Developing CPL Pathways:

A Student-Centered Approach

Today’s Presenter

Candace Rose

Palomar College

Credit for Prior Learning Coordinator

Military Leadership Program Faculty Lead

Media Studies/Cinema Faculty

cpl@palomar.edu

crose@palomar.edu

www.palomar.edu/cpl

Vision 2030 incorporates a shift in our approach to proactively bring college to our students, wherever they are and not to wait for students to come to us. This includes expanding equitable dual enrollment pathways to adult and high school students; offering credit for prior learning to veterans and working adults through employers and associations; working through community-based organizations to bring workforce training to low-income adults; and providing instruction through flexible modalities.

​

👉 Vision 2030 – CCC Chancellor’s Office

Workshop Learning Outcomes

1. Identify courses within your program that work well for CPL and the different methods of assessment
2. Explore the potential for creating CPL Pathways in your programs
3. Think through outreach and counseling strategies that help students understand CPL and feel supported every step of the way.

​

​

What is Credit for Prior Learning?

Methods of Assessment:

Military Transcript, Portfolio Review, Credit by Exam, Industry Certification,

Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), College Level Exam Preparation (CLEP)

​

​

Industry & Military Partnerships & CPL

Your CPL foundation is in place - now it's time to strategically scale.

Expand your CPL efforts by creating clear pathways that help students enter college and complete their programs.

For example…

Peace Officers & Military Members - Recognize POST and military training and leadership development as credit for an Administration of Justice pathway

Business Professionals & Military Leaders: - Award credit for workplace training and leadership development aligned with Business degree and certificate programs.

Military Leadership for Veterans - Offer veterans a path to earn the Certificate in Military Leadership and continue through the A.S. degree and transfer pathway to one of our university partners.

​

​

​

Develop military and industry partnerships to expand CPL opportunities and align with workforce needs.

Palomar Auto Technology

Industry & Military Partnerships & CPL

The Impact:

Boost Enrollment & Completion - Show clear, accelerated pathways to program completion.

Strengthen Industry & Military Partnerships - Align training and experience with academic credit.

Increase Equity & Access - Support working adults, veterans, and underserved learners.

Save Students Time & Money - Reduce cost and shorten time to degree.

Support Career Mobility - Help students upskill, reskill, and earn higher wages.

Build Transfer & Degree Momentum - Create seamless transitions to four-year colleges.

​

​

​

​

​

1st Sgt Baudanza - 1st time college student, earned 12 credits through CPL in the Military Leadership Program. Graduated with his Certificate in Military Leadership in 2023. Now completing his AA degree at Palomar with plans to transfer and complete his BA in Organizational Leadership through ASU.

Focused Outreach: Why it Matters

CPL outreach is most effective when done in partnership with employers and military training commands, who want their employees and service members to earn college credit for training they've already completed. These partners benefit from a more educated, upskilled workforce, and students gain momentum toward degrees and higher wages.

This work is especially critical for first-generation college students, adult learners, and students from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Design and implement outreach sessions to increase awareness and participation in CPL programs.

These relationships also build lasting pipelines between colleges and communities, fostering trust, visibility, and long-term collaboration.

​

Police Academy & Administration of Justice CPL Pathway

​

Focused Outreach: How it Works

Partner Strategically�Collaborate with HR teams, workforce leaders, and military occupation specialists or training commands to identify CPL pathways into the college.

Meet Students On-Site�Deliver info sessions directly at worksites, military bases, onboarding events, and job fairs.

Tailor Messaging�Focus outreach on returning adults, veterans, first-generation students, and employees with training that aligns to college pathways.

Amplify with Marketing�Build targeted CPL campaigns using digital media, flyers, and real student success stories in collaboration with your marketing team.

​

​

​

​

Palomar & Marine Corps University

Military Leadership Program (apprenticeship)

Advancing Equity Through CPL

Identifying Barriers

• Cost, time, language, and digital access are major hurdles.
• Unconscious bias in assessment and advising can limit access.
• Not all students know CPL exists—awareness is an equity issue.

Equity-Minded Practices

• Remove CPL exam fees to eliminate financial barriers to access.
• Provide multilingual resources and advising.
• Support assessors in applying equity-minded, student-centered approaches.

