See what's new with Credential Engine in "Transparency" our monthly newsletter.

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Transparency
Credential Engine develops its data standards through open, inclusive, and transparent processes
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January 18th, 2024
Happy New Year! Welcome to the first 2024 edition of Transparency! We are looking forward to another productive and successful year as we work to advance credential transparency. There is already much to be excited about, and we can't wait to share it with you over the coming months.
Jump ahead:
> Spotlight (#Spotlight)
> U (#Policy) pdates (#Updates)
> Policy Corner (#Policy)
> State Connections (#State)
> Technology & Support (#Technology)
> News (#News)
> Events (#Events)


** Spotlight.
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[link removed]
Publishing data to the Credential Registry is crucial for fostering transparency and enhancing the efficiency and equitability of education and workforce ecosystems. The Credential Registry serves as a repository for detailed information about various credentials, including degrees, certifications, licenses, and more. By contributing data to the Credential Registry, institutions, employers, and learners can benefit from a comprehensive and open standard source of information.

We thank those who have already published or are in the process of publishing their data to the Credential Registry. To date, we have 63,895 credentials, over 74,000 Competencies and 13,000 Transfer Values, and more available as CTDL-linked open data. Publishing data to the Credential Registry empowers tools that allow learners and workers to make more informed decisions about their education and career paths. Access to accurate and up-to-date information on credentials allows individuals to explore diverse options, understand the value of different credentials, and align their educational pursuits with their career goals.

In particular, we want to highlight the following states and organizations for their publishing in 2023:
* Texas is working towards establishing the state's first credential library so all credentials can be made transparent and available to all Texans. Texas published over 3,100 credentials, over 3,100 learning opportunities, and more.
* Colorado is working to align the CTDL to key data systems, publishing to the Credential Registry, and integrating tools to help students and job seekers access better data to select quality training providers. Colorado published over 3,500 credentials.
* New Jersey is using the CTDL to better describe all Eligible Training Provider List (ETPL) credential data to power tools and applications that will help workers make more informed decisions. New Jersey published over 4,500 credentials.
* Ohio is building a smarter education system that will help students and job seekers access necessary training for the changing job market. Ohio has published over 11,000 credentials from two- and four-year public institutions in the state.
* Indiana has published over 3,000 credentials to the Credential Registry, including all certificates and degrees offered by the public institutions, which are powering career exploration and course-planning tools. They have also published 222 high schools, all offering college-level certificates earned through dual credit.
* Western Governors University (WGU) published its curriculum, 1,246 credentials, 2,960 Learning Opportunities, 40 Transfer Value Profiles, and more to the Credential Registry, allowing users and systems to access and harness the information.
* The American Council on Education (ACE) published over 10,000 ACE transfer value credit recommendations from their National Guide ([link removed]) . This data helps people seeking higher education opportunities to get the most value out of their prior learning achievements.

When states and organizations alike make their data available and transparent, learners, employers, institutions, policymakers, and more can make better informed decisions that ultimately allow ecosystems to thrive and grow.

If you would like to learn more about what our state partners are up to, read our overview resource here ([link removed]) .

If you’d like to explore the Credential Finder, click here ([link removed]) .

If you have any questions or would like to get involved, email us at [email protected]


** Updates.
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[link removed] Engine is hiring for a Lead Technology Solutions Engineer: TheLead Technology Solutions Engineer ([link removed]) will be responsible for managing the Credential Engine Technology Solutions team and actively contributing to the maintenance and development of Credential Engine’s technology stacks. This role involves leading the day-to-day operations and activities of the technical team and ensuring the seamless functioning of our technology solutions. In addition to architecting solutions and mentoring a team, the Lead will also write code and develop more complex solutions with the team. Candidates can submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected] with “Lead Technology Solutions Engineer” in the subject line to apply for this position. Read the full job posting here
([link removed]) .

