1. Interstate Passport An Outcomes-Based Framework for Block Transfer
National Academic Advising Association
October 12, 2017, 10:15am
St. Louis, Missouri
Interstate Passport An Outcomes-Based Framework for Block Transfer
Pat Shea
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Karen Sullivan-Vance
Western Oregon University
Bess Hewitt
Laramie County Community College

2. Today’s Topics What is Interstate Passport Transfer Issue
Statewide Solutions
How the Interstate Passport Works
Who’s Involved
How to Join

3. Introduction
Interstate Passport: A program facilitating block transfer of lower-division general education attainment based upon student learning outcomes Goal: Eliminate the unnecessary repetition of learning already achieved
Funded by: Carnegie Corporation of New York –
Lumina Foundation –
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation –
First in the World, U.S. Department of Education –

4. Impact of Lost Credits
“Inefficiencies around the transfer of credits have a
substantial effect on whether you graduate.”
- David Monaghan and Paul Attewell, Graduate Center of the City University of New York
For community college transfer students, Monaghan and Attewell found:
Only 58 percent are able to bring all or almost all (90%+) of their credits with them.
About 14 percent lose more than 90 percent of their credits.
Remaining 28 percent lose between 10 percent and 89 percent of their credits.
Source: Monaghan, David and Paul Attewell (2014). The Community College Route to the Bachelor's Degree, published online by Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.

5. Transfer Patterns 2014 State of College Admission Report
Source: 2014 State of College Admission Report, National Association of College Admissions Counselors

6. State Solution: Guaranteed Transfer of Associate Degree
Statewide guaranteed transfer of an associate degree: Guarantees students awarded an associate degree before transfer to a four-year institution can transfer all of their credits to the four-year institution and enter at the junior standing level. The majority of policies state that students are then not required to complete any further general education courses.
Source: Education Commission of the States. Database of Legislative Transfer Activity. April 18, 2016

7. State Solution: Transferable Core
Transferable core of lower-division courses: A set of general education courses agreed upon across all public postsecondary institutions. The core must be fully transferable at all public institutions. Institutions may have different naming conventions, however if that is the case then there is a crosswalk for institutions to use in the transfer process.
Source: Education Commission of the States. Database of Legislative Transfer Activity. April 18, 2016

8. State Solution: Common Course Numbering
Statewide common course numbering: A uniform numbering convention used at all public postsecondary institutions for lower-division courses.
Source: Education Commission of the States. Database of Legislative Transfer Activity. April 18, 2016

9. State Solution: Reverse Transfer
Statewide reverse transfer: Requires all public institutions to implement the process of retroactively granting an associate degree to students who did not complete the requirements of an associate degree before they transferred from a two- to a four-year institution.
Source: Education Commission of the States. Database of Legislative Transfer Activity. April 18, 2016

10. Interstate Transfer on the Rise
Source: Shapiro, D., Dundar, A., Wakhungu, P.K, Yuan, X., & Harrell, A. (2015,). Transfer and Mobility: A National View of Student Movement in
Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2008 Cohort (Signature Report No. 9). Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

11. Interstate Mobility
Source: Snapshot Report: Interstate Mobility. (2015). Herndon, VA: National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.

12. Projected High School Graduation Rates
The nation is projected to produce fewer high school graduates in all of the 10 graduating classes between and 2023.
Overall, expect consistent declines in the number of white public high school graduates and robust growth in the number of public high school graduates of color.
Implications for higher education?
Increase in minority, first-generation and two-year institution enrollments.
Increase in the number of transfer students.
Source: Knocking a the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates (2016). Boulder, CO: WICHE.

13. What is the Passport? Nine Knowledge & Skill Areas
Natural
Sciences
Human
Cultures
Society
and the
Individual
Creative
Expression
Knowledge of
Concepts
Teamwork and Value
Systems
Critical
Thinking
Crosscutting
Skills
Written
Communi- cation
Oral
Quantita–
tive
Literacy
Foundational Skills

14. Lower-Division General Education65
Learning Outcomes
what a student knows and can do…
Developed by multi-state faculty

15. Institution’s Passport Block
30-36
Semester Credits
40-48
Quarter Credits
EXCERPT: Laramie County Community College
ORAL COMMUNICATION
CO/M 2010 Public Speaking
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
ENGL English I
QUANTITATIVE LITERACY
Math 0970 & Integrated Problem Solving Quantway I & II OR
Math Problem Solving OR
Math 0980 & Integrated College Algebra Algebraway I & II OR
Math 0990 & Integrated Pre-Calculus Stemway I & II OR
Math 0960 & STAT Integrated Statistics Statway I & II OR
STAT 2070 Introductory Statistics for the Social Sciences
HUMAN CULTURES
AMST Cultural Diversity in America OR
ANTH Introduction to Cultural Anthropology OR
ART Art History I OR
ART Art History II OR
ECON Global Economic Issues OR
GEOG World Regional Geography

16. Transfer-Level Proficiency
Minimum Grade in ALL Courses
in Passport Block

17. Interstate Passport Network Location of Early Adopter Institutions24
Institutions
In 8
States

18. Passports Awarded
30,669
Academic Year
(Unofficial Count)

19. Who’s Involved—Institutions in States
Developing the Passport Learning Outcomes; Early Adopters
Testing the block construction process
Piloting critical assignment mapping
Oregon, California, North Dakota, South Dakota, Hawaii, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, Arkansas, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico

20. Information for Registrars, Admissions Officers
Passport recorded on student transcript, indicating that LDGE requirements in nine areas have been achieved
Members of Interstate Passport Network: see

21. Tracking Academic Performance
Process designed by Registrars and
Institutional Researchers
Nat’l Student Clearinghouse
PassportVerify
Academic Progress Tracking
Annual Reports for Quality Assurance
Institution
Passport Review Board
For a tutorial and guides to these services, see:

22. Benefits to Students Better understanding of GE
Knowledge in advance of transfer that GE requirements will be met
Time and money savings
Increased chance for on- time degree completion

23. Benefit to Institutions
Simplified transfer process
Curricular flexibility
Faculty ownership
Academic progress reports for continuous improvement
Increased retention and graduation rates

24. Benefits to Two-Year Institutions
Fosters completion of LDGE requirements
Earning a Passport represents a milestone achievement
Better prepared students to transfer and earn a bachelor’s degree
Streamlined pathways
Potential to save time and money, keeping students on track for graduation

25. Best Practices of Two-Year Institutions
Help students understand the place of associate degree and GE in the landscape of higher education
Conversations about goals help identify students who could benefit from the Passport
Considering transfer before degree completion and/or to a Passport school
“I only want gen-eds”
Military students
Careful to not frontload all GE requirements if four-year degree program prohibits that
Advertise ease of transfer to out-of-state institutions that students might not have considered
Passport can help drive/guide GE decisions at institutions – Pathways 2.0
Discuss specific GE courses not covered by Passport

26. Benefits to Four-Year Institutions
Faculty involvement in construction of Passport Blocks
Students can transfer with a Passport and not lose LDGE credits
Encourages students to take courses for transfer and helps limit excess credits that do not count for graduation
Potential to save time and money, keeping students on track for graduation
Recruitment of transfer students with Passports, i.e., LDGE requirements already achieved

27. Steps to joining….
Build campus/system awareness re: Interstate Passport
Determine congruence with Passport Learning Outcomes
Construct Passport Block
Prepare to participate in Academic Progress Tracking
Apply online
Sign MOA First five years free….

28. Questions For more information, contact Pat Shea pshea@wiche.edu