Prior Learning Assessment Manual

Prior Learning Assessment Manual

As a community college, HCC does much more than confer degrees or certificates. We are also one of the nation s most effective enablers of social mobility, creating opportunities for individuals to enter the workforce in high growth, high demand occupations in our region. We all know that earning a college credential is increasingly important for success in today s economy. The reality is that many of our prospective students attend more than one institution before they earn a degree. Research also abounds on the fact that for every additional year that students take to complete a college degree diminishes the chance they will graduate. According to a recent study titled Reduce Time and Accelerate Success by Complete College America: The more time it takes to graduate, the more life gets in the way especially for students balancing school, work, and families. As months, semesters, and years go by, it becomes more likely that events and demands outside the classroom will complicate college success. While ensuring academic rigor, states should require colleges and universities to honor this early achievement by accepting all credits earned. For returning adult students, course credit should be given for prior work experience or competencies certified by the CLEP or other exams. This manual is the collection of the collaborative work of faculty, deans, student services advisors, registrar staff, and workforce development office staff.. I would like to thank the HCC Foundation and the Kresge Foundation which provided a generous grant to help cover the costs of the development of this manual, support Prior Learning Assessment training initiatives which were implemented in Fall 2012, the revision of a web site, and to support HCC partnership with The Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL). Our partnership with CAEL has provided HCC access to national proven benchmarks of experiential learning assessment. We hope this manual provides the user with a clear pathway on how to advise and guide students through the process of requesting Prior Learning Assessment and will be used as another tool to improve student success. Sincerely, Madeline Burillo, Ed.D. Associate Vice Chancellor, Workforce Instruction and Division of Extended Learning

Houston Community College Prior Learning Assessment Manual Table of Contents I. Introduction to Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)......................... 2 A. Six Alternative Pathways for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)..................... 2 B. Advanced College Credit Guidelines and Criteria............................ 3 II. Six Ways HCC Students Can Earn Prior Learning Assessment................... 4 A. ACE-Evaluated Military Training...................................... 4 B. Testing/Credit by Exam (Standardized Exams and Department Final Exams)............. 4 C. CEU/WECM to Credit (Mirror courses)................................... 5 D. ACE/NCCRS-Evaluated Industry Certificates and Training Programs.................. 6 E. Prior Learning Assessment of Work Experience by Portfolio....................... 6 F. Articulated Agreements........................................... 8 III. Available For-Credit Exams Accepted by HCC........................... 9 A. CLEP College Level Examination Program offered by The College Board............... 9 B. Advanced Placement (AP) Exams Available............................... 10 C. International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams Available............................ 10 D. SAT II Exams Available........................................... 10 E. DSST (also offered through DANTES) Exam Titles............................ 11 IV. Fees for PLA............................................. 12 V. Contact Information for PLA Advisors............................... 12 VI. Glossary............................................... 13 VII. Helpful Resources and Useful Websites.............................. 15 A. Ordering Transcripts for Military Personnel:............................... 15 B. National For-Credit Standardized Examinations............................. 16 VIII Appendix.............................................. 16 A. Advanced College Credit Application................................... 17 B. Tech Prep Credit Form........................................... 19 C. Work Flow Charts.............................................. 21 D. Cape Center Course Assessment Guide................................. 30 E. HCC Internal Articulated Courses..................................... 41 1

I. Introduction to Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a process for assessing learning gained outside a traditional academic environment. This could be learning acquired through military service, work experience, employer training programs, independent study, non-credit courses, open courseware, or volunteer or community service. PLA is a means of evaluating what a student already knows at the college-level derived from these experiences for college credit, certification, or advanced standing toward further education or training. A. Six Alternative Pathways for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) consists of several methods designed to assess collegelevel learning. Houston Community College (HCC) offers six alternatives for receiving Prior Learning Assessment. 1. ACE-Evaluated Military Training 2. Testing/Credit by Exam (nationally standardized exams and department final exam) 3. CEU/WECM to Credit (Mirror courses) 4. ACE/NCCRS-Evaluated Industry Certificates and Training Programs 5. Work Experience Assessment of prior learning via portfolio 6. Articulated Agreements This manual is a resource for you to use when discussing advanced college credit with students. Students who are good candidates for PLA are: Comfortable with their writing skills Have significant work experience, 5 years or more Have earned some college credit already May have earned certifications or taken noncredit courses Military service members and veterans As we strive to improve degree completion and to honor the college-level knowledge that students bring to us that has not been assessed for credit, it is important that we are all able to talk about HCC Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) offerings and policies in a consistent and useful way with students. Equally important is to know that every HCC college has trained Prior Learning Assessment advisors. All advisors can explain the six PLA options and assist students in determining which option(s) are most appropriate given each student s unique background. Each of these options is addressed in this handbook with step-by-step information you can provide to students interested in pursuing one or more of these options. Adult students who are awarded Prior Learning Assessment have higher graduation rates, show greater persistence, and need less time to earn their degree or certificate. In fact, providing our students with the opportunity to use various PLA methods will help them to complete sooner and save money. A word of caution: Prior Learning Assessment is best discussed within the context of the degree plan. It is important for students to recognize that they cannot earn PLA credits for anything that could be considered duplicative on their transcripts. Advising is essential to ensuring students do not waste time and energy pursuing PLA credits that will not count toward their degree requirements. Students should also be aware of the potential consequence of the excess hour rule if they are planning to pursue a baccalaureate degree at a 4 year college. The excess hour rule could cause the student to pay much higher tuition rates. 2

