HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1522

As Reported by House Committee On:

Higher Education

Title: An act relating to academic credit for prior learning.

Brief Description: Regarding academic credit for prior learning.

Sponsors: Representatives Kenney, Haler, Maxwell, Probst, Haigh, Hasegawa, Frockt, Santos, Reykdal, Goodman, Ormsby and Moscoso.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Higher Education: 1/31/11, 2/7/11 [DPS].

Majority Report: The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass. Signed by 8 members: Representatives Seaquist, Chair; Carlyle, Vice Chair; Hasegawa, Jacks, Probst, Reykdal, Sells and Springer.

Minority Report: Do not pass. Signed by 7 members: Representatives Haler, Ranking Minority Member; Parker, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Buys, Crouse, Fagan, Warnick and Zeiger.

Staff: Madeleine Thompson (786-7304).

Background:

Educational Attainment of Adults.

The Tipping Point study, conducted by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (State Board) in 2005, found that in order to have the best chance of earning a wage to support oneself and one's family, an individual needs at least one year of postsecondary education and a credential. In 2008 State Board analysis estimated that about 1.6 million adults in Washington had a high school diploma or less as their highest level of educational attainment.

In order to meet degree attainment goals in the 2008 Strategic Master Plan, the Higher Education Coordinating Board (HECB) recommends encouraging many more residents to attain postsecondary education and to focus not only on recent high school graduates, but also on adults.

A 2008 report of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, in partnership with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, provides similar recommendations for the United States in the report State Policies to Bring Adult Learning into Focus. The recommendations include addressing accessibility to postsecondary education for adults by promoting the assessment of prior learning for college credit.

The Governor's Higher Education Task Force report of 2010 also recommends requiring universities to strengthen policies for awarding credit for prior learning experiences with demonstrated competencies through proficiency exams and to make information about proficiency exams to earn college credit consistent and widely available.

2010 Report to the Legislature on Credit for Prior Learning.

Legislation enacted in 2010 (Substitute Senate Bill 6357) directed the State Board to consult with stakeholders and develop policies for "awarding academic credit for learning from work and military experience, military and law enforcement training, career college training, internships and externships, and apprenticeships...[to] provide for consistent application by all institutions of higher education and a basis for accurate and complete academic counseling" and report back to the Legislature. The State Board submitted recommendations to the Legislature in December 2010.

Higher education institution assessors who award credit for prior learning must take into account institutional and program accreditation, and transfer policies, among other considerations. When awarding credit for prior learning, Washington's higher education institutions are guided by entities that include the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the HECB, and the Intercollege Relations Commission. The State Board found that there is a lack of clarity concerning polices and guidelines and a wide variance in institutional and individual assessor's practices.

The State Board recommends establishing an ongoing work group to facilitate the implementation of revisions to policy and practice, and to improve consistency in prior learning assessment (PLA) practices across the institutions of higher education. The goals of the work group are to:

• increase transparency and consistency;

• improve clarity and consistency of fee structure;

• identify a single point of contact for PLA at each institution ;

• increase the number of PLA credits accepted in 2-year and 4-year institutions;

• develop a matrix of work-based and other common training in career clusters and possible credits to be awarded;

• develop a handbook for training faculty and staff;

• provide online and recorded training for those who will be advising students or assessing individual student’s prior learning, to include training on existing policies and exemplary practices;

• develop a consistent method of tracking the number of students seeking credit, the number of assessments attempted, and the number of prior learning credits awarded;

• track the number of students attempting and completing PLA, and the number of PLA credits being awarded annually; and

• develop articulation agreements between institutions, if patterns of student enrollment between institutions are identified.

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Summary of Substitute Bill:

The HECB, the SBCTC, the Council of Presidents, and the institutions of higher education are required to collaborate to:

• increase the number of students who receive credit for prior learning and increase the types of credits for prior learning that are awarded;

• improve consistency in policies and practices for PLA among institutions;

• develop tools to share exemplary practices;

• develop agreements when common patterns for granting credit for prior learning are identified; and

• develop outcome measures and report progress to the Legislature annually.

An ongoing work group, staffed by the HECB, is established to support the collaborative effort. The Office of Financial Management must track the number of students receiving academic credit for prior learning and the type of credits awarded.

A definition for prior learning is established that includes education and training, work experience, military training, and education received in other states and countries.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:

A focus on quality of PLA is added to two work group goals. One of the work group goals is changed to emphasize improvement rather than consistency to avoid any potential for standardization of providing credit for prior learning practices that do not fit with an institution's mission.

The HECB is required to staff the prior learning work group rather than the State Board.

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Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available. New fiscal note requested on February 8, 2011.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.

Staff Summary of Public Testimony:

(In support) People should be getting credit for work or training they have received in the Navy or military. Recognition of prior learning in terms of credit is a way to accelerate the path to completion for students as an efficiency measure as a whole. Schools should be accepting credits from nationally accredited institutions, as well as regionally accredited institutions. About 34 percent of Washington's adult population has less than a postsecondary education; that is equal to the next 10 classes graduating from high school. The more that working adults can continue their path of lifelong learning, the better. The winners are students, schools (frees up seat time), the workforce, regulators, standardized guidance, the economy, and consumers of the State of Washington that benefit from efficiency and effectiveness. Ten percent of Washington's population are veterans, and any opportunity we have to accommodate them is recommended.

(In support with concerns) The work group needs strong faculty representation.

(With concerns) There should be more faculty inclusion in the process. The HECB should be assigned the role of convener. There should not be a standardized way of handling prior learning credits. You cannot accelerate learning. Setting up an ongoing work group should be reconsidered. Individuals who are involved in the process of assessing credit should be brought in to ensure that successful, thoughtful processes of awarding credit for prior learning are not disrupted.

(Opposed) None.

Persons Testifying: (In support) Julie Garver, The Evergreen State College; Carolyn McKinnon, The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board; Chris Thompson, The Higher Education Coordinating Board; Gail McGaffick, Corinthian Colleges, Inc.; and Steve Lindstom, Northwest Career Colleges Federation.

(In support with concerns) Bernal Baca, The American Federation of Teachers, Washington Chapter.

(With concerns) Margaret Shepherd and Jim Fridley, The University of Washington.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.