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PLA: A Systems Approach
NCWE ConferenceOctober 29, 2014
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• Council for Adult and Experiential Learning
• A 501(c)(3) non-profit, international organization with 40 years of experience in lifelong learning
• National leader in PLA best practices, research, and writing
• Dedicated to removing barriers to adult learning
• Standards recognized by regional accrediting bodies
Who Is CAEL?
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Change is Good?
Another Look at the Degree Completion Gap
** Best performance is the average of the top three states.
63,127,642
41,860,914
0 20 40 60 80
Degrees Needed to Meet Best Performance** (55%)
Degrees* Produced from 2005 to 2025 with Current
Rate of Production plus Population Growth
Millions
* Degrees includes both Associates and 4-year degrees.
We need to increase the rate of degree production in the U.S. by
50.8%.
Source: NCHEMS and JFF, Adding it Up, 2007
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http://www.adultcollegecompletion.org/content/degreeGapModel
Youth alone won’t cut it
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What is PLA?
Prior Learning Assessment is a process for evaluating knowledge and skills in order to award college credit for learning from:
• On-the-job
learning
• Corporate training
• Independent study
• Military service
• Volunteer service
PLA Takes Many Forms
• Transfer credit
• ACE recommended credit
• Standardized tests
• Student Portfolio
College Credit
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Learning, not Experience
• Credit is for LEARNING,
not for experience
• Subject matter
experts make credit
recommendations
• Any fees are for
assessment, not for the amount of
credit awarded
Key CAEL Standards
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• Fueling the Race to Postsecondary Success
• 2010• 48 higher education
institutions• 60,000 student records• Complete study: http://www.cael.org/pdfs/PLA_Fueling-the-Race
PLA Research
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Graduation rates are 2 ½ times higher for students with PLA credit
Fueling the Race to Postsecondary Success, March 2010
PLA Helps Students Graduate
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Total Credits Earned at Institution
Average for All PLA Students
53.7 credits
Average for All Non-PLA Students
43.8 credits
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Time to Degree (PLA vs. Non-PLA):• Bachelor’s Degree: Saved 2.5 to 10.1 months
to attain degree• Associate’s Degree: Saved 1.5 to 4.5 months
to attain degree
Impact on Costs: An adult student who earned 15+ credits through PLA applied to a degree saved $1605 to $6,000 on tuition costs
Other Important Findings
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Emerging Trends in PLA• More state and
system PLA initiatives to align
policies, procedures and transfer and
articulation
• Increased interest and support from government and
philanthropy
• Creation of degree pathways that
incorporate prior learning credits
• Evolving strategies to scale up PLA and extend application
across broader range of program and disciplines
• New sources of learning for prior
learning assessment
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CAEL’s Work to Scale PLA
• Work with individual colleges and universities
• Offer LearningCounts.org• Promote policy change• Support state system efforts
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www.LearningCounts.org On-line PLA service Free PLA Credit Predictor Complimentary student
guidance on all forms of PLA Courses to teach students
how to discover and document their own college-level learning and build portfolios online
Overview of LearningCounts.org
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America’s Call for Higher Education Redesign – Feb 2013.
Lumina/Gallup Survey
87%
75%
of Americans think students should be able to receive college credit for knowledge and skills acquired outside the classroom
would be more likely to enroll in postsecondary education if they could receive credit for what they already know
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Shifts in the PLA Policy Wind
• July Congressional Hearing
• President’s Plan for College Affordability
• Veterans Benefits Administration
• WIAO
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A “System” Approach
ColoradoIndianaMinnesotaMississippiMontanaOhioOregon
Pennsylvani
aTennesseeTexasUtahVermontWashingtonWisconsin
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• Establishing taskforce or working group
• Requiring HE systems & institutions to develop policy
• Directing HE institutions to award credit for learning
State Policy Approaches
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Overarching Goal: Expand state adoption of PLA and LearningCounts
Participating state systems:– Ohio– Montana– Texas A & M
State PLA Adoption Project
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Gloria
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Impacting Veterans through LearningCounts.org
“This was a great experience for me, saving thousands of dollars and a year of school.”-Jason Wolfe (2013)
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Tennessee’s PLA Story:
Wilson Finch, Tennessee Higher Education Commission
Building PLA Statewide
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Higher Education in Tennessee: Structure
• Governor
• University of Tennessee
System (UT)• Governing
Board
• 3 Universities• 4 Specialized
Institutes
• TN Board of Regents (TBR)
• Governing Board
• 6 Universities• 13 Community
Colleges
• 28 TN Colleges of Applied Technology
• TN Higher Education
Commission (THEC)• Coordinating
Board
• General Assembly
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The Completion Agenda in TN: Background
• Complete College Tennessee Act (CCTA) – 2010• Institution Missions Revised – 2010• Master Plan Developed – 2010• Tennessee Transfer Pathways Developed – 2010-
2011• 100% Performance-Based Funding Formula
Developed and Implemented – 2010-2011– Tennessee Focus Groups and Adult Strategies
Group• Tennessee PLA Initiative – fall 2011-present
– PLA Standardization – fall 2011-fall 2013– PLA Technical Assistance – spring 2014-present
• Drive to 55 – 2013-present– Adult-focused Initiatives – fall 2014-present
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Why Focus on PLA?