B. Prior Learning Assessment Guidelines and Criteria 1. Student Eligibility. To be eligible to earn PLA credit, a student must be currently or previously enrolled at HCC for the past 12 months and meet all Houston Community College admissions requirements. They should not have previously taken or attempted the course (by title that is the same as the PLA credit for which they are applying). a. PLA credit is only awarded when it applies to the HCC programs of study. b. Six of HCC credit must be successfully completed prior to posting PLA credit. The exception to this criteria is all standardized exams may be posted to the student's transcript immediately upon receipt by Registrar. NOTE: A minimum of 25% of the credits for the HCC certificate or degree must be completed at HCC. (Residency Requirement). Please note that credit earned by Advanced Placement (AP) exams does not count toward the six hour requirement. 2. Student Responsibilities. Please ensure the student meets with an advisor for further information and to receive the appropriate form for credit by PLA. a. The student completes the Application for Prior Learning Assessment (see Appendix p. 17) b. Completed Application for Prior Learning Assessment form is submitted to HCC advisor for approval and processing. c. The student pays $25 Assessment Fee. Military students do not pay a fee. There is no assessment fee charged for PLA by National Exams or Articulation Agreement. The Assessment Fee is the same for PLA credit by internal exam, ACE/NCCRS evaluated industry certificates, PLA by portfolio, and CEU/WECM to credit courses. Students are not charged the fee multiple times for using different methods of prior learning assessment awards when applying on a single application form. d. The student submits any required official transcripts (high school, college or military) or any other official documentation (such as certificates, training transcripts) as required. e. Other academic institutions may not accept PLA credit through HCC. It is the student s responsibility to check with the receiving institution before deciding to pursue PLA credit. 3. Administrative Responsibilities. An audit will be done to determine the student s eligibility for PLA and how much Prior Learning Assessment credit can be awarded based on the requirement that the student stays and completes the chosen program. a. After the PLA form has been approved and signed, the advisor will forward it to the HCC Registrar for posting AP to the student s transcript. A minimum of 25% of the credits for the HCC certificate or degree must be completed at HCC. (Residency Requirement) b. Semester credit (SCH) earned through PLA are designated as AP on the transcript and will not compute for GPA purposes. No letter grade will be awarded or recorded on the student s transcript. c. The HCC Registrar will inform the student that PLA credit has been posted to the transcript by email notification. 3

II. Six Ways HCC Students Can Earn Prior Learning Assessment Credit A. ACE-Evaluated Military Training We are committed to ensuring our military service members and veterans receive credit for their college-level knowledge gained through their service to our country. We are proud to participate in Texas College Credit for Heroes. The American Council on Education (ACE) evaluates all military experiences for college credit recommendation. Results of the ACE evaluation are processed as transfer credit. Note: Some courses transferred may or may not be relevant to the student s HCC degree plan. When you are talking with a military student or veteran, it is best to use this protocol: 1. Campus advisors should refer all military students to the HCC Veterans Affairs Office. 2. Review the student s military documents. These could be AARTS or SMART Transcripts to understand her/his training (basic plus specialty or MOS). If the student does not have paperwork with her/him, help the student find what is needed by providing the student with access to The Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS) http://aarts.army.mil/ Sailor/Marine/ACE Registry Transcript (SMART) http://smart.navy.mil/ The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) http://www.au.af.mil/au/cf/auregistrar/registrar.asp U.S. Coast Guard Institute www.usctg.mil/hr/cgi/ (For Coast Guard Institute transcripts, obtain the form at their website (above) and Submit request via Email to: CGI-PF-ed_transcripts@uscg.mil) 3. AARTS and SMART transcripts will display the ACE-recommended credits for the service member s training. For Air Force service members and veterans who have attended the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), they will need to contact CCAF for their college transcripts. 4. WECM, ACE Recommendation Crosswalk - It is best to directly connect the soldier or veteran with the HCC District Office of Veteran Affairs via this email address: vaonline@ hccs.edu for assistance. Veterans may also be referred to the College Credit for Heroes website at www.collegecreditforheroes.org to understand how the ACE credit recommendations align with the WECM database. 5. Please advise the soldier or veteran to order Official Transcripts sent directly to the HCC Centralized Registrar electronically. These transcripts are scanned and downloaded and are available to all advisors for review. 6. The credits will be applied to the SLO (Student Learning Outcomes) when they align, otherwise the credit will be recognized as elective credit. 7. A Flow Chart is included in this Guide for your convenience. Note: All military students seeking PLA need to complete the Application for Prior Learning Assessment form (p. 17). The $25 fee for PLA is waived for all military students. B. Testing/Credit by Exam (Nationally Standardized Exams and Department Final Exam) HCC encourages students to use for-credit examinations to demonstrate subject matter knowledge. These exams cover a wide-range of topics and disciplines. A complete listing of exams is included in the Resources Section of this Guide. Taking exams for credit is one of the most affordable ways to accelerate degree completion. 4

