(1) The council, the state board for community and technical colleges, the council of presidents, the four-year institutions of higher education, the private independent higher education institutions, and the private career schools shall collaborate to carry out the following goals:

(a) Increase the number of students who receive academic credit for prior learning and the number of students who receive credit for prior learning that counts towards their major or towards earning their degree, certificate, or credential, while ensuring that credit is awarded only for high quality, course-level competencies;

(b) Increase the number and type of academic credits accepted for prior learning in institutions of higher education, while ensuring that credit is awarded only for high quality, course-level competencies;

(c) Develop transparent policies and practices in awarding academic credit for prior learning;

(d) Improve prior learning assessment practices across the institutions of higher education;

(e) Create tools to develop faculty and staff knowledge and expertise in awarding credit for prior learning and to share exemplary policies and practices among institutions of higher education;

(f) Develop articulation agreements when patterns of credit for prior learning are identified for particular programs and pathways; and

(g) Develop outcome measures to track progress on the goals outlined in this section.

(2) The council shall convene the academic credit for prior learning work group.

(a) The work group must include the following members:

(i) One representative from the council;

(ii) One representative from the state board for community and technical colleges;

(iii) One representative from the council of presidents;

(iv) Two representatives each from faculty from two and four-year institutions of higher education;

(v) Two representatives from private career schools;

(vi) Two representatives from business; and

(vii) Two representatives from labor.

(b) The purpose of the work group is to coordinate and implement the goals in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) The council shall report progress on the goals and outcome measures annually by December 31st.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "prior learning" means the knowledge and skills gained through work and life experience; through military training and experience; and through formal and informal education and training from in-state and out-of-state institutions including foreign institutions.

Findings—Intent—Short title—2011 1st sp.s. c 10: See notes following RCW 28B.15.031.