For many adult learners, years of hard-earned work experience, military service, or professional certifications have never translated into college credit — until now. Iowa is taking a significant step to change that, with a new grant-funded initiative aimed at giving adult students credit for what they already know.
The Iowa Department of Education has received a $250,000 Strategic Impact and Innovation Grant from the Midwestern Higher Education Compact to build a statewide system for evaluating adult learners’ prior experience and awarding college credit accordingly. The program is designed to recognize skills and knowledge gained outside of traditional classrooms — through jobs, military careers, and professional credentials.
Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow explained the practical benefit for students:
“Awarding credit for what students already know and have accomplished will save Iowans time and money as they pursue postsecondary education and workforce training that lead to high-demand, high-skill and high-wage jobs here in Iowa.”
What the Grant Will Fund
The funding will support several concrete initiatives across the state. A formal statewide “Credit for Prior Learning” program will be launched, with new policies and infrastructure developed to expand Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) programs at public institutions. Incentive grants will be made available to those institutions, and faculty and academic advisors will receive training specifically focused on supporting nontraditional students through the process.
Critically, the grant will also fund the creation of credit transfer policies across Iowa’s three public universities and 15 public community colleges, ensuring that credits earned through PLAs can move with students as they navigate the state’s higher education system.
Board of Regents Chief Academic Officer Rachel Boon highlighted what a coordinated approach means for students across the state:
“A coordinated PLA approach will allow Iowa’s public universities to better serve adult learners where they are and provide more paths toward a degree. The Regent universities are dedicated to quality, affordable education for Iowans, and this award only serves that dedication.”
The initiative reflects a broader national push to remove barriers for adult learners who may have delayed or paused their education. By formally recognizing knowledge earned through lived and professional experience, Iowa’s system could make earning a degree faster, more affordable, and more accessible for thousands of working adults across the state. For more on editorial standards used in reporting, visit our Editorial Standards page.