PLA and Beyond: Strong Industry and Academic Partnerships Provide Solutions to

Persistence Problems

Khamel Abdulai, Director, External Relationships & Workforce Development

Tanya Scime, Director for the Center for the Assessment of Post-Traditional Instruction, Training, and Learning

Our Conversation Today▪ Framing the Problem

▪ Broadening the stakeholder base▪ The context of the Adult Learner

▪ Background ▪ The application of credit for prior learning▪ The role of CAPITAL at Excelsior College

▪ Case Studies▪ Pizza Hut▪ Starbucks

▪ Summary▪ Questions

The ProblemSome College, No Degree

▪ 31,000,000 people have enrolled in college but left without a degree or certificate.

▪ Only 40% of Americans currently hold an associate’s degree or higher.

▪ By 2020, two-thirds of all jobs in U.S. will require some form of higher education.

National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. (2014, July). Some college, no degree: A national view of students with some college enrollment, no completion. Retrieved from https://nscresearchcenter.org/signaturereport7/

Lumina Foundation. (April 2015). A stronger nation through higher education. Retrieved from http://strongernation.luminafoundation.org/report/

Weathers, L. A. (2016, April 25). Investing in Employee Tuition Benefits Yields Significant Financial Payback. Retrieved June 07, 2016, from https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-events/2016-04-22-cigna-education-reimbursement-program

Adults Returning to College

Economic Downturn

High Unemployment Rates

Adult Students Starting/Returning to Finish College Degrees

Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, (2010), February). Pathways to success: Integrating learning with life and work to increase national college completion. Washington, DC, Retrived from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED529485.pdf

The Value of a College Degree

Who are Adult Learners?

▪ Over age 25▪ Some work and life experience▪ Attend part-time▪ Financially independent of parents▪ Work full-time while enrolled▪ Has dependents other than spouse▪ Single parents▪ And/or lacks standard high school diploma

Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance, (2010, February). Pathways to success: Integrating learning with life and work to increase national college completion. Washington, DC, Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED529485.pdf

Employer Tuition Programs

“We’ve long known that when companies support their employees’ pursuit of a postsecondary education, it improves employees’ lives and addresses our nation’s overall need to

increase talent in our workforce”- Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Lumina Foundation

Weathers, L. A. (2016, April 25). Investing in Employee Tuition Benefits Yields Significant Financial Payback. Retrieved June 07, 2016, from https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-events/2016-04-22-cigna-education-reimbursement-program

Cigna Study

Study of Cigna Corporation Education Reimbursement Program:

● Increases career opportunity and employee retention which drives financial payback

● Program participants are 10% more likely to be promoted● 7.5% more likely to be transferred within Cigna● 8% more likely to stay at the company● Reducing across-the-board talent management and recruiting costs● Positively impacts bottom line

Cigna made tuition reimbursement a priority.Weathers, L. A. (2016, April 25). Investing in Employee Tuition Benefits Yields Significant Financial Payback. Retrieved June 07, 2016, from https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-events/2016-04-22-cigna-education-reimbursement-program

It’s the Right Thing to Do

For the U.S. to remain a leader in the knowledge economy, all providers of education beyond high school, especially employers, must help ensure more Americans earn

postsecondary credentials”- John Engler, president of the Business Roundtable

SHRM 2013 Employee Benefits Report:▪ 61% of employers offer undergraduate educational assistance▪ 59% offer graduate educational assistance

Weathers, L. A. (2016, April 25). Investing in Employee Tuition Benefits Yields Significant Financial Payback. Retrieved June 07, 2016, from https://www.luminafoundation.org/news-and-events/2016-04-22-cigna-education-reimbursement-program

Academic/Industry Partnerships at Excelsior College

Innovative, Flexible Distance Learning Programs Help Partners Empower their People to Attain their Educational and Professional Goals Affordably, Efficiently and Faster.

Benefits to Employers:

▪ Attract and retain people▪ Reduce employer costs▪ Increase employee productivity▪ Provide individual solutions▪ Give employees new skills

Excelsior College http://www.excelsior.edu/web/partners/home

The Role of CAPITAL

“What You Know is More Important Than Where or How You Learned It”

(Excelsior College Philosophy)

In 2014, Excelsior College president, John Ebersole, recognized the need to expand workforce development services at the College. Based

on over 40 years of experience granting credit for prior learning, the Center for Assessment of Post-Traditional Instruction, Training, and

Learning (CAPITAL) was born. CAPITAL helps employers build a more educated workforce by ensuring that employees earn college credit for

the training they receive on the job.

Credit for Prior Learning

▪ Saves employees and students valuable time and cost to degree attainment.

▪ Provides motivation and self-efficacy for students.▪ Maximizes employer tuition reimbursement programs.▪ Offers a low-cost, high-value add to training and

certificate programs.▪ Helps institutions with retention and completion rates.

Excelsior College http://capital.excelsior.edu/about/

Tate, P. (2013). Keeping college within reach: Improving higher education through innovation. Presented to The Education and Workforce Committee, US House of Representatives.

Credit for Prior LearningStudents with earned PLA credit are 2.5 times more likely to enroll, persist, and complete a degree*.

*This statistic remains stable across demographics such as age, gender, academic ability, and financial status, and holds true regardless of institution type or size.

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning. (2010). Fueling the race to post-secondary success: a 48-institution study of prior learning assessment and adult student outcomes (executive summary).ttp://www.cael.org/pdfs/pla_executive-summary

Tate, P. (2013). Keeping college within reach: Improving higher education through innovation. Presented to The Education and Workforce Committee, US House of Representatives.

