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Transparency
Credential Engine develops its data standards through open, inclusive, and transparent processes
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January 15th, 2026

Happy New Year, and welcome to our first edition of Transparency for 2026.

As we begin the year, we look forward to continuing our work of advancing credential and skill transparency alongside partners across the ecosystem and making credential information more accessible and useful for learners, workers, and employers alike. Thank you for being part of this effort. We’re excited for what’s ahead!
Jump ahead:

> Spotlight (#Spotlight)
> U (#Policy) pdates (#Updates)
> Policy Corner (#Policy)
> Partnerships (#State)
> News (#News)
> Events (#Events)


** Spotlight.
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Leading on Transparency: Making High School Credentials Count: Credential Engine is featured in the latest issue of the National Association of State Boards of Education’s (NASBE) State Education Standard edition, Demonstrating Skills of Value ([link removed]) , which explores how states can ensure that the skills and credentials students earn in high school are clearly understood, trusted, and valued by employers and postsecondary institutions.

The edition brings together perspectives from state leaders and national experts on how emerging technologies are reshaping the skills students need, and why states must strengthen their approach to tracking postsecondary outcomes and communicating career-relevant information to students and families.

Credential Engine [link removed] to this edition with an article, The Role of State Boards in Making Credentials’ Value Transparent ([link removed]) , which examines how state boards can advance credential transparency. The piece outlines how common data standards, high-quality credential data, and stronger alignment across education and workforce systems can help states clarify which credentials lead to meaningful outcomes. This work reflects Credential Engine’s ongoing engagement with states to support better decision-making for learners.

Thank you to NASBE and all of the contributors who helped make this timely and important conversation possible.


** Updates.
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Funding Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Education has launched the “Connecting Talent to Opportunity” (CTO) Challenge. The CTO Challenge is a $15 million prize competition to strengthen the connections between learners, education and training providers, and employers by fostering the development of integrated Talent Marketplaces. To stay current on this opportunity, go to the CTO Challenge website ([link removed]) and sign up for updates and news.

Applications have to be submitted by and through the Governor’s Office of a state, and need to include various state agencies and education and training systems to ensure that the Talent Marketplace truly serves residents and employers of the state across their education and training journey.

The Talent Marketplaces bring together learning and employment records (LERs), a credential registry, and tools that translate jobs and credentials into clear, skill-based information. Using artificial intelligence, these talent marketplaces will allow individuals and employers to securely share, understand, and use skills and achievements to support training and career advancement.

Acting Assistant Secretary Nick Moore also emphasized the importance of credential registries utilizing “structured, open, linked, and interoperable data (SOLID) formats,” of which the Credential Transparency Description Language (CTDL) is the de facto standard.

Contact your Credential Engine partnership representative to learn how to integrate our work into your proposal, or email Scott Cheney at [email protected].

New RFP: Advancing Workforce Mobility: Credential Engine is serving as the technical partner on a new $3.5 million RFP from the Education Design Lab: Advancing Workforce Mobility through Credential Transparency and Skills Validation ([link removed]) . Supported by funding from Walmart, this initiative seeks to fund projects that improve how skills and credentials are described, validated, and understood across education and workforce systems.

A primary focus of this work is expanding economic mobility for STARs (people who are Skilled Through Alternative Routes), the millions of workers who have developed valuable skills through work experience, military service, and non-degree pathways rather than traditional four-year degrees. The opportunity invites organizations to design, pilot, or scale solutions that make skills and credentials more transparent, portable, and trusted for these learners and workers.

As part of this initiative, Credential Engine will provide technical assistance for the projects that are selected for the funded cohort, supporting the use of common data standards and open infrastructure to ensure STARs can effectively signal their skills to employers. Details about eligibility, focus areas, timelines, and how to apply are available through the Education Design Lab’s RFP webpage ([link removed]) .

[link removed] the 2025 Credential Landscape: The Counting Credentials 2025 report ([link removed]) , released this past December, provides a comprehensive look at the U.S. credential landscape, identifying over 1.85 million unique credentials offered by more than 134,000 providers. This data underscores the continued expansion of the marketplace, particularly in digital badges, and the ongoing need for transparent, machine-readable data to help stakeholders navigate credential pathways. You can access the full report and key findings on our website ([link removed]) to see how these trends impact the broader skills ecosystem. Keep your eyes out for an upcoming NCRN webinar focused on the report, with additional details to come soon.

Updated Learning and Employment Records (LER) Action Guide: Credential Engine’s sixth version of the Learning and Employment Records Action Guide ([link removed]) is now available, including new resources ([link removed]) . LERs empower people with control over credentials, employment, and skill records, connecting learning achievements with careers. Data transparency using the CTDL and the Credential Registry is an essential foundation for interoperable, meaningful, human- and machine-actionable LERs. This Action Guide describes the phases and steps that stakeholders can follow to develop and sustain trusted LER ecosystems. Credential Engine’s LER Action Guide has been enabling LER ecosystems since 2022; continue to collaborate with us for meaningful, valuable credentials and skills contextualized with CTDL. Access the guide
([link removed]) .


** Policy Corner.
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Credential Engine Advocates for Learning and Employment Records (LERs) at Congressional Hearing: Scott Cheney, Credential Engine’s CEO, testified before the U.S. House Education and the Workforce’s Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development on December 10 on “Building a Talent Marketplace: How LERs Empower Workers and Expand Opportunity.” ([link removed]) This was the first-ever Congressional Hearing on LERs.

The hearing highlighted how LERs can improve transparency, portability, and trust in credentials—helping learners better communicate their skills and enabling employers to make more informed hiring decisions. Cheney underscored the importance of open and interoperable data standards and credential transparency as foundational infrastructure for a more connected and equitable talent marketplace.

He also highlighted four areas in which the federal government must play a role:
* First, ensure that digital credentials, skills, and LERs reach everyone.
* Second, require the use of open and interoperable data standards across the full credential and skills ecosystem. In fact, no federal funding should be used for LERs that do not meet standards for open and interoperable data.
* Third, extend existing data privacy and security laws and protections to cover LERs as well.
* Fourth, provide support to improve validation of skills attainment so it’s more efficient, accurate, and scalable.

Watch the Congressional Hearing and see related information here ([link removed]) .


** Partnerships.
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Higher Learning Commission Launches Short-Term Credential Endorsement Program: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is launching a new endorsement program ([link removed]) for providers of short-term credentials. As part of the endorsement application, providers are required to publish their organization's data to the Credential Registry and are encouraged to include information about the short-term credentials they offer. Credential Engine is working closely with HLC to provide guidance and support ([link removed]) to providers throughout this process.


** News.
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1. Talent Marketplaces ([link removed])


** Events.
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1EdTech Digital Credentials Summit: The 2025 Digital Badge Count ([link removed])
Philadelphia, PA. February 19. Credential Engine will present “The 2025 Digital Badge Count: Key Findings and Implications” at the 1EdTech Digital Credentials Summit. This session will highlight findings from the newly released Badge Count report ([link removed]) , a joint effort by 1EdTech and Credential Engine, offering new insights into the size and scope of the global digital badge ecosystem, the types of achievements badges represent, and the adoption of emerging data standards. Attendees will gain a foundational understanding of what these findings mean for learners, educators, employers, and policymakers shaping the future of digital credentialing.

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