Untangling Transfer: Regulatory Reform in Maryland | Inside Higher Ed

As in lots of different states, Maryland’s historic statewide switch rules have mirrored the confusion that’s usually engendered by switch: disorganized, usually unclear and missing concrete processes. Current laws in Maryland has given the Maryland Increased Training Fee (MHEC), the state company answerable for coordinating between establishments of upper schooling, a possibility to create broad reform of switch procedures and requirements. Unsurprisingly, the targets of this reform have been to cut back confusion and enhance transparency for college students and establishments, foster collaboration amongst all two-year and four-year establishments, and scale back prices and time to diploma for switch college students.

On the coronary heart of those targets is a paradigm shift: distinguishing between the phrases “course” and “credit score” as they relate to switch. These phrases are sometimes used interchangeably, placing the deal with the variety of whole credit a scholar wants to finish a level. Nonetheless, we imagine that scholar switch is healthier predicated on the profitable completion of particular coursework and the evaluation of scholar studying targets and outcomes, relatively than merely the switch of credit. This distinction permits us to separate two totally different however associated processes: (a) the analysis of the transferability of a course and (b) the applying of credit score for that course on the receiving establishment. Step one is evaluating if a course is transferable. Basic schooling programs should switch, no questions requested. Articulation agreements and institutional insurance policies on prior studying can permit for the transferability of programs.

Nonetheless, what’s new is a statewide commonplace for course equivalencies, proposed by a piece group of upper schooling stakeholders: if a minimum of 70 p.c of the educational targets of the 2 programs are the identical, the course is transferable. Particular studying targets have to be evaluated by educational workers who’re material specialists relatively than administrative workers, and establishments might not use every other measures—for instance, whether or not the programs use the identical textbook or have been delivered on-line—to judge equivalencies and transferability. The method requires that this analysis of transferability of accomplished programs should happen earlier than an establishment awards credit score for the transferable course, permitting maximization of the variety of programs and credit that may switch.

The second, maybe more difficult step, is how that transferred course shall be utilized to a particular educational program and commencement necessities. A call concerning transferability is binding; nevertheless, the applicability of the course might shift as a scholar might change majors. We hope that teasing these two processes aside will present constant and clear statewide requirements concerning the analysis and awarding of beforehand earned credit score.

College students will obtain an in depth report concerning the denial of programs for transferability. With no motion on the a part of the scholar, the sending establishment shall be knowledgeable of the denial with a possibility to judge the denial and supply written commentary to the receiving establishment. This mandates a brand new suggestions loop to the sending establishments concerning the potential misalignment of programs between establishments within the context of switch.

Lastly, Maryland can also be fostering the event of articulation agreements. Articulation agreements between public four-year establishments and neighborhood faculties shall be required to be developed as a part of our statewide educational program overview course of. An establishment that wishes to choose out of this course of should present justification for doing so. All articulation agreements, in addition to different switch insurance policies, have to be written in clear, comprehensible language and made publicly out there.

That is solely the start of switch reform in Maryland. Whereas formal enactment of the rules is pending, detailed steerage and pattern templates are being drafted to make sure that these measures are uniformly interpreted. Specifically, a brand new statutory requirement for establishments to offer knowledge to MHEC concerning switch denials will present essential data in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the brand new schema. Enforcement mechanisms could be put into place after gathering this knowledge, and different areas of switch could be evaluated, reminiscent of age of credit score.