It is recommended that students who are fluent in Spanish take CLEP exams to demonstrate their knowledge. A Spanish-speaking student could earn up to fourteen credits through CLEP which will save time and money while moving that student fourteen credits closer to degree completion. The following exams may be taken for credit or transferred into HCC if the student has already taken an exam: CLEP AP (Advanced Placement) IB (International Baccalaureate) Exam SAT II DSST and/or DANTES Exams ALEKS Exams Straighterline Exams HCC Department Final Exam Procedures for National Exam 1. Any student interested in demonstrating his/her knowledge by passing an exam needs to be advised first if the exam (s) are applicable to the student s degree plan. 2. The student needs to register and pay for the exam. 3. The student needs to take the exam. 4. The test scores will be sent directly to the HCC Registrar. Passing scores are accepted and posted to the student s transcript. 5. CLEP exams can be taken at each college. For a schedule of testing dates, contact your campus advisor. Note: Application for Prior Learning Assessment form and $25 fee is NOT required for national exams. Procedures for Internal Exam 1. Any student interested in demonstrating her/his knowledge by passing an exam needs to be advised first if the exam(s) are applicable to the student s degree plan. 2. Provide the student with an Application for Prior Learning Assessment form. 3. Students may request through the appropriate department chair, permission to take final exams for certain courses. 4. The student needs to pay a $25 fee to the Business Office at campus upon submission of the Application for Prior Learning Assessment form to the advisor. 5. The student is then approved to take the exam. At this point, the student needs to register for the exam or make arrangements to take a proctored exam with the appropriate HCC Chair of the department that would recognize the credit (such as Business, English, Humanities, etc.). In cases where the exam of a course is skills based, the student coordinates a time and place with the Department Chair to take the exam. Students must not have previously enrolled in the course. 6. Test scores are reviewed by the Instructional Dean and/or Department Chair. Passing scores are then accepted, submitted to Registrar, and credit is posted as AP on the student s transcript. Note: All students seeking Prior Learning Assessment by department final need to complete the Application for Prior Learning Assessment form (p.17) and pay the $25 fee. 5

6 C. CEU/WECM to Credit (Mirror courses) A Mirror Course is the articulation of a CEU or non-credit course into a for-credit course applicable toward a certificate or associate s degree. The continuing education courses must meet the same rigor, evaluation process, and faculty guidelines as the equivalent for-credit courses. The documentation must demonstrate that individual continuing education students have met the same competencies as the successful for-credit students prior to making the decision to award credit for a course taken as continuing education. 1. To start this process, the student must see her/his advisor to obtain the Application for Prior Learning Assessment form for CEU to Credit. At this time the advisor will review the student s records to verify the course was taken. If a CEU to Credit articulation agreement is in effect, only students who have earned CEU s with a grade of P may apply for articulated credit. Verification of available articulated courses can be done by going to the PLA website at www.hccs.edu/pla 2. The student completes the Application for Prior Learning Assessment Form (p. 17). 3. The student submits the $25 fee. All signatures are required before the application can be processed. 4. The advisor reviews the application, approves it, and signs the form. The advisor should also make a copy of the form for her/his files and submit the original signed form to the registrar 5. The Registrar will then apply the credit to the student s transcript and notify the student of the credit award. D. ACE-Evaluated Industry Certificates and Training Programs Adult learners should be asked if they have taken any training programs that they may have been told were evaluated for college credit. This will sometimes remind students that for training they had a number of years ago, they were told it was worth college credits. If this is the case, we want to ensure this college-level learning is recognized at HCC. 1. Typically, training programs that have been evaluated by ACE or NCCRS are in major industry sectors such as banking, insurance, McDonald s Hamburger University, and of course military training. 2. Another important question to ask any adult learner is Do you have any certifications, such as IT (Information Technology) Certifications? If so, and they are current, these may be worth college credit as well. 3. If the student knows when the training was taken and from whom, you can assist the student by looking up that training in the ACE Credit Recommendations Guide at http://www2.acenet.edu/credit/?fuseaction=content.getevaluatedorganizations. 4. Students who have certifications or training that they think may be worthy of college credits should be advised to order official ACE or NCCRS Transcripts that will be electronically sent to the HCC Office of Admissions and Records. Once transcripts are received by the Registrar s office, they are scanned and downloaded and are available for all advisors to review. 5. Students may order their ACE transcripts at www.acenet.edu or the NCCRS transcripts at www.nationalccrs.org. E. Work Experience - Assessment of Prior Learning via Portfolio For students with significant professional experience, military experience or trade experience, portfolio assessment is a rewarding process that teaches you to document your learning from experience. Portfolio Assessment provides the opportunity to earn college credits and much more. A portfolio is built by matching a college course (such as any course from the HCC Schedule of Courses or Catalog) with the knowledge and skills gained by work or profession, through civic, community and volunteer work, or through independent selfdirected study or travel.

