Competency Based Education Financial Aid Overview

WASFAA – Reno, NVLesley Phelps, Vice President, Regent Education

Bob Collins, Vice President, WGU April 14, 2014

What is Competency Based Education? • The decoupling of seat time from academic progress

• Progress is evaluated on mastery of content/skills rather than seat time

• Student paced vs. defined semesters, quarters, etc.

Why Competency Based Education? • More accurately measure student learning

• Reduce time to graduation

• Reduce costs• Student loan debt 2nd only to mortgage loans in total household debt

• Positioning for potential funding model and institutional ranking changes

• Enrollment considerations

Why Competency Based Education? The Changing Needs of Learners

• Flexibility

• Changes in consumer behavior

• Changing demographics

• Increase in online learning

5

What are the challenges to implementing a CBE program?

• Accreditation • State coordinating and governing boards• Accrediting agencies• U.S. Department of Education

• Translation of competencies

• Faculty buy-in

• Resource support

• Title IV financial aid

6

Why in financial aid a hindrance to these models?

• Decoupling of seat time from academic progress...huh?

• Financial Aid Management (FAM) Systems are designed around the concept of structured periods of enrollment

• Non-Term Enrollment models designed for self-paced learning, but FAM systems not designed to manage resulting in manual processes:

• Increased compliance risk

• Slower service

• Labor cost considerations

l

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION

How can CBL be managed in an efficient and compliant manner?

• Need to carefully analyze systems limitations to determine what enrollment model will work for you

• Reach out to your colleagues on campus and financial aid colleagues at like institutions

• Ensure financial aid is a key stake holder from the beginning

Western Governors UniversityFounded in 1997

The principal mission of Western Governors University is to improve quality and expand access to post-secondary academic opportunity by providing a means for individuals to learn independent of time or place and to earn competency-based degrees and other credentials that are credible to both academic institutions and employers.

Student Demographics• Colleges: Information Technology, Business,

Teacher Education, and Health Professions• Students are full-time, degree seeking at

Baccalaureate and Masters level• Current enrollment > 44,000• Most successful students:

– start with some college experience– have work experience and motivation to earn degree– average age is 36 years

Student Population

Growing Interest in CBE

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching re-examining the ‘Carnegie Unit’

Foundations working with regional accreditors and Dept of Ed to assure financial aid for CBE

Gates Foundation supported project includes WA, IN, FL & TX colleges as partners

Adapting and Adopting Competency-Based IT Instruction to Accelerate Learning funded by Department of Labor’s (TAACCCT)

Partner Colleges Developing CBE ProgramsAustin Community College, TXBroward College, FLSinclair Community College, OHFL – Valencia CollegeIN – Ivy Tech Community College (Ft Wayne &

Lafayette)TX – Lone Star Community CollegeWA – Bellevue College, Columbia Basin College,

Edmonds Community College, Community College of Spokane

Design Principles for CBE1) Degree reflects robust and valid

competencies. 2) Students are able to learn at a variable pace

and are supported in their learning. 3) Effective learning resources are available to

students anytime and are reusable. 4) The process for mapping competencies to

courses/learning outcomes/assessments is explicit.

5) The assessments are secure and reliable.

WGU Financial Aid Background• HEA Reauthorization 1998 – eligible institution• Distance Education Demonstration Program

– Competency-based Model• Education Domains• No Grades (Narrative Transcript)• Unbundled Faculty Model (Mentoring and Assessment)

– Direct costs only in cost of attendance calculation– Non-Term (6 month payment periods)– SAP 100% successful completion every term– Students start 365 days a year– 100% Distance Education

WGU Financial Aid Background

• Lessons Learned– Cost of Attendance (direct and indirect) – EFC = Need– Introduction of Competency Units (CUs)– Non-Standard Term – borrower based academic year– 6-Month Terms begin on the first of each month– Grades of Pass and Not Pass (not narrative, not pass/fail)– 66.67% Cumulative Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)– Flat term-based tuition to encourage acceleration

• Subscription model, fixed price per term regardless of CU’s• Affordability of acceleration time to degree completion

Student Fraud Considerations

• WGU Orientation– Begins the 15th of each month– Setting proper expectations – academic and financial

• Delay loan disbursement for all new students– 30 day delay (45+ days of academic effort before $$$ )

• Duplicate address reports (US and E-mail, IP)• Third party identity management/biometrics• Verification of identity

– Notarized statement of educational purpose

Challenging Policies

Federal Financial Aid Delivery

• Academic Year (AY) – payment periods– ED defines AY as minimum of 24 credits and 30 weeks

• Standard Term (Full-time, ¾ time, ½ time)– Semester/Quarter/Trimester– Fall/Spring and sometimes summer (header or trailer)

• Non-Standard Term (Full-time, ¾ and ½ time)– Multiple entry points - Borrower Based Academic Year

• Non-Term and Clock Hour– Full-time - successfully complete 24 credits or 900 hours

Measurement of SAPCompetency Based Model

• Degree Plan – no electives• Academic Activity Verification (AAV)• Qualitative Measure (Pass = B or better)

– Mastery of subject matter (3.0 GPA exceeds 2.5 required)• Quantitative Measure

– Attempted versus completed– Institutional policy on treatment of transfer credits

• SAP appeal approval requires Academic Plan• On-Time Progress (OTP) to Graduation

– At least 12 CUs per six month term

SAP Overview• Financial aid only awarded up to 150% of the program length• At least 66.67% Cumulative SAP = Good Standing• Less than 66.67% Term SAP = Warning• New students less than 3 CUs per term = Terminated• Termination and SAP Appeals

– Extenuating circumstances - documentation & situation improvement– If approved, must complete 100% until cum SAP > 66.67%

• Unintended consequences• Meeting OTP in a term does not necessarily mean the student

is meeting cumulative SAP requirements• 12/20 = 60.00% - OTP is good, SAP is bad - discouraging

Other Regulatory• Definition of Credit Hour 34 CFR 600.2

– www.ifap.ed.gov Hot Topics - Program Integrity • Distance Education Definition 34 CFR 600.2

– …support regular and substantive interaction between students and faculty

• Direct Assessment 34 CFR 668.10– DCL GEN-13-10 (March 19, 2013)

• Return to Title IV (R2T4) 34 CFR 668.22– Withdrawal date of determination– Definitions of academic attendance, academic-related activity