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What Is Next After 40 Years? Part 2: Prior Learning Assessment: 2012 and After

The previous article, “Prior Learning Assessment: What is next after 40 years? Part 1: Prior Learning Assessment: 1970–2011” (March 2012) focused on the history of prior learning assessment (PLA) in the United States over the past 40 years. After exploring more recent recognition and development of PLA across institutions of higher education, the article ends with the question “What is next for PLA?” Research on PLA has generated interest across the nation as institutions seek ways to increase access to quality education for less cost. For example, the release of the CAEL study (Klein-Collins, 2010), which reports that PLA students have higher rates of degree completion than nonPLA students regardless of size, level, or type of institution, has spawned greater acceptance of PLA at many institutions. The likelihood of a relatively easy practice having greater impact on student success has sparked considerable interest at administrative levels.