About Innovative Credentials
ACRAO is a long-standing champion in the advancement of Innovative Credentials overall and the Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) in particular, having collaboratively developed pilots, guidelines, and best practices that expand the idea of the traditional record. Through past Lumina Foundation grants, a current grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and a new grant from the Walmart Foundation, AACRAO continues to be a leader in the development and adoption of CLR in American higher education.
Additionally, AACRAO is working to promote awareness and advance knowledge around the Learning and Employment Record (LER), a system that contains verifiable information about a person’s achievements spanning an inclusive range of contexts to include the CLR, the higher education component of the LER, that provides verified credentials representing the skills and competencies achieved by the student during their academic career.
AACRAO will support higher education contributions of robust learning to the overall Innovative Credential work, which includes supporting:
- Digital Credentials
- Alternative Credentials
- Micro-Credentials
- The Comprehensive Learner Record
- The Learning and Employment Record
- Extended Transcripts
- and others
AACRAO will also put forth recommendations for academic record practices that protect the integrity and validity of these expressions of learner achievement, support the principles of interoperability and student-centered records, and continue to seek collaboration and innovation partners.
Innovative Credentials News
UPCEA has announced the members of The Council for Credential Innovation (CCI), a body for senior leaders driving non-degree credential strategy at the unit or campus level, and key thought leaders from nonprofit organizations and companies actively contributing to developing the alternative credential space. Congratulations to all the council members for their work and innovation in credentialing.
AACRAO wants to highlight AACRAO members Karen Battyle, Mark McConahay, Noah Geisel, Shawn Miller, and Doris Savron and invite all council members to continue the conversation in the Innovative Credentials Community of Practice in the AACRAO Exchange.
AACRAO Innovative Credentials Efforts
AACRAO’s efforts to advance CLR have helped institutions across the United States. The 2021 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation enables additional institutions to be supported and further contributes to the knowledge resources for CLR adoption and best practices.
National Reach
- Alabama Community College System
- Brandman University
- University of California San Diego
- Stanford University
- Colorado School of Mines
- Rasmussen College
- IUPUI
- IU
- ISU
- USI
- Purdue
- Dillard University
- University of Maryland University College
- Towson University
- University of Maryland Baltimore County
- University of Maryland Global Campus
- Walden University
- University of Missouri
- Southern New Hampshire University
- CUNY Borough of Manhattan
- LaGuardia Community College
- Molloy College
- Elon University
- Wake Forest University
- Winston-Salem State University
- University of Central Oklahoma
- Western Seminary
- University of South Carolina
- Lipscomb University
- The College System of Tennessee
- South Texas College
- University of Houston – Downtown
- University of North Texas
- Western Governors University
- University of Wisconsin – Extension and Wisconsin Colleges
History
2024
- Innovative Credentials Course Series AACRAO launches introductory course, as part of a broader series of online, on-demand learning series.
- LER Accelerator Initiative AACRAO announces its participation and leadership in a coalition of national associations representing higher education stakeholder to address the slow adoption of digital credentials on college campuses.
- Guidance on Managing Credentials AACRAO publishes Academic Operations and the Role of the Registrar, incorporating important definitions, principles and practices relative to credentials and their transport mechanisms.
- Credentials Chat AACRAO launches a weekly live YouTube conversation series tackling the complexities of digital credentials.
- New Open Badges 3.0 Standard 1EdTech releases updated standard for digital credentials, providing enhanced security and mobility. AACRAO served on the committee supporting its development.
- Landscape of Credit for Prior Learning in U.S. & Canadian Higher Education Report Explores the challenges and successes in implementing CPL within educational institutions.
- AACRAO Technical Advisory Council Established The council will monitor developments in the field of digital learner records and provide regular updates and recommendations to the association leadership.
- Walmart Accelerator Grant The Walmart Foundation awards AACRAO $1 million to promote the adoption of Learning and Employment Records (LERs) in higher education.
- LER Ecosystem Map AACRAO and 9 other leading stakeholders in education, workforce development, and government launch of interactive LER Ecosystem Map, designed to help individuals access career opportunities and help employers hire and promote talent based on skills and experience.
- Experience You Project AACRAO begins participation in the T3 Innovation Network and USCCF’s Experience You project to accelerate the future of work.
- State Interoperability Projects Supported by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Alabama Community College System participates in the Alabama Talent Triad and enables credentials to be placed in the EBSCO Digital Wallet.
- TBR Awards CLR RFP to RANDA/SmartResume.
2023
- Convergence Conference AACRAO & UPCEA jointly host a new conference on the emergent field of innovative credentials.
- Credential Futures Coalition (CFC) Established in 2022 to enable a scalable and resilient ecosystem for learner-worker mobility, AACRAO assumes leadership in 2023.
- Credential Confusion Survey AACRAO conducts a survey, with support from the Walmart LER Grant to determine if the terms for various credentials are defined and used differently based on their institutional context.
- Walmart LER Grant The Walmart Foundation awards AACRAO a $250,000 grant to increase the awareness of LERs in the role of the registrar.
- State Interoperability Grant The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards AACRAO with grant funds to support statewide CLR/LER implementation projects.
2022
- Alternative Credentials Implementation Guide AACRAO publishes a report standardizing definitions and portability of alternative credentials.
- CLR for Credit Mobility The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awards AACRAO $1.2 million to advance CLR for credit mobility.
2021
- CLR Implementation Guide AACRAO publishes implementation guide for the IMS Global CLR Standard.
2019
- Standardizing CLR AACRAO published a report identifying standardized components for CLRs.
2017
- CLR Development and Adoption Lumina Foundation grants AACRAO & NASPA an additional $1.2 million to advance the development and adoption of CLRs.
2015
- CLR Pilot Models Lumina Foundation grants AACRAO and NASPA $1.7 million to develop pilot models for a Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR).
Get Involved with Innovative Credentials
The AACRAO Exchange Innovative Credentials Community connects higher education professionals to learn from each other, share insights and best practices, and support the development and implementation of innovative credentials.
AACRAO Resources
AACRAO Supported Resources
Webinars
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Webinar
AACRAO Innovative Credentials News
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June 2026 – AACRAO Publications Refresh, Spring Enrollment, College Degrees and U.S. Religions, and More
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