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LEARN Commission

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and Sova are collaborating on the Learning Evaluation and Recognition for the Next Generation (LEARN) Commission, a new national effort to recognize undergraduate learning and improve credit evaluation policies and practices.

Composed of practitioner leaders, accreditors, and research experts from across the country, the LEARN Commission will recommend national guidelines to practitioners for recognizing undergraduate learning in all its forms and applying learning to credentials, with the intent of advancing learning mobility. 

To compete in a global economy, an increasing share of Americans are completing learning beyond a high school curriculum, moving effectively between high school, the workforce, college, and other training providers to access rigorous and relevant learning. However, as learners move across learning providers, recognition of their learning does not always move with them. For example, analysis by the U.S. Government Accountability Office estimates that learners lose 43% of their credits when they transfer across postsecondary institutions. 

The LEARN Commission will evaluate policies and practices for transferring and applying credit between accredited institutions, as well as policies and processes for recognizing credit earned from high school dual enrollment and learning obtained in the workplace and military. In these areas, the Commission will also assess the potential of new technologies to streamline credit evaluation processes, while eliminating human error and bias.

The work of the LEARN Commission is part of the Beyond Transfer initiative and is made possible with the generous support of the Ascendium Education Group. 

LEARN Commission Membership

  • Dr. Marjorie Dorimé-Williams, Sr. Research Associate, Postsecondary Policy, MDRC
  • Dr. Beth Doyle, Senior Vice President, Initiatives & Solutions, Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) 
  • Dr. Malou C. Harrison, Provost and designee of President Madeline Pumariega, Miami Dade College
  • Ms. Emily Kittrell, Assistant Director, National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students (NISTS)
  • Dr. Samuel Lee, Chief Ambassador of the California MAP Initiative and Interim Vice President, Norco College
  • Dr. Alexandra W. Logue, Professor Emerita, Center for Advanced Study of Education at CUNY Graduate Center
  • Dr. Alexei Matveev, Director of Training and Research, Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges
  • Ms. Cassandra Moore, Director of Enrollment Development & Admissions, Anne Arundel Community College
  • Ms. Sarah C. Muller, Assistant Registrar - Transfer Credit Center, Ohio State University
  • Dr. Hironao Okahana, AVP for Research, American Council on Education (ACE)
  • Dr. Heather F. Perfetti, President, Middle States Commission on Higher Education 
  • Ms. Julia Pomerenk, Registrar and Associate Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management, University of Oregon
  • Dr. Carolyn Sherlet Gentle-Genitty, Dean of Founder's College, Butler University
  • Ms. Jamienne Studley, President, WASC Senior College and University Commission
  • Dr. Janie Valdés, Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management & Services - FIU Connect4Success, Florida International University
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Learning Mobility In The News

AACRAO Releases

New AACRAO Report Examines Impact of Federal Transcript-Hold Regulations on Higher Education

June 26, 2024
The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) has published a new report, "Balancing Access and Accountability: Assessing the Implications of the New Federal Transcript-Hold Regulation for Higher Education - Part 1." Authored by Dr. Wendy Kilgore of AACRAO and Dr. James Dean Ward of Ithaka S+R, the report examines the effects of federal regulations limiting transcript holds for unpaid balances. Data from a survey of 326 institutions reveals that while 77% do not plan to use partial-transcript holds, many are eliminating holds and changing policies in response to the new regulations. The report highlights the need for ongoing research and collaboration to understand and adapt to these changes, promoting learner success and institutional stability. The full report is available on the AACRAO website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

AACRAO Contact: Wendy Kilgore
Senior Director, Research & Policy Division
Communications@aacrao.org 

 

AACRAO Announces New Report That Examines the Impact of Federal Transcript Hold Regulations on Higher Education


WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 26, 2024)

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) has released a new report titled "Balancing Access and Accountability: Assessing the Implications of the New Federal Transcript-Hold Regulation for Higher Education - Part 1." Authored by Dr. Wendy Kilgore, Senior Director of Research at AACRAO, and Dr. James Dean Ward, Principal of Policy and Economic Research at Ithaka S+R, the report provides crucial insights into the potential impact of and institutional responses to new federal regulations limiting the use of transcript holds for learners with unpaid balances.

Based on the 2024 Transcript Hold Regulation Impact survey conducted by AACRAO and Ithaka S+R, the report gathers data from 326 institutions that do not currently have state-level restrictions on transcript holds. Key findings reveal that while 77% of institutions do not plan to use partial-transcript holds, many are proactively preparing for the new regulations. Steps being taken include eliminating transcript holds for unpaid balances (69%), changing procedures (62%) and policies (49%), and implementing alternative methods to address unpaid balances (50%).

"This report highlights the challenges and opportunities that institutions face as they navigate the new regulatory landscape," said Dr. Kilgore. "Understanding and adapting to these changes will be critical for promoting learner success and maintaining institutional stability."

Research and collaboration among institutions, policymakers, and higher education organizations will be essential to understanding the long-term effects of this regulation and developing strategies that promote learner success, equity, and access within a sustainable operational model.

“These findings highlight the importance of developing a more robust understanding of how institutional debts and the attempts to solve them impact learners and institutions,” said Dr. Ward. “With continued research on the topic, we hope to understand these effects and inform future policies and practices.”

The full report, "Balancing Access and Accountability: Assessing the Implications of the New Federal Transcript-hold Regulation for Higher Education - Part 1," is available on the AACRAO website at https://www.aacrao.org/research-publications/aacrao-research/balancing-access-and-accountability.

For more information, please contact: communications@aacrao.org

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AACRAO
AACRAO is a non-profit, voluntary, professional association working to make higher education more responsive to learners. With a membership of more than 15,000 higher education professionals representing approximately 2,300 institutions in more than 40 countries, the association provides advocacy, research, and policy-based guidance and training to higher education professionals to smooth the path for learners at every stage of their journey.

About Ithaka S+R Ithaka S+R’s strategic advice and support services help institutions improve their performance and further their missions. We generate action-oriented research for institutional decision-making and act as a hub to promote and guide collaboration across the communities we serve. With our partners, we design and evaluate projects that make higher education, scholarly communication, and cultural collections more accessible to diverse populations.

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