Successful students tend to have these skills and qualities: Significant learning gained through work experience and training. Understands the time commitment involved in building a portfolio. Has talked with their campus advisor about portfolio assessment. Strong writing skills. Access to a computer with internet access and is a good candidate for online learning. There are two options for pursuing a portfolio that will demonstrate skills learned by work or professional experience, community or volunteer work, or through travel or selfdirected study. Option 1: Dean Approval 1. Meet with the Dean to discuss what is required to demonstrate mastery of the course. 2. Determine the evidence that needs to be submitted to prove that learning outcomes of the course are aligned with the evidence submitted that will prove the student has mastered the skills and knowlege required of the course. The evidence should show that college level learning has occurred. Examples of proof may include: a. Letters from prior supervisors/employers validating specific skill sets aligned with course learning outcomes were being used in the workplace proficiently. b. Samples of work that substantiate examples of work required in the course and validated as own work. c. Video showing individual performing learning outcomes. d. Personal interview with Dean to describe learning outcomes and evidence needed. e. A written narrative (comparable to an end-of-semester term paper) that describes how the student meets the learning objectives through his/her experience, what has been done, how the student knows what he/she knows, and how he/she links theory and application. Include all documentation in this paper. f. Other evidence determined by Dean and Department Chair as proper documentation. Option 2: Learning Counts Portfolio 1. Students who are interested in portfolio assessment should be referred to the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL) website: www.learningcounts.org. The student can try the College Credit Predictor to get an Action Plan or contact a College Credit Specialist to get specific advice. 2. After receiving the advising, the student will register for Build Your Portfolio For College Credit. This workshop taken through www.learningcounts.org is an online course and will teach students critical thinking reflection skills to rethink the value of learning from experience. The course also teaches the student how to build a Learning Portfolio. This is a non-credit, interactive and self-paced workshop. Busy students can go through the whole course in a weekend or take their time, stopping and starting as needed (the course bookmarks progress). The cost of the workshop is $149.00 and remitted to CAEL through the website. Download the first two modules for free -- ask a Learning Counts advisor how. 3. To build the electronic portfolio at www.learningcounts.org, the student will: a. Identify courses based upon their descriptions and syllabi that best match the student s expertise. The student will determine if what she/he knows is the same as the learning outcomes for the course. b. Prepare a narrative (comparable to an end-of-semester term paper) that describes how the student meets the course learning objectives through his/her experience, what has been done, how the student knows what she/he knows, and how she/he 7

links theory and application. c. Provide documentation to prove that what the student says is supported by evidence. This could include letters from supervisors, videos, work product examples, certificates of completion, and more. 4. The Portfolio Assessment Fee is $125 per portfolio and each portfolio contains one course. Students may submit multiple portfolios for evaluation depending upon the student s depth and breadth of experience and willingness to do the work associated with portfolio preparation. 5. The completed portfolio(s) is submitted to LearningCounts.org where it is reviewed and assigned to a faculty assessor with specific subject matter expertise. Students will learn how to do this in the workshop. Assessors are faculty members at colleges and universities all over the U.S. They have been trained by CAEL to review the portfolios with consistency and academic integrity. The assessor reviews the portfolio and provides feedback. The assessor evaluates the portfolio and determines if credit is awarded. 6. The credits approved for the course or courses earned by portfolio are documented on an NCCRS Transcript and sent to the HCC Office of Admissions and Records. 7. Student must complete Application for Prior Learning Assessment form (p. 17) with all required signatures and pay $25 application fee. 8. The credits are posted to the student s transcript. F. Articulated Agreements There are three types of articulation agreements in effect for receiving Prior Learning Assessment at HCC. A. CEU to SCH Programs: An internal HCC instructional department agreement to accept certain CE courses as semester credit hour (SCH) courses. The current list of internal articulated courses, as of May 15, 2015, is available in the Appendix (p. 30). 1. The student must see his/her advisor to obtain the Prior Learning Assessment form. At this time the advisor will review the student s record to verify that the articulation agreement applies. 2. The student completes the Application for Prior Learning Assessment form. All signatures are required before the application can be processed. This agreement requires the department chair and advisor s signatures. 3. The advisor reviews, approves, and signs the form. The advisor should also make a copy for the college records and submit the original signed form to the registrar. 4. The registrar will apply the credit to the student s transcript and notify the student of the credit award. B. HCC to COH Cape Center Articulation: An articulation agreement between the City of Houston and HCC to receive HCC credit for completing training modules from the approved course assessment guide list of Cape Center. The student must meet other requirements as stipulated in the Appendix (p. 30). 1. The student must see his/her advisor to obtain the Prior Learning Assessment form. At this time the advisor will review the student s record and verify that the articulation agreement applies. 2. The advisor uses the Cape Center Course Assessment Guide to align articulated courses for HCC. This can be found in the Appendix section of the manual (p. 29). 3. Only the advisor s signature is required to verify this agreement. 4. The advisor reviews, approves, and signs the form. The advisor should also make a copy for the college records and submit the original signed form to the registrar. 8

