DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN (10) OCT 2019

DIB

OCT

DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN

2019

Meet the Credit-by-Exams Team!

In this issue: CLEP vs DSST

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College Credit-by-Exam Fact Sheet

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The Credit-by-Exams Team

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Hot News

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Troops to Teachers

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Contact Information

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DANTES Information Bulletin

The Difference Between CLEP and DSST Michelle Alexander, Voluntary Education Enterprise Support, DANTES

As a counselor, have you ever

exams are a form of prior learning assessment that test an individual’s tried to explain the difference knowledge gained outside of the between CLEP and DSST to a traditional college or university student? Within the Credit-by-Exam classroom. Both exams have been program there are two separate evaluated and assigned college tests: DSST (formerly DANTES credit recommendations by the Standardized Subject Tests) and American Council on Education CLEP (College Level Examination (ACE) College Credit RecommenProgram). Although DSST and CLEP dation Service. The Exams cover are different exams, both offer the upper and lower division as well same end result – providing college as elective and core course credit credit that service members can recommendations. Students who use towards their college degree take and successfully pass DSST without sitting in a classroom. and CLEP exams can earn 3-12 semester hours toward completing First, lets talk about how DSST and their degree.

CLEP exams are similar. These

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The Difference Between CLEP and DSST

How are DSST and CLEP Different?

DANTES contracts with each testing agency to provide the exams at National Test Centers (NTCs) at no cost to service members. Both Prometric and College Board offer exams that cover general education subject area requirements. It is important to note that each testing agency offers exams in different subjects and at varying education levels.

DSST Exams are administered by Prometric and offer 30 exams in six subject areas, including Physical Science, Technology, Humanities, Business, Math, and Social Science.

DSST practice exams provide test candidates with the chance to take a test drive of exam questions on the interenet platform where the actual exam is administered. There is also a free practice test for each exam offered on the DSST Website.

CLEP Exams: are administered by the College Board and offers 33 tests that cover five subject areas including History and Social Sciences, Literature and Composition, Science and Mathematics, Business, and World Languages.

DANTES Information Bulletin

For CLEP exams, official practice questions are available for download from the College Board website. DANTES-funded candidates who register for a CLEP exam will receive the official exam study guide at no cost.

In addition, Modern States Education Alliance offers free college level online courses through its “Freshman Year for Free� initiative.

These video courses are officially endorsed by the College Board, are built to align with CLEP exams, and offer a full overview of what will be covered in the exam. The courses are supported by supplementary texts and practice Questions.

Both exams are taken digitally. They both include 100 questions in a multiple-choice format. The CLEP exam gives the service member five possible answers to choose from, while the DSST gives them four.

Service members are given 90 minutes to complete each CLEP exam and two hours to complete each DSST exam. Some CLEP exams have an essay component.

Students are responsible for checking with their college or university to find out which exams are accepted for college credit for their degree plan.

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College Credit By Examination Fact Sheet Click the picture below to print a copy of the Fact Sheet!

COLLEGE CREDIT BY EXAMINATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

STUDENT BENEFITS:

The Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education (VolEd) Program, through the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), offers the Credit-by-Exam program to help service members earn college credit* for knowledge gained through previous experience, independent study, and/or training. Funded credit-by-exam tests, include:

Earn college credit* for prior knowledge Reduce course completion time; the average exam takes only a few hours vs. 8-15 weeks of course attendance Decrease time to complete a degree; reduces the number of courses taken to complete a degree

CLEP: The College Board’s College Level Examination Program

Save money; DANTES funds one attempt per exam title for eligible examinees

DSST: formerly DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, but now owned and managed by Prometric

Avoid tuition assistance costs for courses replaced by credit earned through testing

*College credit recommendations for these exams are made through the American Council on Education (ACE) and are subject to the acceptance of individual academic institutions.

