published/accessible

• New and currently enrolled

• Student bill of rights

Publicize PLA Credit Opportunities

• College level learning and skills

• Requires admission to a program of study

• Credit for courses directly applicable to declared program

• Meet or exceed “C” level

• Assessed by subject matter experts

Standards for awarding credit

• Standardized Tests

• Institutional Challenge Exams

• Published Guides

• Faculty evaluated local industry and workplace credit

• Portfolios

Methods for awarding credit

• Standardized test cut scores and course crosswalks

• Challenge Exam availability by course and institution

• Previously evaluated Published Guide recommendations

PLA Credit Crosswalk Matrix

• Admitted with declared program of study

• PLA Credit not counted toward FTE

• PLA Credit identified by specific course number/ sem. credit hours

• Required documentation maintained by college

Posting Credit

• Standardized across the state

• Student bears reasonable costs of assessment

• No fees charged for posting of credit

• Not to exceed 50% of cost of tuition for credits awarded

• Non refundable, regardless of assessment outcome

Cost

• PLA Credit must be accepted for transfer among all state system college provided that the credits apply to the degree or certificate program at the institution the student is entering

• Transfer guides and articulation agreements shall include information on the transfer of PLA Credit

Transfer of Credit

What if No One is in charge?

CCCS.edu/PLA Accessible to all –

guidance to students, staff, faculty

The Matrix

Standardized Tests

Challenge Tests by Course and Institution

Previously Evaluated Published Guide Credit

recommendations

Faculty Evaluated Local Industry and Workplace

crosswalks

• AP, IB, CLEP, DSST, UExcel

• CDHE

• Information only

• Student, advisor, staff access

• Repository: Credential, course crosswalk, credits, faculty evaluator

• Reduce duplication, transparency for students

• Evaluator training/support

• Transferability for students

• Include in Repository

The Dashboard

Interactive tool for student and advisors

Matrix = the data source

Maintained at the system level

Link on each college webpage

Student account saved for updates, printing, sharing

Administrator portal to access matrix information: Advisors, registrars

The Manual

Format:”Shalls”, “Shoulds”, “Best Practices”

Electronic, updates in real time

Answers without a “person”

Tools

Scaling Efficiencies

Faculty

• Engagement is key, not consensus

• Work with those who want to do the work and show up

• Create a model that shows the ways the shifts will benefit students and use it often

• Respect protocol but don’t get bogged down in it

Staff

• Culture of collaboration and sharing

• Standardize data

• Create easily accessible resources that answer important questions i.e. Accreditation

• Identify leads/communication and information flow and test

• Clean out/up websites and repositories

Questions?