5. The registrar will apply the credit to the student s transcript and notify the student of the credit award. C. Advanced Technical Credit/Tech Prep: (ATC formerly Statewide Articulation): A state-level process that identifies commonly articulated secondary career and technical courses, requires enhancement of their curriculum to align with postsecondary courses, and sets common standards for the award of college credit for these courses statewide. Stateapproved professional development provides information to teachers on articulated course methodology and expectations of college Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) courses. The statewide articulation process allows students who successfully complete these career and technical courses, graduate from any secondary school in the state, and meet the requirements outlined for ATC, to receive articulated credit from any participating public postsecondary two-year degree granting institution in the state that offers the corresponding course(s). 1. Upon completion of high school, students must follow the steps below to ensure they receive HCC Tech Prep articulated credit. Students are responsible for delivering the following items to the Workforce Program Initiatives Office: a. Copy of high school transcript. b. Petition for Award of Tech Prep Credit form (see Appendix p. 19), filled in and signed by all appropriate persons. 2. Students can mail, fax, or email documents to: Workforce Program Initiatives Office MC 1108 P.O. Box 6678517 Houston, Texas 77266-7517 Fax: 713.718.5018 Email: freddie.wade@hccs.edu 3. After forms are submitted, the Workforce Program Initiatives Office will contact the appropriate department head and registrar to facilitate awarding the appropriate college credit. 4. Students must successfully complete 9 to 12 semester credit (nondevelopmental) at HCC to receive full-articulated credit. Note: No fee applies for articulated agreements. III Available for Credit Exams Accepted by HCC A. CLEP - College Level Examination Program offered by The College Board History and Social Science 1. American Government 2. History of the United States 1: Early Colonization to 1877 3. History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present 4. Human Growth and Development 5. Introduction to Educational Psychology 6. Introductory Sociology 7. Principles of Macroeconomics 8. Principles of Microeconomics 9. Social Sciences and History 10. Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648 11. Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present Composition & Literature 9

1. American Literature 2. Analyzing and Interpreting Literature 3. College Composition 4. College Composition Modular 5. English Literature 6. Humanities Science & Mathematics 1. Biology 2. Calculus 3. Chemistry 4. College Algebra 5. College Mathematics 6. Natural Sciences 7. Pre-calculus Business 1. Financial Accounting 2. Information Systems and Computer Applications 3. Introductory Business Law 4. Principles of Management 5. Principles of Marketing World Languages 1. French Language 2. German Language 3. Spanish Language B. Advanced Placement (AP) Exams Available: Art History Biology Calculus AB Calculus BC Chemistry Chinese Language and Culture Computer Science A English Language and Composition English Literature and Composition Environmental Science European History French Language and Culture German Language and Culture Government and Politics: Comparative Government and Politics: United States Human Geography Italian Language and Culture Japanese Language and Culture Latin: Vergil Macroeconomics Microeconomics Music Theory Physics B Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism Physics C: Mechanics Psychology Spanish Language Spanish Literature Statistics Studio Art: 2-D Design Studio Art 3-D Design Studio Art Drawing United States History World History C. International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams Available: English Philosophy Psychology World Religions Text and Performance Mathematics 10

ITGS Geography Music German French Spanish Chemistry Design Technology Physics Sports, Exercise, and Health Economics Classical Languages Science History Computer Science Business and Management Biology Environmental Systems and Societies Social and Cultural Anthropology D. SAT II Exams Available: English Literature U.S. History World History Biology E/M Chemistry Physics Mathematics Level 1 Mathematics Level 2 French German Italian Latin Modern Hebrew Spanish Chinese with Listening French with Listening German with Listening Japanese with Listening Korean with Listening Spanish with Listening E. DSST (also offered through DANTES) Exam Titles: A History of the Vietnam War An Introduction to the Modern Art of the Western World Middle East Astronomy Business Ethics and Society Business Law II Business Mathematics Criminal Justice Environment and Humanity: the Race to Save the Planet Ethics in America Foundations of Education Fundamentals of College Algebra Fundamentals of Counseling General Anthropology Here s to Your Health Human Resource Management Human/Cultural Geography Introduction to Business Introduction to Computing Introduction to Law Enforcement Introduction to World Religions Lifespan Development Psychology Management Information Systems Money and Banking Organizational Behavior Personal Finance Physical Geology 11