​

​

​

Emergency Medical Education

CPL is a powerful tool for promoting educational equity—but only if it's accessible to all students. To ensure equitable access, colleges must intentionally address the barriers that disproportionately affect underrepresented and underserved learners, and embed inclusive practices throughout the CPL process.

Ensure equity and accessibility in CPL Processes to support diverse student populations.

Guiding the CPL Journey

Role of Counseling in CPL

• Guide students in mapping CPL credits to degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways.
• Support early exploration of career and educational goals to inform CPL decisions.
• Ensure CPL credits align with student goals and contribute to program completion.
• Help identify prior learning experiences that may qualify for CPL—and begin conversations with faculty to explore course alignment.
• Collaborate with instructional departments to connect real-world training to college-level outcomes.
• Serve as advocates for students navigating CPL processes and timelines.

​

​

​

​

​

Counselors play a critical role in helping students make the most of Credit for Prior Learning. Through intentional guidance, they ensure CPL credits are not only awarded—but applied strategically toward meaningful educational and career goals.

Integrate career-focused counseling to help students leverage CPL for academic and career advancement.

​

​

CPL Counselor Tina Barlolong & Warrant Officer Guadalupe Manera who earned 11 courses in Computer Science and 4 in Military Leadership through CPL

Faculty-Led, Student-Focused CPL

Best Practices:

• Provide dedicated pay or reassigned time for faculty CPL work.
• Ensure faculty are central to CPL design—leading assessment creation and shaping academic policies.
• Build CPL into curriculum review, program design, and learning outcome alignment.
• Create cross-functional CPL teams that include faculty, counselors, student services, and administrators.
• Ensure students receive CPL credit only when they’ve demonstrated full mastery of course outcomes—so they are well-prepared for future success.

​

Faculty play a critical role in partnering with industry and workforce leaders to help align real-world training with college-level learning outcomes. These collaborations allow colleges to develop CPL opportunities that reflect current workforce demands while maintaining academic quality. Clear policies and cross-functional teamwork are key to scaling CPL efforts across departments and disciplines.

​

Apply best practices for faculty collaboration and policy implementation to enhance CPL Pathways.

​

​

Military Leadership Program Faculty

CPL Pathways: Behind the Scenes

​

Step 1: Identify a High-Need Program Area

• Choose 1–2 disciplines with strong industry or military connections & workforce needs.
• Partner with employers or military training commands to understand employee training and work experience.
• Compare training to your college’s course outcomes—identify alignments and gaps.
• Identify certificate and/or degree pathways that align and offer wage advancement.

Step 2: Establish CPL-Eligible Courses

• Work with faculty to determine CPL-eligible courses.
• Ensure CPL petition, assessment, and transcription processes are in place.

​

​

​

​

​

Step 3: Conduct Targeted Outreach

• Collaborate with employers to host on-site CPL info sessions.
• Have faculty attend sessions to explain the CPL pathway opportunity to employees.

Step 4: Support Enrollment & Petition Process

• Host CCCApply sessions and onboarding support.
• Guide students through the CPL petition process and documentation or assessment requirements

Step 5: Professional Development

• Provide training to counselors on the CPL pathway, student population, and industry alignment.
• Ensure counselors are equipped and supported to guide students through CPL and degree planning.

CPL Pathways: Behind the Scenes

​

Step 6: Support Students Along the Way

• Offer regular check-ins and proactive support.
• Consider creating CPL pathway cohorts for peer and staff engagement.

Step 7: Assist with Graduation

• Track progress and support students in completing their graduation petitions.

Step 8: Offer Next-Step Support

• Provide transfer advising and additional certificate opportunities.
• Help students align next steps with long-term career and academic goals.

​

​

​

Ultimately, it’s about shifting from “Does this student fit our college?” to “How can our college recognize the value this student brings?”

​

CPL Pathways: Student Journey

​

​

QUESTIONS?

Palomar College

Credit for Prior Learning

(760)744.1150

CPL Coordinator – Candace Rose at cpl@palomar.edu x2483

CPL Counseling Lead – Tina Barlolong cbarlolong@palomar.edu x3415

CPL Student Services/A&R Lead – Polly Shafer pshafer@palomar.edu x3115

​

​

​

​

CPL Q&A drop-in

The 1st Tuesday of each month from 12 - 1:30pm

Here's a link to the CPL Q&A Registration

Once you register, you will receive the zoom link, and you can sign up for any/all sessions that work for you.

​

​