Straighterline Gains Its 100th Partner College

[sanantone]

I've seen a few people overstate the lack of acceptability of SL courses. Granted, 100 colleges out of thousands is small, but it's untrue to say that their courses only transfer to a handful of schools. Plus, there are potentially more schools that will accept their credits based on ACE recommendations even though they aren't partner colleges. Central Texas College is an example of a school that accepts SL courses without being a partner college.

The latest partner college is Cedar Valley College, which is a part of the Dallas County Community College District. In Texas, any course that is used to fulfill the core (general education) and some major courses (e.g. CJ, business, and nursing) at a public, Texas college, has to be accepted by other public, Texas colleges by law. So, if you have an SL course on a CTC or Cedar Valley transcript that falls into one of those categories, then every other public college in Texas has to accept those courses to fulfill the same requirements.

100th Partner College

Celebrating 100 StraighterLine Partner Colleges [Infographic] | Straighterline

[bjcheung77]

I've seen a few people overstate the lack of acceptability of SL courses. Granted, 100 colleges out of thousands is small, but it's untrue to say that their courses only transfer to a handful of schools. Plus, there are potentially more schools that will accept their credits based on ACE recommendations even though they aren't partner colleges. Central Texas College is an example of a school that accepts SL courses without being a partner college.

The latest partner college is Cedar Valley College, which is a part of the Dallas County Community College District. In Texas, any course that is used to fulfill the core (general education) and some major courses (e.g. CJ, business, and nursing) at a public, Texas college, has to be accepted by other public, Texas colleges by law. So, if you have an SL course on a CTC or Cedar Valley transcript that falls into one of those categories, then every other public college in Texas has to accept those courses to fulfill the same requirements.

100th Partner College

Celebrating 100 StraighterLine Partner Colleges [Infographic] | Straighterline

I just hope they don't keep upping their pricing, I recall the Business Courses with the Etextbooks were $59, now it's $69.
It's still better than buying the Etextbooks themselves, but if my guess is correct, the more users they get... the price will rise...

[cookderosa]

I'm sure you're referring to me saying they are only accepted by a handful of schools- but that comment (which I make frequently) is for homeschooled high school students, not high school graduates. High school students are not in college, they're not even close to being in college- they are 1-4 years away, so they need the widest possible application of their credits. In fairness, that's my blanket position on all ACE courses for homeschooled high school students. A homeschool parent has to buy curriculum anyway, so using a company like SL for high school curriculum that [I]may also[/I] later count for college credit is fine, but to need it for college credit significantly limits their child's choices. 100 schools represents LESS THAN 1% of colleges. So, that's not even really a handful...maybe a thimble.

[sanantone]

You weren't the only one to make that comment. That's why I said a few people, and you're the only one who talked about homeschooling. One person said they can only be used at the few schools talked about on this forum. 100 is not a few, and we talk about probably 10% of those schools. Regardless, it's inaccurate. My stance on things is that one does not need to exaggerate to get a point across if your point is based on truth.

I do know you look favorably upon the ACE Alternative Credit Project or whatever it's called. It's ran by SL and based on the SL model, but it has way less partner schools.

[cookderosa]

You weren't the only one to make that comment. That's why I said a few people, and you're the only one who talked about homeschooling. One person said they can only be used at the few schools talked about on this forum. 100 is not a few, and we talk about probably 10% of those schools. Regardless, it's inaccurate. My stance on things is that one does not need to exaggerate to get a point across if your point is based on truth.

I do know you look favorably upon the ACE Alternative Credit Project or whatever it's called. It's ran by SL and based on the SL model, but it has way less partner schools.

You can access the list of 40,000 accredited programs/institutions through the dept of ed website. Download Data Files So, it's not an exageration to say 100 is a tiny representation. .25%
If they hit 400 schools, then they'll be at 1% - that would be big.

I'm always very favorable toward partnerships of any kind ACP, SL, etc. because they promise transfer- like articulation agreements, which I love. I'm a huge fan. When students that haven't graduated high school yet, accumulate college credit to hold and use in the future, they take risks. Since you can't guarantee that it will transfer (though dual enrollment is as close as you can be) it has to first fit the bill of high school credit (cost, quality, content, etc.) and if it does, then it's a bonus if it counts later as college credit.
Expensive ACE credit is a bad investment as high school credit. I don't hate SL, I think it's too expensive for a high school class, and it's too risky to bank on as a college credit.
Saylor is free and modifiable by the homeschool parent, which is why I'm a fan of the ACP. No risk, all reward - better than what ACE has to offer on their own.

[AJ_Atlanta]

I do know you look favorably upon the ACE Alternative Credit Project or whatever it's called. It's ran by SL and based on the SL model, but it has way less partner schools.

Well now I wouldn't say its run by SL; it's run by ACE and was created/expanded by a grant from the Gates foundation:

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/201...ject-essay

I like the SL model but let's not give them too much credit...

[sanantone]

You can access the list of 40,000 accredited programs/institutions through the dept of ed website. Download Data Files So, it's not an exageration to say 100 is a tiny representation. .25%
If they hit 400 schools, then they'll be at 1% - that would be big.

I'm always very favorable toward partnerships of any kind ACP, SL, etc. because they promise transfer- like articulation agreements, which I love. I'm a huge fan. When students that haven't graduated high school yet, accumulate college credit to hold and use in the future, they take risks. Since you can't guarantee that it will transfer (though dual enrollment is as close as you can be) it has to first fit the bill of high school credit (cost, quality, content, etc.) and if it does, then it's a bonus if it counts later as college credit.
Expensive ACE credit is a bad investment as high school credit. I don't hate SL, I think it's too expensive for a high school class, and it's too risky to bank on as a college credit.
Saylor is free and modifiable by the homeschool parent, which is why I'm a fan of the ACP. No risk, all reward - better than what ACE has to offer on their own.

We don't talk about the majority of SL's partner colleges, so it was an exaggeration on that person's part.

Well now I wouldn't say its run by SL; it's run by ACE and was created/expanded by a grant from the Gates foundation:

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/201...ject-essay

I like the SL model but let's not give them too much credit...

Maybe run is the wrong word. In one of the initial press releases, it said that Straighterline played a big part in organizing the project.

[cookderosa]

Maybe run is the wrong word. In one of the initial press releases, it said that Straighterline played a big part in organizing the project.

That's curious....

[cookderosa]

A follow up regarding Straighterline role in the creation of Alternative Credit Project. I emailed Steven, he runs the ACP project and asked him if Straighterline had a hand in the creation of the ACP.



"Hi Jennifer,
The project built off of a previous collaboration between ACE and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation around non-traditional courses. That work led to a conversation with the Gates Foundation about providing a way for students to guarantee their transfer credit from a non-traditional provider to an accredited institution. Although Straighterline is an active participant in the project as a provider, they were not involved in the development of the grant.
Thanks!"

Steven Taylor
Associate Director, Special Initiatives
Education Attainment and Innovation
American Council on Education
One Dupont Circle, NW | Suite 250
Washington, DC 20036
p (202) 939-9323 | c (202) 270-9125