Principles of Finance Principles of Financial Principles of Physical Science I Accounting Principles of Public Speaking Principles of Statistics Principles of Supervision Rise and Fall of the Soviet Substance Abuse Technical Writing Union The Civil War and Reconstruction Western Europe Since 1945 F. ALEKS Exams Scores must be submitted to ACE for evaluation. Please refer to p. 15 section VII A. for more information. G. Straighterline Exams Scores must be submitted to ACE for evaluation. Please refer to p.15 section VII A. for more information. H. HCC Final Exams Check with the Discipline Department Chair at your college campus. IV. Fees for PLA HCC seeks to provide access to advanced college credit and PLA credit opportunities for all students. In doing so, fees are kept as low as possible. Every student who applies for Prior Learning Assessment credit must work with an advisor to complete the appropriate Application for Prior Learning Assessment Form and submit a $25 fee. Students submitting multiple options on one application (due to multiple sources of credit) only need to pay one $25 fee. The $25 fee is waived for military students. There is no fee for national exams or articulated agreements. HCC PLA Application $25.00 Build Your Portfolio For College Credit $149.00 (paid to www.learningcounts.org) This is a non-credit, interactive and self paced workshop. Portfolio Evaluation $125.00 (paid to www.learningcounts.org) This fee is only paid upon submission of the portfolio for review to determine if college credits can be awarded for the college-level learning acquired outside of the traditional college setting, such as learning gained at work. Internal Final Exams $25.00 External Standardized Exam Check specific exam website ACE Transcript Fees Check ACE website NCCRS Transcript Fees Check NCCRS website V. Contact Information for Advisors A. Central 713.718.6120 B. Coleman 713.718.7400 C. Northeast 713.718.8139 D. Northwest 713.718.5669 E. Southeast 713.718.7215 F. Southwest 713.718.7889 12

VI. Glossary AA AS AAS AAT ACE ALEKS ATC Alternative Teacher Certificate Articulation CAEL CCH CEU Articulation Certificate Level I Associate of Arts Degree Associate of Science Degree Associate of Applied Science Associate of Arts in Teaching Degree (American Council on Education) ACE provides many services including the opportunity for earning academic credit through military service, workplace training, and other education acquired outside the traditional classroom. Assessment Learning in Knowledge Spaces is a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment and learning system. ALEKS courses are ACE evaluated and recommended for college credit. Advanced Technical Credit / Tech Prep (ATC-formerly statewide articulation) A state-level process that identifies commonly articulated secondary career and technical courses, requires enhancement of their curriculum to align with postsecondary courses, and sets common standards for the award of college credit for these courses statewide. Stateapproved professional development provides information to teachers on articulated course methodology and expectations of college Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM) courses. The statewide articulation process allows students who successfully complete these career and technical courses, graduate from any secondary school in the state,and meet the requirements outlined for ATC, to receive articulated credit from any participating public postsecondary two-year degree granting institution in the state that offers the corresponding course(s). A program in which individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree can obtain teacher certification. How credit or specific learning (in courses or modules or certificates or associate degrees) fit into a learning program. An articulation maps out how credits transfer into a baccalaureate program from an associate degree; how non-credit learning or military learning fits into the learning program and is the equivalent of the traditional course learning outcomes and requirements. The Council for Adult & Experiential Learning is the national expert on prior learning assessment and documenting learning that occurs outside of the traditional college setting for recognition by colleges. It is an advocate for adults, linking learning and work, see www.cael.org. CAEL also is providing the portfolio assessment services for HCC students at www.learningcounts.org. College Credit for Heroes is Texas program for ensuring all military veterans and service members receive college credit for the collegelevel knowledge they have gained through their military training and experience. Articulation of a continuing education course into a credit certificate or associates degree. The course must be pre-approved for articulation prior to student participation and must meet all credit course competencies and evaluative measures. A level one certificate can be completed by a student in one calendar year or less. It must consist of at least 15 and no more than 42 semester credit. Students in level one certificate programs are not required to take a test for purposes of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) as long as they take no more than 6 SCH outside the curriculum for the certificate program. 13

