A set of policy discussions are pushing states to develop road maps for scaling credit for prior learning—an approach designed to recognize students’ demonstrated competencies earned outside traditional coursework. The emphasis is on making policies repeatable across programs and institutions so students can convert work and life learning into degree progress. The policy focus comes as colleges increasingly face pressure to reduce time-to-completion and improve affordability, including by accepting credentials that show readiness for upper-division coursework. For students, stronger prior learning credit rules can shorten degree timelines and reduce the financial and administrative friction that often delays completion, especially for adult learners and transfer populations.