The Power of Credit for Prior learning

Excelsior Student: Average age is 38 76% employed full-time

▪ 2013-2014 Excelsior accepted approx. 614,000 hours of undergraduate credit from faculty-approved sources (combined PLA, transfer, and nontraditional sources).

▪ Value of $261,000,000.▪ EC’s acceptance of prior-learning credits means that these students did not

have to pay for duplication of learning, thus removing a significant barrier to degree completion.

Despite the associated obstacles that come with age and employment the alternative models of credit aggregation and competency assessments employed by Excelsior work.

To date: 159,884 graduates Ave. 2.7 yrs. To complete degreeExcelsior College, (n.d.). Excelsior College Knowledge Value Index: $261 Million for the 2013-2014 Academic Year. Retrieved at http://ecwp.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Excelsior-College-Knowledge-Value-Index-2013-14.pdf

Challenges to PersistenceNon-first Time Students Compared to First-time (traditional) that Complete Degree

33.7% 54.1%

National study of non-first-time-students shows disturbing completion rates. (2014, October 7). Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/National-Study-of-Non-first-time-Students-Shows-Disturbing-Completion-Rates.aspx.

Challenges to PersistenceAdult students face tremendous hurdles:

▪ Work obligations▪ Family/social duties▪ Assimilation/readjustment into learning environment ▪ Financial

Zappa, J. (19 August, 2012). Why you should invest in tuition assistance (Web log post). Retrieved from http://www.clomedia.com/articles/why-you-should-invest-in-tuition-assistance).

Time or Cost?Top 10 5 Challenges for adult learners1. How do I pay for it?2. How do I find time?3. Are there options other than full-time?4. How will I find time to manage my family responsibilities5. How do I manage a schedule?

Franklin University. www.franklin.edu

Time or Cost?

▪ Only 5% of employees take advantage of employer tuition where offered

▪ Clearly, cost alone is not the barrier.

▪ Time might be a more pressing concern for these students.

National study of non-first-time-students shows disturbing completion rates. (2014, October 7). Retrieved from http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/National-Study-of-Non-first-time-Students-Shows-Disturbing-Completion-Rates.aspx.Zappa, J. (19 August, 2012). Why you should invest in tuition assistance (Web log post). Retrieved from http://www.clomedia.com/articles/why-you-should-invest-in-tuition-assistance).

Who’s Problem Is It?

The increase in adult students, a complex demographic to serve, must be met by innovative approaches (from both industry and academic institutions) to supporting degree completion.

Case studies

▪ Onboarding and retention▪ Pizza Hut Cohort, Excelsior College

▪Persistence ▪ Starbucks, Arizona State University

The Pizza Hut Cohorthttp://blog.pizzahut.com/featured/introducing-life-unboxed-edu/

The Pizza Hut Cohort▪ Program was designed to provide access to affordable

college education for corporate & franchise employees ▪ Accessibility enhanced through tuition discount and the

assessment of PH workplace training - Learning Zone ▪ Pilot cohort was formed prior to formal program learn

The Pizza Hut Cohort

Internal Evaluation through CAPITAL

ResultsStatus Number PH Retention

Rate%Avg. for

First Time Course Taker in SBT*

Retained 29 61.7 66.8

Withdrew 5 10.6 3.8

Administratively Withdrawn 8 17.0 3.7

Canceled 5 10.6 25.9

Total 47 100.0 100.0

Challenges Identified▪ Difficulty balancing work and school

▪ First time online course takers

▪ Initial kinks in systems & processes

▪ The first course experience is critical

Excelsior College Mitigations▪ Requirement of foundational course as gateway into

online learning environment

▪ Improved intake and “first impression” experiences

▪ Coordination between admissions, advising and student success coaches

Pizza Hut Mitigations▪ Financial assistance. Corporate employees provided

direct-bill tuition funding assistance▪ no “out-of-pocket” expenses

▪ Commitment of resources towards information and outreach

▪ Collaboration on Webinars▪ Internal support systems▪ Education ambassadors

Starbucks College Achievement Plan

▪ Partnership with Arizona State University▪ Launched in June of 2014▪ Tuition scholarship & tuition reimbursement▪ Available to full-time & part-time partners

Starbucks Video

Starbucks College Achievement Plan

▪ Robust support mechanisms▪ Enrollment counselor, financial aid advisor,

academic advisor, personal success coach

▪ As of April 2015, over 2,000 partners enrolled

▪ $250 million investment by 2025, 25,000 graduates by the same period

Starbucks College Achievement Plan

▪ Work-life balance challenges▪ History of unfavorable scheduling practices - NY

Times report, 2014▪ “Clopens” - late to bed, early to rise▪ Not enough lead time on schedules▪ Partner availability not always taken into account

▪ Impact on education pursuits?

Best Practices/Suggestions

▪ A well-intentioned education program still requires employers to provide support and safety nets

▪ Scheduling must accommodate work-life-school balance requirements

▪ Financial incentives by themselves are not enough

Solution to Persistence Problems?

Programs offering flexibility, online options, recognition of prior learning, enable students to meld their work/life/school

experience within formal education.

These models hold the promise of cutting time and cost on the road to completion.

Questions to Audience

▪ Does anybody have examples from their partnerships of ways they tried to work on these same issues?

▪ Flexible schedules…how can we be sensitive to addressing the employer being flexible with their employee schedules? We offer discount and credit for training…is it obnoxious to ask “how are you going to help keeping employees in school”.