Sen. Patty Murray Introduction

 Amy Sherman,Council for Adult and Experiential
Learning, on the Importance of College Attainment
in Seattle Region

Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney Advocates for Prior Learning

Melinda Nichols, Apprenticeship Program Manager, Washington
State Department of Labor and Industries, on the Importance of
Prior Learning to Apprenticeship Community

Giving Credit Where Credit Is  Due: Policy Strategies for Turning Life Experience Into College Credit

Prior learning assessments, or PLAs, measure what a student has learned outside of the college classroom, evaluate whether that learning is college level, and then determine the equivalent number of college credits. However, prior learning policy is not uniform across the state community college system. The 3-hour forum explored how other states have addressed this issue and efforts to move toward a more uniform approach.

The lead presenters were Amy Sherman, Associate Vice President for Policy and Strategic Alliances at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) and Becky Nickoli, Ivy tech Community College, Indiana (below). State policymakers, former students, community and career college leaders participated in two panel discussions. Thank you for your participation!

 Photos

Materials

Skill_Up_PP_CAEL.pdf

Becky_Nickoli_SkillUp_PowerPoint.pdf

LearningCounts-general_info.pdf 

LearningCounts_Pilot_Institutions_10.24.11.pdf

"Getting to the Finish Line: Strategies for Keeping Community College Students in School and on the Road to Graduation”

Thanks for joining SkillUp Washington and the Seattle Community College District for this important discussion. We would also like to thank Maureen Conway of the Aspen Institute for her excellent presentation. Maureen is Executive Director of the Economic Opportunities Program (EOP) and leads EOP’s Workforce Strategies Initiative which identifies and advances strategies that help low-income Americans gain ground in today's labor market. She has conducted extensive research on how community college - nonprofit partnerships fund supportive and career navigation services for students in training.

Forum Materials:
The Price of Persistence: How Nonprofit – Community College Partnerships Manage and Blend Diverse Funding Streams
Maureen_Conway_Forum_PowerPoint_August_2011.ppt
Agenda:
Getting_to_the_Finish_Line_Agenda.doc

Pictures

(From left: Jill Wakefield- Chancellor, Seattle Community College District; Diane Troyer- Educational Consultant; Rep. Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney; Maureen Conway- Aspen Institute. Standing: Nancy Yamamoto, Senior Policy Analyst, City of Seattle Office of Economic Development)

2009 Port Jobs Forums

Port Jobs & SkillUp Washington held exciting policy forums and discussions with distinguished speakers from around the country in June and December 2009.  Click here for program materials and participant information.

2010 SkillUp Forums