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Charter Oak State College Announces Recipient of Annual Honorary Degree
Charter Oak alum Kimberly L. Beauregard has served as President and CEO of InterCommunity, Inc. for the past decade Read more »

Charter Oak to hold 2013 commencement ceremony on June 2
Approximately 500 students comprise the class of 2013, with 150 attending Read more »

Charter Oak Expands Exam For Credit Offerings
New agreement with Excelsior College announced. Read more »

Charter Oak launches Health Information Management bachelor degree program
The College now offers first public HIM online degree program in Connecticut Read more »

Charter Oak State College awarded Military Friendly Schools title by Victory Media
Inclusion on the 2013 list of Military Friendly Schools shows Charter Oak's commitment to providing a supportive environment for military students Read more »

Charter Oak hires Dr. Frank M. Valier as Coordinator for new Health Information Management program
College will launch its first major later this fall Read more »

Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education
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Non-Credit Portfolio Assessment for the Connecticut Directors' Credential

What is 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.

Why Choose 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.

What is the 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 Carole Weisberg, Charter Oak's Coordinator of Early Childhood and Youth Programs by email cweisberg@charteroak.edu or phone 860-515-3877, 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.

The Cost of Non-Credit Portfolio Assessment:

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

To Apply for a Non-Credit Portfolio Review:

Complete the Application Form and return to Charter Oak State College with three copies of the portfolio(s) to be assessed.

To Download PowerPoint on the Non-Credit Portfolio Option for the CDC: Click Here

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 mlegrow@charteroak.edu, Charter Oak's Portfolio Assessment Coordinator.