Certificate Level II Concurrent Course Credit by Exam Dual Credit HCC High School Articulation Agreement LearningCounts.org Marketable Skills Achievement Awards Mirror Course NCCRS PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) A level two certificate must consist of 43 plus semester. A course offered as both credit and non-credit following THECB and WECM guidelines. The classroom experience follows the same rigor and completion expectations for both the credit and/or continuing education enrollee. When a student passes a for-credit examination, the student earns credit toward the equivalent course. CLEP, DSST, and AP are all for-credit examinations. For example if a student passes the CLEP Western Civilization I Exam, the student would be able to have the exam put on her/his transcript as equivalent to passing Western Civilization I. (However, the student would need to follow the procedures outlined in this manual to do so.) When a student simultaneously completes a high school and college course for credit at both levels. The course can be taught at the high school or post-secondary location. Students receive both high school and post-secondary credit upon satisfactory completion of a dual credit course. Houston Community College System that includes the following colleges: Central, Coleman, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest. The official document prepared by HCC and each participating independent school district (ISD) specifying the competencies (courses) that are transferrable and equivalent to the requirements at the community college. Both students and HCC staff will know exactly how the credits count toward the associate degree or credential. LearningCounts.org is a prior learning assessment service provided by CAEL for adult students. This service provides free advising regarding how the adult might have gained college-level learning outside of college via work/life experience, volunteer service, military training and more. Students are advised whether for-credit exams should be taken or if they can go the portfolio assessment route. Should they choose portfolio assessment, they will register for the Build Your Portfolio For College Credit an online non-credit, interactive and self paced workshop on how to recognize college-level learning, equate it to the appropriate course, prepare a portfolio that documents that learning and provides evidence of that learning. These credits are put on an NCCRS Transcript and sent to the HCC Registrar. More information is available at www.learningcounts.org. A workforce continuing education program that meets the minimum standard for program length specified in the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Some programs are available for financial aid. (See concurrent course) National College Credit Recommendation Service evaluates the training and education programs offered outside of the traditional classroom setting and translates them into college credit equivalencies. For more information refer to the website: www.nationalcrs.org. The processes which enable learners to receive college credit for college-level knowledge that is gained in non-collegiate settings. Evaluation methods include for-credit exams, portfolio assessment, military or workplace training that has been evaluated by ACE of NCCRS for college credit, final exams offered by HCC, mirror courses, and articulated agreements. 14

Portfolio Assessment Semester Credit Hour (SCH) Straighterline Texas Success Initiative (TSI) THECB WECM - Workforce Education Course Manual See LearningCounts.org and Dean s Approval (p. 7). These two options are accepted by HCC if a student is pursuing a portfolio that will demonstrate skills learned by work or professional experience, community or volunteer work, or through travel or self-directed study. Academic credit is expressed in semester credit (SCH). One class lecture hour per week earns one SCH. A class meeting three a week has 3 SCH. A US educational company that offers low-price, online higher education courses that are equivalent to general courses required for a bachelor s degree. ACE has evaluated and recommended college credit for Straighterline courses. The credits must be on an ACE transcript. A statewide instructional program required by Texas law to insure that students enrolled in Texas public colleges and universities have the basic academic skills (reading, writing and mathematics) to be considered college ready. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board A web based inventory of current workforce education courses available for use by Texas public two-year colleges. The courses are grouped by subject according to the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) code published by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). VII. Helpful Resources and Useful Websites A. American Council on Education (ACE): http://www.acenet.edu/ The ACE Credit Recommendation Service provides transcripts for all of its evaluated training programs. Students can request these transcripts at the website and have them sent directly to HCC. ACE is the evaluating agency for all military training and education programs that have college credit recommendations attached to them. To find the Guide to ACE Credit Recommendations that lists the organizations who have had their training programs evaluated for college credit, go to http://www2.acenet.edu/credit/?fuseaction=content. getevaluatedorganizations To order ACE transcripts, students should be directed to: Transcript: Request a Transcript Transcript: Join ACE CREDIT Transcript Service CEU Sample Transcript College Credit Sample Transcript B. Ordering Transcripts for Military Personnel: The Army/American Council on Education Registry Transcript System (AARTS) http://aarts.army.mil/ Sailor/Marine/ACE Registry Transcript (SMART) http://smart.navy.mil The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) Coast Guard Institute HCC Veterans Affairs: http://www.hccs.edu/hccs/future-students/veterans College Credit for Heroes (CCH): http://www.collegecreditforheroes.org 15

A Resource for Understanding Military Credit Recommendations A Transfer Guide: Understanding Your Military Credit Recommendations National For-Credit Standardized Examinations DANTES (DSSTs) Exams www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_homepage.html CLEP Exams clep.collegeboard.org IB International Baccalaureate Program www.ibo.org SAT II www.collegeboard.com/testing/ AP (Advanced Placement Exams) apcentral.collegeboard.com Portfolio Assessment of Prior Learning www.learningcounts.org ALEKS Assessments Learning in Knowledge Spaces www.aleks.com Straighterline straighterline.com NCCRS National College Credit Recommendation Service www.nccrs.org VIII Appendix A. Prior Learning Assessment Application B. Tech Prep Credit Form C. Work Flow Charts D. Cape Center Course Assessment Guide E. CEU to SCH Articulated Courses 16

