Evaluation of Non-College Programs for PLA: Access, Equity, Bias

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is often and accurately presented as a tool for acknowledging the college-level learning experiences of adult and non-traditional students. These processes acknowledge that learning in the college classroom does not encompass all learning, and PLA offers pathways to accelerate degree completion through many forms including challenge exams, evaluation of non-college programs, and individualized assessments. Each of these has its own rigor and requirements which in turn allow students to capitalize on different facets of their experience to advance their educational pursuits. At PLA’s core is an understanding that the many constitutive practices are tools meant to improve inclusivity and equity in higher learning for vulnerable and underserved populations by acknowledging and validating learning experiences outside of the academy. The learning outcomes for this session are to help identify unintended structural biases in PLA derived from evaluation of non-college programs and to explore strategies for overcoming these biases