Intersect With Earl March 2026

Written by Earl Buford | Mar 16, 2026

Credit for prior learning continues to make headlines. That’s a good thing—not just for higher ed but for the broader workforce development and talent landscape. Much of CAEL’s work is devoted to aligning siloed segments within that ecosystem. That means we also aim to build a greater understanding that learning neither begins nor ends in the classroom. This realization helps us and our partners transform either/or dilemmas that historically led to dead ends into both/and solutions along extended pathways. You can be sure we’ll be focused on such solutions in our upcoming virtual convening—I hope to see you then.

Advancing adult learner success: CAEL and the State University of New York are partnering to bring Adult Learner 360™ to 10 SUNY community colleges. Adult Learner 360’s tandem of student and institutional surveys clearly identifies gaps and strengths, generating insight that guides institutions in further supporting adult learners.

CPL: underutilized, but on the rise: A recent Community College Daily article featuring Dr. Beth Doyle and two CAEL members shares some best practices emerging in the quest to expand CPL. Examples include crosswalking on-the-job training, training faculty to evaluate and advocate for CPL, and streamlining processes.

Ramping up at RAND: Patricia Wallace, Ashley Wilhelm, Dr. Alicia Myrick, and Darrah Mugrauer represented CAEL at the kickoff of our Scaling Systemwide Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Community of Practice, held at RAND headquarters in Santa Monica. Along with our RAND partners, they were joined by state leadership colleagues from Alabama, Colorado, and North Carolina as our work begins to design a clear roadmap for implementing centralized CPL policies.

Preparing for the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants (SCCTG): The upcoming SCCTG presents a major opportunity for institutions looking to strengthen employer validation, align programs with Workforce Pell and ETPL requirements, and build more coordinated pathways across education and workforce systems. If your institution is considering this opportunity, CAEL is available to help. You can reach out to Scott Campbell or Beth Doyle, or join an upcoming webcast on March 24 at 1 p.m. ET with CAEL, C-BEN, and Territorium for a discussion on how competency frameworks, CPL, learning and employment records, credential registries, and talent marketplaces help connect training programs to employment outcomes and support the emerging requirements around Workforce Pell. Register here.

Member mention: Congratulations to the Community College of Allegheny County, which is celebrating its diamond anniversary! CCAC has been a key contributor to academic and workforce success in the Pittsburgh region. CAEL is proud to support the CCAC mission and looks forward to future collaboration, including CCAC’s partnership in MyCareerForward. We are also pleased to announce that Dr. Quentin Bullock, CCAC’s president, will be a keynote speaker at our upcoming conference in Pittsburgh. Register here.

Grant opportunity: The U.S. Department of Labor has made available $81 million for the RESTART Initiative, which funds workforce readiness and training for justice-involved individuals. The program expects to award approximately 20 grants ranging from $1 million to $5.1 million. Apply by April 15. If you’re curious about how CAEL might partner on your application, please contact MelissaKaye Sheokski.