SkillUp Washington

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!