Two Great Guides from JFF and Credential Engine Show the Power of CTDL for LERs: Two great guides are among the many valuable resources that enable you to build strong, sustainable Learning and Employment Record (LER) ecosystems: Jobs for the Future’s (JFF) Centering Credential Transparency: A Case-Making Guide ([link removed]) and Credential Engine’s newly updated and widely used Learning and Employment Records Action Guide ([link removed]) . In the recently released Case-Making Guide, written in collaboration with Credential Engine, JFF dives into the importance of CTDL and how it is foundational for an “equitable workforce credential marketplace” where LERs unlock opportunities. Credential Engine’s newly updated version of the LER Action Guide reflects the rapid changes in this arena and provides clear navigation for the phases and steps that
stakeholders can take to develop and sustain trusted LER ecosystems. Read more about these complementary resources here ([link removed]) .


** Policy Corner.
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December 2023 saw legislative proposals that include credential transparency advance through House and Senate Committees in the U.S. Congress.
* The “Advancing Research in Education Act’s” (AREA) modernized SLDS program includes a new planning grant set aside that supports, among other investments, planning for "... alignment with the voluntary standards and guidelines described in section 143(a)(6);), which may include the use of linked, open, and interoperable data standards..." The updated core SLDS program also emphasizes "developing voluntary standards to promote data transparency, open data formats, interoperability, modernization, analysis, and security, and other standards and linkages used in multiple states...'
* The “Stronger Workforce for America Act” (SWAA), a bill to reauthorize WIOA, requires "transparency on the credentials that are awarded by eligible providers to include credential-specific information on the awarding entity, industry recognition, the skills and competencies the credential signifies, and the employment and earnings outcomes of participants who receive the credential in linked, open, and interoperable data formats and related schema.”
* The “Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act” (BWPA) notes that a program is grant eligible only if "...in the case of a program that has been an eligible workforce program under this paragraph for 3 or more years, it uses common, linked, open, and interoperable data formats when posting on the website of the institution..."

In addition to these committee actions, Rep. McBath introduced the CREATES Act (H.R.6704) which proposes to provide funding for states to establish or expand credential registries within which they can gather and provide essential information about all educational and occupational credentials available to their residents.


** State Connections.
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New Legislation Introduced from Washington Supporting Credential Transparency: New state legislation was introduced that supports creating a Washington Credential Registry. Thank you to Representative Reeves for drafting and introducing House Bill 2155 which envisions a Credential Registry to support a set number of use cases, like:
* “Equitable pathways from secondary to postsecondary education, training, and employment;
* Education, training, and upskilling pathways for workers in the child care, early childhood, and prekindergarten sectors;
* Pathways for corrections-involved individuals to maximize the likelihood of successful skills and credential attainment and stable, family-supporting employment with opportunities for advancement;
* Successful transitions for individuals in the military, military spouses, and veterans;
* Creating and piloting skill and competency validation protocols to ensure that learning is recognized and valued regardless of where or how learning occurs;
* Integration of data from the Washington credential registry into users' digital and portable learning and employment records.”

If you or your state are interested in learning more about how to get involved, please contact us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])


** Technology & Support.
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American Council on Education (ACE) Publishes Credit Recommendations in CTDL: In December, ACE published over 10,000 ACE credit recommendations to the Credential Registry, and that data is now available as CTDL-linked open data. The data that is now made available as linked open data can empower people seeking higher education opportunities to get the most transfer value out of their prior learning achievements. But there is more that can be done! If your organization has, accepts, offers, or recommends ACE credit recommendations, we ask that you also contribute to the rich, connected data in the Registry.
* If your organization offers the courses, assessments, or apprenticeships that have transfer value credit recommendations published by ACE to the Registry, publish your own additional information about those courses, assessments, or apprenticeships to the Registry and link to the corresponding ACE transfer value recommendations. To get started, click here ([link removed]) .
* If your organization accepts ACE credit recommendations towards your course, program, and credential requirements, publish your own additional information to the Registry and link to the corresponding ACE transfer value recommendations. To get started, click here ([link removed]) .

Reach out to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to learn more!

