Prior Learning Assessment & Credit for Prior Learning

Prior learning assessment (aka recognition of prior learning) is a term used for various methods of valuing college-level learning that has taken place outside of formal educational institutions, that can be…

In credit for prior learning (also known as prior learning assessment, recognition of prior learning, lifelong learning credit, or experiential learning) refers to the assessment in which academic discipline…

Noncredit courses are designed for students who wish to advance their educational and career goals. There are a variety of bridge tools institutions can use to strengthen how noncredit courses translate to…

Refers to the direct evaluation of learning and credentials acquired in registered apprenticeship programs, industry-recognized credentials and assessments, and non-military training in the assessment of prior…

A commercial, membership-based interactive digital tool (platform) designed to help higher education institutions manage the life cycle of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL). The tool captures student learning…

Credit pathways are ways for learners to earn reputable or transferable credits for proven skills or work completed. Credit pathways include but are not limited to: credit/course articulation, credit for prior…

The Incremental Credential Framework was developed through a 2019-2021 planning, research, and testing project in a Lumina Foundation grant to SUNY Empire State College (Credential As You Go, Phase I). The…

Refers to organizations, institutions, agencies, or entities that have the authority to approve, validate, recognize, recommend, or grant academic credit for learning experiences, competencies, credentials…

Refers to types of technology that support student transfer and credit mobility. Many aim to automate and speed credit evaluation and verification processes for learners and reduce biases introduced by…

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) defines a reduced-credit degree program as a program in which the number of credit hours required to complete the program is less than the commonly accepted minimum program…

Skills identification, validation, and acknowledgment are components of a skills recognition system. Identifying skills figures out what specific skills an individual has based on evidence which typically…

A system of education and training that supports both access and opportunity through multiple, flexible pathways. Such a system enables individuals to enter and move through academic, vocational, and…

Structured education-to-employment pathways that intentionally integrate industry-recognized certification(s) into academic certificate and degree programs so learners can earn multiple credentials within a…

Prior learning assessment (PLA) refers to various methods of valuing college-level learning that has taken place outside of formal educational institutions, which can be assessed to count toward degrees or…

As the nature of work evolves amid technological, economic, and demographic changes, U.S. colleges and universities have been increasingly innovating to prepare learners for lifelong employability and…

Qualifications frameworks (QFs) refer to the structures designed at the national, regional (groups of nations), and/or international levels to guide planning, implementation, and maintenance of education and…

There is a substantial and growing research literature on credentials for young adults, driven by an increasing recognition of their importance in fostering successful transitions from education to the…

Adult learners are known by a variety of names: nontraditional students, adult students, returning adults, adult returners, mature learners. Common characteristics of adult learners may include: 25 to 65 years…

Credit pathways are ways for learners to earn reputable or transferable credits for proven skills or work completed. Credit pathways include but are not limited to credit/course articulation…

Non-degree credentials include certificates, industry certifications, apprenticeship educational certificates, occupational licenses, noncredit and credit certificates, microcredentials, and digital badges…

Auto-award refers to the practice of automatically awarding degrees, certificates, or digital credentials to students or learners once they have met established requirements, without requiring a separate…

Concurrent or dual enrollment means taking college courses while still in high school. Dual credit refers to the system under which an eligible high school student enrolls in college course(s) and receives…

Incremental Credentials capture learning as it is acquired along the learning pathway. Incremental credentials formally recognize and connect that acquired learning to a larger context. These credentials can be

Skills and competencies are learned and applied abilities and knowledge. They show that individuals can use their abilities and knowledge effectively in the workplace. Competencies are observable behaviors that

Communication is a major component of an effective learn-and-work ecosystem, and marketing is key to an overall effective communications strategy. Marketing’s main goal is to educate and advertise a product…

The landscape of postsecondary education and workforce development is undergoing a profound transformation, leading to a substantial and rapidly expanding body of research on credentials. This dynamic field…

In January 2026, the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Public Policy Community of Practice launched a two-year, grant-funded initiative led by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) in…

Prior Learning Assessment Inside Out (PLAIO) is the first scholarly online journal entirely devoted to the recognition and assessment of prior experiential learning (PLA). Produced at the State University of…

