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What is Competency Based Education?

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Competency Based Education Financial Aid Overview WASFAA – Reno, NV Lesley 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 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Competency Based Education Financial Aid Overview WASFAA – Reno, NV Lesley Phelps, Vice President, Regent Education Bob Collins, Vice President, WGU April 14, 2014
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Page 1: What is Competency Based Education?

Competency Based Education Financial Aid Overview

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

Bob Collins, Vice President, WGU April 14, 2014

Page 2: What is Competency Based Education?

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.

Page 3: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 4: What is Competency Based Education?

Why Competency Based Education? The Changing Needs of Learners

• Flexibility

• Changes in consumer behavior

• Changing demographics

• Increase in online learning

Page 5: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 6: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 7: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 8: What is Competency Based Education?

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.

Page 9: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 10: What is Competency Based Education?

Student Population

Page 11: What is Competency Based Education?

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)

Page 12: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 13: What is Competency Based Education?

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.

Page 14: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 15: What is Competency Based 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

Page 16: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 17: What is Competency Based Education?

Challenging Policies

Page 18: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 19: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 20: What is Competency Based Education?

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

Page 21: What is Competency Based Education?

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


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