Opportunity to Provide Input on Certificate Definitions: Credential Engine is clarifying the diverse marketplace of certificates by providing more extensive credential type definitions, to help people make informed decisions, and we need your expertise and feedback to confirm the proposed additions to the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL). Certificates play a pivotal role in learn and work ecosystems, and this proposal seeks to enhance the definition of certificates for greater clarity and transparency. The CTDL Certificates Task Group worked in collaboration with the Credential Engine CTDL team to introduce new certificate types, definitions, and usage guidance as part of the CTDL. This proposal complements the existing capabilities to describe a wide range of credentials, learning opportunities, competencies, assessments, jobs, pathways, and more.

You can provide feedback by reviewing the CTDL Certificates Proposal ([link removed]) and adding your comments or by reviewing the proposal and emailing [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) . You can also learn more and engage with the Credential Engine team during the webinar on January 31st, 11 AM ET. You can register here ([link removed]) . Learn more about this opportunity here ([link removed]) .

AI-assisted CTDL Data Publishing: AI is valuable for many technology tasks, including publishing to the Registry. In the last quarter of 2023, we developed an AI-assisted course publishing proof of concept with four higher ed institutions. Our goal was to determine if AI, specifically GPT, could accurately map data from public course catalogs to the Credential Registry course bulk upload spreadsheet template using verbatim information. It's important to note that this project focused solely on using existing content from public course catalogs and did not involve content creation. This work was done in collaboration with our technology partner Learning Tapestry and included the participation of Bismarck State College, Ivy Tech Community College, the University of North Dakota, and Western Governors University. These institutions have course catalogs in different formats, which helped us explore variations in the process.

This AI assist complements our existing bulk upload publishing process. The Credential Registry publishing system offers multiple publishing options, including bulk uploading CTDL information via a predefined spreadsheet file. AI's role here is to accurately populate spreadsheet rows with course information from the public course catalog. Once the spreadsheet is filled in, a person reviews it for accuracy, then logs in to their organization’s account to publish the courses to the Registry, following the existing process. Human review remains a crucial step before publishing to the Credential Registry. Based on the success of this proof of concept, we have confidence in AI's ability to complete these spreadsheets effectively and efficiently. In 2024, we plan to further develop this capability to scale course bulk uploads and explore other uses of AI for CTDL data publishing. We’re also experimenting with other innovative uses of AI. If you're interested in participating in AI-assisted
publishing projects in 2024, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
Updated OpenBadges 3.0 Implementation Guidance: As part of our ongoing collaboration with 1EdTech, the recent update to the OpenBadge 3.0 Implementation Guidance now comprehensively details the use of the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) for linking information. This inclusion enriches the understanding of achievements that badges represent by providing more context. This advances our shared mission to create more transparent and connected credential ecosystems. We urge all badge issuers to publish their badges to the Credential Registry and to incorporate a link to this information in their badges. The updated guidance for linking to credentials, competencies, and any other CTDL data within OpenBadges 3.0 can be found here ([link removed]) . By leveraging CTDL to more comprehensively describe badges, we collectively enhance the recognition and understanding of each badge’s value and significance.


** News.
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New LER Ecosystem Resource: Ecosystems of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) and digital resumes are rapidly growing and evolving - making it even more important to have resources that help us understand who is doing what and how different solutions fit together. SmartResume recently came out with a report and useful infographics that show how data moves through LER ecosystems. Credential Engine, among others, is highlighted as an organization that provides a Metadata Framework & Libraries, aka the CTDL and the Credential Registry. As highlighted in the report, the CTDL semantic layer provides a linked data structure to include rich information about a credential within the LER technical standards. To learn more, click here ([link removed]) .


** Events.
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Semantic Interoperability Demo: In November, Velocity Network Foundation members demoed solutions to some of the great challenges in the global education and job markets. As part of the Education Ecosystem event, attendees learned how verifiable digital credentials help with challenges like cross-border mobility and skills-based hiring. They also heard from organizations helping to create new pathways throughout the education journey, from K-12 to higher ed and beyond. There were presentations from members on how Velocity Network helps achieve semantic interoperability. Credential Engine demoed the importance of CTDL for semantic interoperability, and it is available to watch here ([link removed]) .

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