In December 2024, the American Council on Education (ACE) and CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) published The National Landscape of Credit for Prior Learning and an interactive database that…

In March 2024, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education launched the Indiana Model Credit for Prior Learning Policy Guidance, a first-time statewide policy guidance for credit for prior learning. The…

​In August 2024, the American Council on Education (ACE) launched an initiative called the ACE Prior Learning Network [Archived 2025, June 29], now called ACE Equivalency Exchange, to expand the use of credit…

Released in June 2025, Framework for Advancing Equitable Credit for Prior Learning is part of the REACH Guidebook Series on Prior Learning Assessment. REACH (Racial Equity in Adult Credentials in Higher…

College Credit for Industry-Recognized Credentials is a key transfer initiative in Ohio and part of the Ohio Transfer Promise initiative. Through the Industry Recognized Credential Transfer Assurance Guides…

Colorado passed multiple bills in 2022 to support credentialing strategies and assist disadvantaged students. Stackable Credential Pathways (Senate Bill 22-192) calls for improving access to quality credentials

Credential As You Go is an initiative working with many partners toward a nationally recognized transferable incremental credentialing system that increases the number of high-quality, post-high school…

Credential As You Go is an initiative working with many partners toward a nationally recognized transferable incremental credentialing system that increases the number of high-quality, post-high school…

In December 2021, New Jersey’s community colleges and the New Jersey Business and Industry Association launched the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities - Aligning Education to Build an Innovative…

VALID-8 is an advanced e-portfolio and competency assessment platform developed by Vametric, a for-profit company which operates in both Canada and the United Kingdom (UK). Vametric developed and refined…

The Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) launched the Midwest Credential Transparency Alliance (MCTA) in January 2021 to work with all 12 Midwest states to help move them along a path toward credential…

The Lightcast Skills Taxonomy is an open-source library of 32,000+ skills gathered from hundreds of millions of online job postings, profiles, and resumes—updated every two weeks. The Taxonomy collects…

In July 2024, Credential Engine launched a 2-year initiative to expand education and employment information available as linked open data in the Credential Registry. The aim of this effort is to empower…

Launched in 2020, the Unmudl Skills-to-Jobs® Marketplace is a national education-to-employment marketplace operated by Unmudl Public Benefit Corp. It connects working learners and career seekers with short-term

The Racial Equity for Adult Credentials in Higher Education (REACH) Collaborative is a national initiative of the Lumina Foundation. It focuses on creating pathways designed for Black, Hispanic, and Native…

The Kansas Board of Regents, in partnership with the Kansas Department of Commerce, has implemented Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas (AO-K) to transform the delivery system for adult education in the state. The

Achieving the Dream (ATD) and Jobs for the Future (JFF) are leading the Improving Economic Mobility for Adult Learners Initiative which launched in June 2023 and ended in December 2024. ATD and JFF co-developed

A 3-year initiative launched in Spring 2023, the California Reconnect Program is a collaborative effort from the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and InsideTrack. The non-profit Project Attain has…

In October 2024, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission announced a new initiative, Credential WV, to enable students to prepare for the workforce and become more competitive job applicants…

In April 2025, the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO) and Student-Ready Strategies (SRS) launched Constellation of Support: A Capacity-Building Approach to Institutional Change, an…

The Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) initiative is the signature approach to learning assessment from the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Recognizing…

Launched in 2020, the Beyond Transfer Policy Advisory Board (PAB) is composed of 12 practitioners committed to equity and well-versed in transfer and credit mobility. The Board’s mission is to dismantle…

In July 2024, Ithaka S+R and Complete College America announced a partnership to support learner success through holistic credit mobility policies, practices, and technologies. The project's goal is to share…

The LER Accelerator launched in 2024 with support from Walmart. The effort boosts the adoption of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) in postsecondary education by focusing on (1) overcoming implementation…

C-BEN (Competency-Based Education Network) is a network of institutions, employers, and experts who believe competencies can unlock the future of learning, making postsecondary education and training more…

First released in 2007, the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U) Essential Learning Outcomes Framework has been widely adopted by higher education institutions and by a number of state…

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and Credential Engine launched a collaboration in fall 2024 called Enhancing Global Learning Mobility Through Credential…

