How States Can Scale Credit for Prior Learning

Individuals’ ability to earn college credits for prior learning—industry credentials, military training, work experience, high school coursework—tells college enrollees that their knowledge and skills have value. Credit for prior learning can also save them time and money on duplicative coursework. Research across 72 colleges found that students who earned CPL were more likely to complete their college credential than similar students who didn’t get the credit.

CPL opportunities and processes have typically been determined by individual colleges and academic departments. Lately, however, state agencies and higher education systems have begun playing a more prominent role in coordinating CPL efforts. That can ensure that credits are granted consistently across campuses and expand the opportunities available to students. These efforts can also standardize data collection on CPL across colleges, producing clearer evidence on who receives CPL and their academic and employment outcomes.

We interviewed leaders in 10 states who were overseeing CPL for a state or higher education system. Based on these interviews, we identified four areas where states and systems should focus efforts to coordinate CPL.

1. Establish CPL policies and centralized processes. States and systems often start by establishing basic requirements and policies for CPL opportunities across all public colleges. Some states have found that policies become dated and need to be refreshed every five to 10 years. State policies often provide examples of assessments that colleges should accept as evidence of prior learning and award credit for, such as Advanced Placement exams that are administered for high school coursework. However, state policies need not (and typically do not) itemize every possible CPL opportunity; instead, colleges have some leeway to determine which assessments will be used to offer CPL. An ideal state policy should also address areas, such as credit transfer and student fees, where cross-institution consistency is important.

After establishing state policies, many states and systems centralize the processes to map CPL to specific educational objectives and college courses and then gather college-level approval. Establishing centralized CPL crosswalks is time-consuming, but is intended to reduce the burden on local college departments. Some states and systems choose which CPL opportunities they will prioritize, while others rely on colleges to nominate CPL opportunities.

2. Spread CPL awareness. Next, state and system leaders should ensure the relevant staff and faculty are trained on the policies and engaging with CPL. Many states and systems built a website where college staff can access a list of preapproved prior learning opportunities (e.g., industry credentials and assessment scores) and the crosswalk to college coursework. Some states also offer websites for the general public where individuals can see which prior learning opportunities might qualify for college credits.

College outreach efforts and intake processes also play a major role in helping individuals learn about and get credit for their prior learning. States and systems can provide marketing resources and standardize college CPL websites, and they can work with colleges to map their intake processes and identify areas to be streamlined.

3. Build data capacity. States and systems decide what data must be collected and how across public postsecondary institutions. Ensuring that colleges are collecting common CPL data and reliably reporting the data are crucial steps to establishing CPL data infrastructure. States and systems will need to engage in ongoing training and data quality checks to support consistent reporting. Once this data is collected, states and systems can examine who receives credit for prior learning and outcomes for the students who receive it. This information can reveal areas for future improvement.
4. Find resources to sustain the work. Coordinating CPL at the state or system level is a full-time job. The states that have made the most progress dedicate a role (at least part-time) to oversee this work. It also helps for colleges to have a single point of contact. A CPL administrator can coordinate initiatives across academic departments and keep key people informed and about policies and processes.

Dedicated CPL positions require funding, as do centralized crosswalking processes (e.g., stipends for faculty review panels). Student fees should be minimal for CPL, so states and colleges will have to find alternative funding sources. To make these investments, state and college leaders need to believe the cost will pay off in the long run through increased enrollment and college completion.

These four strategies offer an initial road map for state and system leaders interested in improving their CPL practices. Over the next two years, we at RAND and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning have partnered with three community college systems in Alabama, Colorado and North Carolina to strengthen their CPL efforts, and we hope to share more lessons learned in the years to come.