Exam scores are included on a service member’s Joint Services Transcript (JST) Test prep and study materials are provided at installation libraries and education centers, online, and via mobile apps

PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY: DANTES POC:

All active duty, National Guard and Reserve component service members, in all military services, including the U.S. Coast Guard and spouses of the Coast Guard (active and reserve) are eligible for this program. Air Force DoD civilian employees (excluding contract employees) are also eligible to participate in the program.

COUNSELOR RESOURCES:

Examinations Program Manager 850-452-1919/1936 exams@navy.mil www.MyVolEd.com/All-Tests

Education Programs and Tools Video: https://youtu.be/G5J1TFmn8rw Refund for Test Fees Video: https://youtu.be/qB71yxXs-4s Test Transcript Video: https://youtu.be/zIE8RfcWj0Q

College Board/CLEP: www.clep.collegeboard.org Prometric/DSST: www.getcollegecredit.com

Helping Service Members Achieve Their Education Goals

DANTES Information Bulletin

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Meet The Credit-By-Exams TEAM! Do you ever wonder who the DANTES personnel are that make all of this happen? The focus of this DIB is “Customer Service”. Check out all the exams this team manages and the exceptional customer service they provide!

College Credit by Examination (CLEP & DSST) Undergraduate Admission Exams (ACT & SAT) Graduate Admission Exams (GRE & GMAT) High School Admission (GED) Praxis ...And so much more!

Top Left to Right: Matt Schwantz (Navy Veteran), Tom French (Education Programs Department Head-Air Force Veteran), Robert Losey (Army Veteran) Lower Left to Right: Beci Hilgeman (Air Force Reservist), Gina Perry (Air Force/Navy Mom), Stacey Kirkpatrick (Air Force Counselor). Not in the Picture: Dennis Dawson (Army Veteran) DANTES Information Bulletin

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Hot News

Hot News CLEP Spanish for up to 12 Credits

By Erin Roberts

S

tarting this October, service members with Spanish language knowledge will have the option to take either the CLEP Spanish Language exam (for up to 9 recommended credits) or the new CLEP Spanish with Writing exam (for up to 12 recommended credits). As with other CLEP exams, DANTES will fund the cost of the first attempt of either Spanish exams. In addition, service members will be able to take the new exam at any of the 2,000+ test centers across the country and overseas.

Like the current CLEP Spanish Language exam, CLEP Spanish with Writing measures listening and reading skills taught in most first- and second-year Spanish language college courses. The exam also includes two mandatory writing tasks that measure a test taker’s interpersonal and presentational communication skills.

Spanish with Writing Score Information Each writing task response will be scored by at least two Spanish-teaching college faculty members. The multiple-choice section score (75%) and writing score (25%) are combined to yield the test taker’s exam score, which will be reported on a 20–80 scale. The Spanish with Writing score is available online approximately two weeks after testing.

DANTES Information Bulletin

The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends the following credit-granting scores and semester hours for Spanish with Writing: Level 1: 6 credits for a score of 50, equivalent to a first-year course grade of C* Level 2: 12 credits for a score of 65, equivalent to a second-year course grade of C* Please note that colleges and universities set their own credit-granting policies, so students should consult with the department that oversees their institution’s credit policy prior to deciding which CLEP Spanish exam to take.

Preparing for the Spanish with Writing Exam To prepare for Spanish with Writing, service members can find study tips on the CLEP website, as well as a list of recommended textbooks and study resources on the Spanish with Writing exam page.

Free CLEP resources, including the Spanish with Writing fact sheet and the Spanish Language and Spanish with Writing Examination Guide, will be available in Fall 2019. Service members can also study for the exam using the free Modern States online CLEP Spanish Language course from Modern States Education Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making college more affordable for all.

For additional information on the Spanish with Writing exam, visit the DANTES CLEP page or the CLEP website. http://www.dantes.doded.mil

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Troops to Teachers Spotlight Picture caption: U.S. Army veteran Roger Clay (left) transitioned into a teaching career at Indian River High School with the help of Troops to Teachers.

