Complete College America and CLEP: Land of 10,000 Opportunities

1. Complete College America and CLEP: Land of 10,000 Opportunities Sharon Long, Clayton State University Mary Ellen Dallman, University System of Georgia Cindy Sproehnle, Gateway Community & Technical College Suzanne McGurk, The College Board

2. Complete College America: To compete in the global economy, the US must address the critical need to have a population where 60% of the population will have degrees/diplomas by 2020—currently we average 40% Bachelor’s Degree Associate’s Degree 1-Year Certificate

3. Complete College AmericaNational Nonprofit Organization Est. 2009*Work with States to Improve Education/Graduation 1. #15 in the World in % Population with College Degrees #1 in 1970—about the same number of graduates 2. Large Student Debt without Finishing College http://www.completecollege.org/ *Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Carnegie Corporation of NY Ford Foundation Lumina Foundation for Education W.K. Kellogg Foundation

4. Alliance of States—30 Participants • The Alliance of States Pledges to: • -Increase significantly the number of students completing college, who • -Achieve degrees and credentials with value in the labor market, and • -Close attainment gaps for traditionally underrepresented populations • Members of the Alliance of States: • ArkansasLouisianaOklahoma • ColoradoMaineOregon • ConnecticutMarylandPennsylvania • FloridaMassachusettsRhode Island • GeorgiaMinnesotaSouth Dakota • HawaiiMississippiTennessee • IdahoMissouriTexas • IllinoisNevadaUtah • IndianaNew MexicoVermont • KentuckyOhioWest Virginia Time is Money

5. GA Students Who Make it Through College—The Time Issue

6. Achieving Success • Lead • Measure • Act • Innovate What can we do?

7. Meet the Challenge:Accept More PLA’s—Prior Learning Assessments Assigning college credit for learning gained outside the classroom while maintaining a commitment to quality

8. Prior Learning Assessments • CLEP • AP & IB • DSST • DepartmentalExams • ACECREDIT • Portfolio Assessments • Other Innovations

9. FLATSForeign Language Achievement Testing Services • Credit for languages not covered by CLEP • Brigham Young University • http://flats.byu.edu • David Johnston, Gainesville State College

10. FLATS Information • Materials for about 60 languages awarding up to 12 credit hours per subject area • Listening & reading comprehension and grammatical accuracy • Achievement tests, not global proficiency—measure student’s performance against 3-4 beginning courses • Up to 2½ hours to complete a test • Not nationally normed, but used by many colleges and universities

11. CLEP Opportunities • Promote CLEP to all students who may benefit to ensure retention, progression, and graduation (RPG) • Promote CLEP first before other PLA’s—emails & videos • Expand CLEP acceptance to match course offerings • Remove artificial barriers (rules) • Embrace CLEP transfercredit within your state—other states have done it!

12. Georgia’sAdult Learning Consortium • Began as a “Pilot” in 2008 • Expanded through an RFP process each year • Grown to 13 institutions • Ranging in size from 2,700 to 27,000 students • Operates from Working Principles & Agreements

13. Funded by the US Dept. of Education: College Access Challenge Grant

14. ALC Working Principles & Agreements #2. Adheres to Council for Adult and Experiential Learning’s Ten Standards for Assessing Learning • Credit awarded for learning • Based on public standards for the level of learning IV. Determinations made by experts http://www.cael.org/home

15. ALC Working Principles & Agreements # 3. Use nationally recognized, standardized PLA options # 4. Accept assessed and transcripted courses within the ALC # 5. Join the Servicemembers Opportunities Colleges (SOC) Consortium

16. ALC Working Principles & Agreements # 8. CLEP policy • Accept all available CLEP tests • Use ACE-recommended passing scores • Accept transcripted CLEP credit without requiring original score reports

17. Georgia’s Higher Education Completion Plan • Completion by Performance • Shortening the Time to Degree • Transfer and Articulation Agreements • Student-centered transfer portal • Prior Learning Assessment 50% increase: policies and practices 20% increase: credits earned through PLA

18. University System of Georgia’s AdultLearningConsortium

19. CLEPOverview • Nationally recognized credit by exam • More than seven million exams taken since 1967 • 2,900 colleges and universities award credit for CLEP • 181,500 exams administered in 2010–11 • 54,000 exams administered to military service members in 2010-11 • CLEP Exam fee = $80 for civilians • CLEP Exam fee = free for active duty personnel • DANTES funds full cost for military service members and spouses, study materials provided • GI Bill allows for vets to seek reimbursement for CLEP test fees

20. About the CLEP Exams Structure 33 computer-based exams Mostly multiple-choice, essays, and listening sections for foreign languages Most are approximately 90 minutes in length Scoring Immediate score reports (except exams with essays). Exams are scored on a scale of 20–80. The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends a credit-granting score of 50 for CLEP exams. A score of 50 is equivalent to a grade of C Development More than 600 faculty contribute to the development of and standard-setting for CLEP examinations Standing faculty committees oversee ongoing test development, shape content, review data, set exam policies

21. CLEP State Policies

22. Florida • Long-standing policy, integrated into advising • If a student achieves the score listed on an AP, IB or CLEP exam, state universities and community colleges must award the minimum recommended credit for the course or course numbers listed, even if they do not offer the course. Up to 45 total credit-by-exam credits may be awarded. • Institutions must use the course number listed, unless it would be advantageous for the student to award a specific course number with equal credit • 30 of 33 exams accepted; scores of 50 for credit awards • Over $16 Million in tuition saved last year

23. California • The California State University system of 23 universities enrolling 417,112 students passed a policy of System-wide Credit for External Examinations in 2010. • The goal of the policy is two-fold: • To ensure fair treatment to students seeking validation of prior learning • To relieve enrollment capacity pressures

24. Kentucky • Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education passed a Dual Credit Policy for all Kentucky Public Postsecondary institutions on April 20, 2012 that ensures uniformity and transparency for all students seeking proper acceptance of their prior learning. • 32 of 33 CLEP exams are included - Credit awarded must fulfill program requirements or general education requirements (not elective credit) • Primarily ACE recommended scores • Credit is articulated and guaranteed to transfer • Institutions may alter how credit transfers only if it benefits the student

25. Tennessee • Under development – to include CLEP and AP • Development of standards started with two-year institutions • Four-year institutions currently reviewing and providing feedback • All 33 exams included with ACE recommendations used for scores and credit awards • Institutions can “opt out” of awarding for any CLEP exam but they must honor all CLEP credit awarded by other institutions and transferred in as part of the Tennessee Transfer Pathways

26. Massachusetts • In May 2012, Gov. Patrick signed the Valor Bill which calls for a state-wide credit by examination policy with a special emphasis on veterans and military personnel. “Active-duty members would be able to complete the requirements for approximately 33 different entry-level course areas, paving the way for more advanced coursework upon their return home. Again, by recognizing the training they’ve received and the skills they’ve obtained, we can save them both time and money in furthering their college career. “ • The policy development has not yet formally started.

27. Texas • In 2011, College Credit for Heroes Legislation calls for a policy to “maximize academic and workforce education credits to veterans and military service members for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service.” • No development in process at this time.

28. Recommended Policy Points • Follow ACE recommendations for CLEP awards. • Credit awarded must fulfill program requirements or general education requirements (not elective credit). • Ensure transferability. • Allow some language that gives the institution grounds to make adjustments to the credit awards when it is in the best interest of the student. • Avoid artificial barriers in policy like Credit limits, large fees to post credit, restrictions on testing, arbitrary deadlines.

29. Thank you… Q & A