Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Opportunities

1. Ph.D. in Educational Leadership: K-12 Leadership (for central office focus, can earn up to 18 of 60 credits via PLA; for school administration focus, can earn up to 27 of 69 credits)
2. Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Educational Leadership (for central office focus, can earn up to 12 of 24 credits via PLA; for school administration focus, can earn up to 12 of 27 credits)
3. Graduate Certificate in Central Office Leadership (can earn up to 12 of 21 credits via PLA)
4. MA in Ed. Leadership: K12 School Principal Leadership (can earn up to 15 of 30 credits via PLA)
5. MA in Ed. Leadership: K12 School Principal Leadership and Interscholastic Athletics (can earn up to 15 of 33 credits via PLA)

Courses Covering Central Office Endorsement Standards (click each course name to find course description and learning outcomes for each)

• EDLD 6060 - Organizational Change for Complex Systems
• EDLD 6650 - Principles and Practices of Adult Learning
• EDLD 6800 - District-level Governance and Community Relations
• EDLD 6810 – District-level Policy, Equity, and Ethics=
• EDLD 6830 – District-level Personnel Practices (formerly EDLD 6630)
• EDLD 6840 – District-level  Finance and Operations (formerly EDLD 6720)
• EDLD 6850 - District-level Instructional Leadership & Assessment
• EDLD 6855 - District-level Internship (formerly EDLD 7120)

Courses Covering School Administrator Certification Standards (click each course name to find course description and learning outcomes for each)

• EDLD 6020 - Educational Leadership, Systems, and Change
• EDLD 6300 - Data-Informed Decision-Making, Research and Evaluation
• EDLD 6610 - School Law & Ethics
• EDLD 6620 - School Business Management
• EDLD 6640 - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Leadership
• EDLD 6670 - The Principalship
• EDLD 6730 - Instructional Leadership and Supervision
• EDLD 6740 - School Community Relations and Cultural Competence
• EDLD 6793 - Principal Internship I
• EDLD 6794 - Principal Internship II

• Route 1: Professional Association Alternative Certification Leadership or Other Partnership Programs – This is for students who received their School Administrator Certificate and/or Central Office Endorsement via a state-approved professional association "school administrator provider." Given such alternative programs are deemed equivalent by the state, there is no assessment fee associated with this route (although evidence of course completion is required). This can also be used by students who participate in a pre-approved partnership program offered and/or reviewed by WMU's K-12 EDLD faculty to cover NELP standards.
• Route 2: Educational Leadership Certification Courses from Other Michigan University Graduate Degree Programs – This is for students who completed educational leadership courses (with a grade of B or better) in other university programs approved by the state of Michigan and/or accredited by CAEP. Given such university courses are deemed equivalent by the state and/or CAEP, there is no assessment fee associated with this route (although evidence of course completion is required).
• Route 3: Work Experience, Professional Development, Non-Ed. Leadership Courses, and Other: This is for students who believe they have mastered the standards/learning outcomes via work experience, professional development, or other means. Such students must complete a non-credit Portfolio Development Course, submit one or more detailed portfolios within that course, and pay an assessment/course fee. 

• For Route 1, prepare a document that includes the following (and email it to the PLA contact noted on this page):
  • (a) your name, WIN #, and graduate program name;
  • (b) a list of courses for which you are seeking PLA credit; and
  • (c) evidence of alternative certification program completion and date such program was completed (e.g., letter or document from the association).
• For Route 2, prepare a document that includes the following (and email it to the PLA contact noted on this page):
  • (a) your name, WIN #, and graduate program name;
  • (b) a list of courses for which you are seeking PLA credit; and
  • (c) the name and description of each similar course taken at another Michigan university or other CAEP-accredited program, and a summary of work products and/or syllabus with enough detail to show each course covered the standards listed for the WMU course for which you are seeking PLA credit course (as found under each course listed above),
• For Route 3, you are required to enroll in a non-credit portfolio development course (at no cost), and submit your completed portfolio that depict your mastery of all standards within a given course (as found under each course listed above), and pay an assessment/review fee for each portfolio submitted within that course structure.
  • See this general PLA webpage for details on this Route 3 required portfolio development course and how to register (at no cost).
  • For any completed portfolios submitted within the course, the nonrefundable assessment fee is $250.
  • To give you a sense of the structure and depth of the needed EDLD course portfolios for Route 3, here is the rubric used for portfolio assessment, and three actual portfolios that had been approved for PLA credit (with permission to share offered by the authors):  PLA EDLD Portfolio Example #1, #2, #3

If you have any questions about the PLA processes, please contact Dr. Brett Geier the PLA coordinator for the K-12 programs. Also submit any Route 1 and 2 documentation to him via email.