PLA targets adult learners. And adult learners are
important to Tennessee.
• State educational attainment goal
• Jobs• Better performing students
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The PLA Initiative: Goals
• Reduce time-to-degree for adult students• Expand access to and options for PLA to adult
learners in all Tennessee colleges and universities• Use PLA as an incentive for adults to return to school
and as a tool to pursue increased degree attainment• Help institutions implement and execute their PLA
programs more effectively and achieve their goals
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The PLA Initiative: Focus
• Increasing consistency• Increasing access• Increasing awareness
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Tennessee’s Approach to PLA
• PLA Task Force• Statewide PLA Standards• Trainings• Workforce Outreach• Central Website and Marketing• Campus and System Outreach• Campus Capacity Building and
Resource Development• Campus Technical Assistance
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Tennessee PLA Task Force• 21 of 22 public institutions
– Voluntary– Diverse– Charged with drafting the Standards
• Subcommittees for different subjects– Transcription and Transfer– Structures– Outreach and Communications– Finance– Student Support
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Campus and System Outreach• Direct messaging
–Faculty and staff–Professional groups–Systems councils
• Campus champions and advocates
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Campus Capacity Building and Resource Development
• PLA Toolkit
• Orientation Marketing Materials• PLA Program Evaluations and Technical Assistance
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Campus Technical Assistance
– Increasing demand by students
– Aligning current institutional and departmental policies with PLA Standards and best practices
– Addressing faculty concerns and awareness
– Promoting PLA as an integral part of some degrees and a default way of awarding credits
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Next Steps: Capacity Building
• Supporting institutions–Direct efforts–Materials–External resources
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Lessons Learned• Common understanding of the value
of PLA• Wide consensus building• PLA is a solution to campus
problems and goals• Faculty concerns about diminished
roles• Transferability and confidence• Get the word out• Support campuses and build
capacity
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Questions?
Wilson [email protected]
615-741-2204
Key documents:http://www.tn.gov/thec/PLA/policydocuments.htm
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PLA: Montana’s Systems-Based
Approach
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Background: Reaching Out to Montana’s Adults
Why?
• Montana’s Aging Population
• Traditional High School Pipeline Decreasing
• Need for increase in affordable, high-quality educational opportunities
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MONTANA’S DEGREE GAP
MUS – A Commitment to be “Adult Friendly”
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• PLA Task Force
• Data, Reporting, Transcripts
, Portability
• PLA Policy,
Definitions, and
Handbook
• Structure, Transpare
ncy, Financial/F
ees
• Student Experience
and Communica
tion Possible Work Groups
Lessons Learned to Date
• Key players in shaping the work come in all sizes!
• Timing is everything!
• Education is critical and ongoing.
• Keep the end result in sight – students, better job, better life.
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Web Links:
• http://www.mus.edu/ Montana University System Home Page
• http://www.mus.edu/2yr/PLA/default.asp Montana’s Prior Learning Assessment
Initiative
• http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/livable-communities/plan/planning/montana-state-plan-on-aging-2011-2015-aarp.pdf
Montana’s Aging Population
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For More Information:
Susan K. Jones
Director of Two Year Mission IntegrationMontana University System
V 406-444-0318M 406-925-2057
E-mail: [email protected]
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