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Non-Credit Portfolio Assessment (CT Directors' Credential)

Portfolio Assessment

Assessment of a Prior Learning Portfolio is a way of meeting CDC requirements for a core area of knowledge that you have gained through training and experience.

Choosing Non-Credit Portfolio Assessment for the CDC

  • Adults often have knowledge of their field, gained through learning from work and life experience, that is equivalent to what would be taught in college courses. Many working professionals in early care and education or school-age care do not want to spend the time or undergo the expense of attending classes that repeat what they already know in order to complete the requirements for the Connecticut Directors' Credential.
  • Charter Oak State College believes that what a person knows is more significant than how or where such knowledge is acquired, and therefore offers Portfolio Assessment as an appropriate, convenient and economical substitute.

Process

  • Decide on what competency area or areas for which you will seek portfolio assessment. You may choose to satisfy requirements in any or all of the five areas of program administration competency areas specified for the CDC. For each area, a list is available that matches competencies with suggested types of supporting documentation.
  • When you are ready to begin, please contact Maureen Hogan, PhD., Coordinator of Early Childhood and Youth Programs by email mhogan@charteroak.edu or phone 860-515-3882, who is available to answer questions. Non-credit assessment meets CDC requirements, but is not applicable toward college credit.
  • To complete a portfolio, you are expected to present a collection of documents that illustrates your experience and ability in early childhood or after school leadership. In addition, you are asked to write a short description of the experiences that helped you to gain your knowledge, and an explanation of what it is that you have learned. This description, called the Personal Narrative, is what proves that you actually know what you claim to know. A template will be provided to illustrate how to complete the portfolio and relate your experiences to the competency outcomes.
  • Submit your application with three copies of each portfolio you wish to have assessed.
  • Portfolios are submitted for review by faculty experts who evaluate them for fulfillment of CDC requirements.

Non-Credit Portfolio Assessment Cost

Cost depends on the number of competency areas reviewed as indicated below:

Non-Credit Option

1 competency$187.00
2 competencies$267.00
3 competencies$347.00
4 competencies$427.00

Applying for a Non-Credit Portfolio Review

Portfolio Assessment for College Credit (applicable toward a college degree): With this option, you take the course, IDS 102 Prior Learning Portfolio Development, that will teach you how to construct a prior learning portfolio for credit. For more information click on the above link or contact Linda Wilder: lwilder@charteroak.edu, Charter Oak's Portfolio Assessment Coordinator.