Many forms of learning traditionally go unseen by colleges. College Unbound’s Learning in Public (LIP) identifies, reflects on, and credits learning that takes place outside a college course. College Unbound…

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) is addressing the need to improve credit mobility. The consistent and equitable application of student records processes and…

Credential As You Go is an initiative working toward a nationally recognized transferable incremental credentialing system that increases the number of high-quality, post-high school credentials that lead to…

Since 2015, AACRAO – working with Lumina Foundation, NASPA, NILOA, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 1EdTech, and other higher education organizations – has supported over 50 colleges and universities to…

ASU Pocket / My Skills Pocket app is a digital wallet from Arizona State University which functions as a portfolio of academic, professional, and extracurricular achievements. It is designed to capture what…

Rasmussen University joined a group of institutions in 2022 to help develop the Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR), a skills-based transcript that shows what learners know and can do, not just letter grades and

Kennesaw State University (KSU) launched a micro-credential program (described in an interview published 11/20/2022 in The EvoLLLution) as an institution-wide initiative, rather than something that lived in…

In September 2023, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) launched the Credential Lab with funding support from Lumina Foundation. The Lab is a hub that supports educational providers, employers, and learners in…

In 2024, the European Union (EU) adopted a series of proposals to create a third-level qualification to be recognized by all EU member states. Third-level qualifications refer to educational achievements beyond

Western Governors University (WGU) is a private, non-profit online university based in Millcreek, Utah. WGU uses an online competency-based learning model and focuses on providing advanced education for working

The Digital Credentials Consortium (DCC) and Credential Engine are collaborating on a joint 2024-2025 initiative supported by Walmart to explore the governance and technology needs for implementing issuer…

Colorado Skills Institute (CSI) is a workforce-training mechanism within the Colorado Community College System (CCCS). Planning started in 2024, with public launch in spring 2025. CSI operates under the…

In October 2024, the American Council on Education (ACE) launched Today’s Military Learners, with support from Lilly Endowment. The two-year project focuses on implementing a comprehensive national strategy to…

In 2023, the Program on Skills, Credentials & Workforce Policy at the George Washington University launched a project to help learners, educators, and employers share trusted and mutually intelligible…

In fall 2021, Lumina Foundation awarded a $2 million grant to the HBCU Adult Learner Initiative (ALI) to identify and eliminate various barriers blocking adult students from the education they needed for…

Contribution Exchange is developing the Work-Based Learning Numbering System and PathLedger as components of an infrastructure for documenting, recognizing, validating, and recording learning gained through…

Launched in September 2026, the National Leadership Roundtable on the Recognition of Learning is a national coalition of six higher education organizations working together to advance how learning acquired…

The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a new student-finance system for postsecondary education in England designed to enable individuals to access education and training more flexibly throughout their working…

Launched in September 2019, the African Continental Qualifications Framework is an African Union policy initiative and continental reference framework designed to improve the transparency, comparability…

The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) is a national, nonprofit membership organization that works to improve education-to-career pathways for adult learners. CAEL helps organizations succeed…

Established in 1967, the Education Commission of the States (ECS) is a nonprofit organization that partners with state policymakers by providing support and helping education leaders come together to learn…

Created in 1971 by an act of the General Assembly and signed into law by then Governor Edgar Whitcomb, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education is a 14-member public body created to: Define the educational…

In 2024, ENQA became the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education with a twofold aim, to: (1) contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of the quality of European higher education…

The Minnesota State System was created in 1991 by the Minnesota legislature. The then-existing organizations—Minnesota State University System, Community College System, and Technical College System were…

ED2WORK® is a consulting group focused on developing conditions to help working learners succeed and adapt for the future of work. The group works with education providers, nonprofit and community-based…

Launched in 2025, the Center for Academic Innovation is a national nonprofit organization focused on improving higher education pathways and outcomes for adult learners. The organization works with colleges…

The Later Life Workplace Index (LLWI) is a diagnostic framework developed in 2020 by Leuphana University of Lüneburg in Germany to help organizations assess how well their workplace practices and conditions…

Crosswords Crossword Puzzle Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Crossword PuzzleAnswer GuidePuzzle & Answer Guide (PDF Download) Have something to submit? For the ecosystem to function effectively, all parts of…