Application for Prior Learning Assessment College of origination (please check one) HCC Central HCC Northeast HCC Southeast HCC Coleman HCC Northwest HCC Southwest (Please Print) Last Name: First MI Student ID #: Phone: Street Address City State Zip Student s Signature Email Address Application Date Credit by Continuing Education for CEU to CREDIT Articulation Signatures below indicate that the following items have been verified: Student has successfully completed six non-developmental credit at HCC. All credit course prerequisites were met at the time the CE course was taken. Student successfully completed CEU course: Course Prefix Course Number Date of completion Student is seeking credit for: Business office application fee paid Yes No Date (Attach Receipt) Print/Signature of SCE Director / Date Print/Signature of Department Chair / Date OR Instructional Dean / Date Print/Signature of Advisor / Date Print/Signature of Registrar / Date Credit by Work Experience Option 1: Dean Approval; Option 2: Learning Counts.org Portfolio Signatures below indicate that the following items have been verified: Student has not attempted course for which he/she is pursuing credit. Student has successfully completed six non-developmental credit at HCC Credit by Portfolio / Prior Knowledge Skills: Credit by using Dean Approval or Learning Counts option to develop a portfolio that will demonstrate prior knowledge and skills which equate to Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) for the course. Signature below indicates verification that credentials/evidence presented meet criteria for award of credit for the following HCC course(s). Attach verification of successful portfolio completion from CAEL/Learning Counts. Course Prefix Course Number Date of completion Business office application fee paid Yes No Date (Attach Receipt) Print/Signature of Department Chair / Date OR Instructional Dean / Date Print/Signature of Advisor / Date Print/Signature of Registrar / Date Note to student: Credit will not be applied to degree plan until 25% of program requirements are completed. Revised: 04/2015 17

Credit by Internal or Final Exam Signatures below indicate that the following items have been verified: Student has not attempted course for which he/she is pursuing credit. Student has successfully completed six non-developmental credit at HCC Credit by Internal or Final Exam Approval ( Credit through exam created by HCC department faculty.) Course Prefix Course Number Score Signature of Faculty Designee Is test score passing? Yes No Business office application fee paid Yes No Date (Attach Receipt) Print/Signature of Department Chair / Date OR of Instructional Dean / Date Print/Signature of Advisor / Date Print/Signature of Registrar / Date Credit by Articulation Agreement No Fee Required Signatures below indicate that the following items have been verified: Student has not attempted course for which he/she is pursuing credit. Student has successfully completed six non-developmental credit at HCC Print/Signature of Department Chair / Date Print/Signature of Advisor / Date Print/Signature of Registrar / Date Credit by ACE or Military Signatures below indicate that the following items have been verified: Student has not attempted course for which he/she is pursuing credit. Student has successfully completed six non-developmental credit at HCC 1. Credit by ACE/NCCRS Workplace Education/Training/Industry Certifications (Credit for workplace education or training programs through ACE or NCCRS College Credit Recommendation Service.) Student is seeking credit for:: Course Prefix Course Number 2. Credit by ACE Military Training /Experience (Credit for military training/experience through American Council on Education. Attach copies of AARTS, SMART, transcript.) Student is seeking credit for:: Course Prefix Course Number 3. Credit by CCH (Credit by using College Credit for Heroes crosswalk of military training and experience to WECM courses to identify matches. Attach AARTS,SMART transcript with CCH crosswalk information.) Military Training Student is seeking credit for:: Course Prefix Course Number Business office application fee paid Yes No Date (Attach Receipt) Print/Signature of Department Chair / Date OR Instructional Dean / Date Print/Signature of Advisor / Date Print/Signature of Registrar / Date Note to student: Credit will not be applied to degree plan until 25% of program requirements are completed. 18

INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECEIVING TECH PREP ARTICULATED CREDIT AT HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE Upon completion of high school, the following steps are to be followed in order to ensure awarding of Tech Prep articulated credit by Houston Community College. The student is responsible for delivering or mailing the following items to: Dr. Freddie Wade Director of Career & Technology Education Program Initiatives Tech Prep Coordinator 3100 Main, Room 12BOO P.O. Box 667517, MC 1108 Houston, TX 77266-7517 1. Copy of high school transcript, 2. Copy of signed Letter of Intent to participate in Tech Prep or Tech Prep Six-Year Plan (usually completed upon entering Tech Prep sequence of courses in high school), 3. Petition for Award of Tech Prep Credit form. Upon submission of the above, the Tech Prep office will contact the Department Chair and Registrar to facilitate awarding of the appropriate college credit. Students MUST complete 9 to 12 semester credit at Houston Community College in order to receive full articulated credit. For further information, please contact Dr. Freddie Wade at 713.718.7596. 19

TO: Director of Career & Technology Education Program Initiatives Tech Prep Coordinator Dr. Freddie Wade P.O. Box 667517 Houston, TX 77266-7517 PETITION FOR AWARD OF TECH PREP CREDIT Student Information: Print Student Name Home/Cell Phone Number Current Address City State Zip Graduating High School Graduation Date Social Security Number Anticipated College Major I hereby petition for credit based on the completion of the following high school courses. (See back of this form for specific instructions.) 1. HIGH SCHOOL COURSE GRADE COMPLETION DATE ARTICULATED COLLEGE COURSE 2. 3. 4. Principal s Signature Counselor s Signature FOR HCCS USE ONLY: SIGN AND DATE (Check On e Box) DEPARTMENT HEAD: APPROVED NOT APPROVED TECH PREP COORDINATOR: APPROVED NOT APPROVED COMMENTS: 20