Roger Clay’s perspective on teaching as a 2nd career

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he Troops to Teachers program (TTT) has 31 state grant offices throughout the United

States to help participants with counseling, employment opportunities and financial support, when eligible. Participants looking to teach in states without a grant office receive assistance from TTT Program Office personnel in Pensacola, FL.

Delaware and New Jersey have a grant consortium to assist participants in these two states.

Melissa Petaccio and her team are committed to helping veterans transition to second careers in the classroom.

The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) recently caught up with Roger Clay, a veteran who is teaching in the Indian River School District, to learn more about his transition from the United States Army into education.

DDOE partners with New Jerseys Troops to Teachers program to support the transition of veterans and members of the Armed Forces to teaching careers. Established in 1993, Troops to Teachers provides counseling and referral services to help participants meet education and licensing requirements and secure teaching positions. More than 20,000 veterans have successfully transitioned to careers in education since the program began.

DANTES Information Bulletin

DDOE: Why did you decide to enter the teaching profession?

Roger Clay: I was involved with a summer camp for children in NY, and I really enjoyed it. I thought becoming a teacher might be a good option for me.

DDOE: In what ways did your career in the military prepare you for your career in teaching?

Roger Clay: The military taught me how to handle difficult situations with poise and preparation, which has definitely helped in the classroom. I learned how to maintain a military bearing and to keep a cool head in hot situations.

DDOE: How did the Troops to Teachers program help you?

Roger Clay: Troops to Teachers provided program support and financial help. They also provided support along the way whenever I needed it to guide me through the process of becoming a teacher.

DDOE: Any advice you would offer to someone who is getting ready to retire or separate from service who is thinking about pursuing teaching as a profession?

Roger Clay: Remember what inspired you to serve in the first place. In the end, you are still serving the same people, just in a different uniform. I would also encourage others to teach with your heart. No matter what grade you’re teaching, these are still kids. Students can always use advice from veterans.

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Troops to Teachers SpotLight DDOE: Describe your experience with the Delaware Alternative Route to Certification (ARTC) process.

Roger Clay: My experience with ARTC was positive.

I was accepted into University of Delaware’s Transitions to Teaching Partnership (DT3P) for individuals with a STEM, special education or world language background. What worked especially well with DT3P was the ability to reach out and get support at any time.

DDOE: Any closing thoughts about your experience you would like to share with others?

Roger Clay: Im very appreciative of the Indian River School District’s support of those with military service. It has made working for them even better, and I would encourage others to seek out supportive colleagues. My other suggestion for new teachers is to keep a journal during your

DANTES Information Bulletin

process. It helps to reflect on your successes and to learn from any failures.

Troops to Teachers Delaware State Grant Office reaches out to veterans and current service members by regularly visiting military installations, local veteran service offices, the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs and local school districts. Veterans or current service members who want more information about teaching should visit www.proudtoserveagain. com and for teaching opportunities in Delaware and New Jersey, call (800) 680-0884, or email: tttnewjersey@j2tinfo.com and tttdelaware@ j2tinfo.com.

SOURCE: http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.

com/render?m=1112548980591&ca=459 19cf8-cf8-c7de-4001-a02c-8f11330e226d

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DANTES Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support

DANTES OCONUS European Advisor (Contingency Operation Support)

6490 Saufley Field Road, Pensacola, FL 32509 (850) 452-1901

011-49-611-143-544-1230/1210

usarmy.badenwur.usareur.mbx.dantes-euro@ mail.mil

DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil

www.DANTES.DoDed.mil DANTES4Military.Education

DANTES INFORMATION BULLETIN

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DANTES Information Bulletin The DANTES Information Bulletin is published monthly to inform education personnel about DANTES programs and to help promote more efficient customer service to service members.

Email all inquiries to DANTES_Outreach@navy.mil.

Reproduction in whole or in part is permitted for any purpose of the United States Government, except that copyrighted materials cannot be reproduced without written permission from the copyright owner. The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by DANTES of the linked websites, or the information, products, or services contained therein.

Jeff Allen, Director Michelle Alexander, Editor DANTES Information Bulletin

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