The faculty identified LS 6240 Reading Assessment and Effective Instruction as a course eligible for PLA credit. LS 6240 is a required course in the Masters in Literacy Studies Program in WMU. Students who believe they have mastered the standards/learning outcomes for LS 6240 must provide sufficient evidence of mastery through a detailed portfolio. 

Graduate students/candidates will use a variety of assessment tools and practices to plan and evaluate effective reading and writing instruction.  Content includes analyzing different types of assessments, learning how to interpret the results, using this information to plan effective instruction for struggling readers, and ultimately communicating this information to a variety of audiences. 

This course conceptualizes reading assessment as a process of becoming informed about learners and their instructional needs. The course focuses on the development of evidence-based individualized learning experiences for struggling readers. Candidates will complete a semester-long reader study (i.e., at least 14 hours) using informal and formal assessments, individual and collaborative instructional design and implementation, observations, and effective communication with peers, parents/families/caregivers, school personnel, and instructors.

Prerequisite: Graduate level LS 6100 Minimum Grade of C, or Graduate level LS 6180 Minimum Grade of C.

This course addresses standards 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 from the International Literacy Association’s Standards for Reading Professionals. Candidates will tutor struggling readers in a supervised practicum using video and GoReact, conduct ongoing assessments and share the final reader study report with parents/families/caregivers and/or schools to make recommendations for continued learning and decision-making.

Course goals

Students in the course will …

• develop a conceptual framework for linking literacy assessment and instruction using foundational knowledge
• understand and use appropriate instructional approaches to support language and literacy development with an emphasis on comprehension
• understand and use various assessment instruments, interpret results, and use data to inform instruction
• understand the reading/writing connection as part of the interactive nature of language and learning
• develop skill and ease in diagnostic teaching practices based on sound assessment and best instructional practices
• develop communication skills in relating students' needs to caregivers, teachers, and other stakeholders
• use a variety of print and digital resources to support effective instruction
• analyze your own literacy assessment and instruction
• communicate with interested parties (caregivers, teachers, schools, clinical supervisors) to gather and share data on assessments, instructional goals, and make recommendations for parents and teachers to support decision-making
• seek a variety of professional resources for addressing students' needs in reading, writing and language development
• understand how to implement and interpret pre- and post- oral reading assessments, standards-based performance tasks, and other required literacy assessments
• write a professional evaluation of your assessments and tutoring sessions with your tutee
• reflect on your own and others’ teaching effectiveness in this clinical experience

1. Interested students must first have applied for or be admitted to the MA in Literacy Studies program.
2. Contact Dr. Laura Teichert, Program Coordinator, to discuss whether you might be eligible for PLA credits and the PLA process.
3. Even prior to acceptance to the program, students can complete a PLA Review Application form (available online). To do this, students will need to enroll in a non-credit Portfolio Development Course (offered by WMU), and upon completion of this course, may submit their detailed portfolio. Such portfolio shall offer sufficient evidence of their prior learning demonstrating acquisition of the learning outcomes established for LS 6240.
4. Enrolling in the Portfolio Development Course costs $250.
5. PLA Review Applications and associated evidence may be submitted at any time during an academic year. Applications will be reviewed by at least two faculty members within a 30-day period during the academic year semesters (i.e., fall & spring).
6. All decisions on any credits awarded are to be made by the Literacy Studies program faculty based on evidence offered by the applicant of prior learning and evaluated using a standard rubric (see Appendix C).
7. Any credits awarded will not be placed on a student’s transcript until admitted to a specific graduate degree or certificate program. All such credits will be posted on transcript as “credit earned by PLA examination” without letter grade, and not counted in the grade point average. Such credits can be used to meet all other university graduation requirements (such as minimum number of credits completed at WMU for a given degree).

• Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) MA in literacy studies program guide