Administrative Policies

Credit for Prior Learning

1. Purpose

This administrative policy ensures KCTCS’s equitable, consistent, and streamlined award of credit for prior learning (CPL).

2. Scope

This policy applies to all KCTCS students, faculty, and staff.

3. Policy

1. CPL is college-level learning acquired through non-collegiate experiences, such as work, military service, training, industry-recognized certificates from third parties, and other means.
   
   
2. KCTCS supports and encourages the awarding of CPL to accelerate students’ credential attainment, save students time and money, promote educational equity, and improve student retention.
   
   
3. CPL will be awarded at the college level in accordance with this administrative policy and the Rules of the Senate.
   
   
4. CPL equivalencies will be determined as follows: 
   1. Most CPL equivalencies to KCTCS courses or technical and/or general education electives will be recommended by the appropriate systemwide curriculum committee by majority vote. Exceptions to this process include Special Examinations and Prior Learning Portfolios as described in Paragraph 3.E of this administrative policy. Curriculum committees will propose CPL equivalencies to the Faculty Senate for consideration.
      
      
   2. The Faculty Senate will consider proposals in accordance with the Rules of the Senate and recommend the CPL equivalency to the Chancellor or return it to the curriculum committee for further consideration.
      
      
   3. The Chancellor will approve the recommended CPL equivalency on behalf of the President, in accordance with Board of Regents Policy 1.4, or return it to the curriculum committee for further consideration. If the Chancellor approves the recommendation of CPL equivalency, it will be provided to Senate Council and the curriculum committee for systemwide implementation in accordance with the Rules of the Senate.
      
      
5. Special Examinations and Prior Learning Portfolios will be determined as equivalent to KCTCS courses or technical and/or general education electives by the appropriate program faculty at a student’s home college. Colleges’ CPL equivalencies may be adopted systemwide using the process established in Paragraph 3.D of this administrative policy.
   
   
6. Approved CPL equivalencies will be published on both the KCTCS and colleges’ websites.
   
   
7. KCTCS recognizes the following broad categories of CPL:
   1. External Examinations. External Examinations include Advanced Placement (AP), the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), General and Subject Examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), DANTES Subject Standardized Test (DSST), and International Baccalaureate (IB).
      
      
   2. High School Articulation. College technical credit will be awarded to students who complete high school career and technical education (CTE) programs and meet the other requirements that implement KRS 164.2951(2)(o).
      
      
   3. Special Examinations. Special examinations, such as Challenge and Special Technical Education Proficiency (STEP) exams, are assessments developed and administered by program faculty to provide an opportunity for students to demonstrate mastery of course content and receive credit towards program requirements or course placement.
      
      
   4. ACE Learning Evaluations and Military CPL. The American Council on Education (ACE) provides credit recommendations for a variety of workplace learning and alternative educational experiences and/or military training and experience.
      
      
   5. Industry-Recognized Third-Party Certifications. These are specialized certifications that are recognized by industry as preparing individuals for entry- to middle-skill jobs.
      
      
   6. Prior Learning Portfolio. A prior learning portfolio is a formal, faculty-validated process to document the equivalency of non-collegiate experiential learning to course competencies.
      
      
8. Credential-seeking students will be awarded CPL as follows:
   1. External Examinations. Students will be granted credit when satisfactory scores are achieved on valid, recognized external examinations. Satisfactory scores are determined by the appropriate curriculum committee and available in the Rules of the Senate.
      
      
   2. High School Articulation. Students will be granted technical credit if they meet all requirements established by the appropriate curriculum committee and documented in the articulation guide, including:
      1. Successfully completing a secondary career and technical education program with the specified GPA for technical courses;
      2. Passing an end-of-program assessment and/or earning the appropriate industry-recognized credential;
      3. Enrolling at a KCTCS college within the specified period, which is determined by the appropriate curriculum committee; and
      4. Completing any additional requirements.
         
         
   3. Special Examinations. Students enrolled in or accepted for admission to a KCTCS College may be given a faculty-developed special examination for credit or course placement, provided the examination is approved by program- or discipline-specific faculty and the Chief Academic Officer or their designee. Credit will be awarded upon enrollment if the student passes the exam according to the established standard.
      
      
   4. ACE Learning Evaluations and Military Credit for Prior Learning. Students will be granted credit based on faculty evaluation of an ACE Transcript using the ACE National Guide or the Joint Services Transcript using the ACE Military Guide, which are available on the American Council on Education's website.
      
      
   5. Industry-Recognized Third-Party Certifications. Students will be granted credit if they provide evidence of a valid certification that has been determined by a curriculum committee to be equivalent to one or more courses.
      
      
   6. Prior Learning Portfolio. Students will be granted credit if a program- or discipline-specific faculty member evaluates their portfolio based on prior learning experiences and determines credit for prior learning is warranted.
      
      
9. CPL will not count towards institutional residency requirements.

4. Responsible Parties

1. Chancellor.
   1. The Chancellor will approve CPL equivalencies that have been proposed by curriculum committees and recommended by Faculty Senate, as described in Paragraph 3.D of this administrative policy. The Chancellor will update Senate Council on CPL equivalencies approved since their last meeting.
      
      
   2. The Chancellor will designate qualified staff to support the implementation of this administrative policy systemwide. This will include the development of guides and other materials to assist students, faculty, and staff.
      
      
   3. The System Registrar will ensure that KCTCS college registrar offices adopt and implement CPL documentation and transcription practices in accordance with established processes.
      
      
2. Faculty Senate.
   1. The Faculty Senate will review curriculum committee’s proposal of CPL equivalency as described in Paragraph 3.D of this administrative policy.
      
      
   2. The Faculty Senate will publish CPL equivalencies approved by the Chancellor and establish standards for their award in the Rules of the Senate.
      
      
3. Curriculum Committees.
   1. Curriculum committees will propose CPL equivalencies as described in Paragraph 3.D of this administrative policy.
      
      
   2. Curriculum committees will review current approved CPL equivalencies for their respective programs at least every two years to ensure continued course equivalency. If any updates need to be made, they will submit proposals to the Faculty Senate for review after a majority vote by the curriculum committee, in accordance with the Rules of the Senate.
      
      
   3. Curriculum committees will routinely propose new CPL equivalencies to Senate Council for consideration, in accordance with Paragraph 3.D of this administrative policy.
      
      
4. Faculty and Staff.
   1. Faculty and staff will follow the processes and standards documented in the Rules of the Senate.
      
      
   2. Program- or discipline-specific faculty will evaluate course equivalency based on Special Examinations and Prior Learning Portfolios in accordance with Paragraph 3.E of this administrative policy.
      
      
   3. Designated faculty and staff will review opportunities for the awarding of CPL with prospective and current students, then follow the applicable processes to document and award credit as appropriate.
      
      
   4. Staff will support the awarding of CPL in accordance with this administrative policy and the Rules of the Senate.
      
      
5. Students.
   1. Students will provide the necessary documentation to confirm and validate their eligibility for the award of CPL.
      
      
   2. Students will meet with a faculty or staff member to have their CPL requests reviewed, validated, and if approved, processed.

5. Procedure

CPL is implemented through the Rules of the Senate.