This guide is intended to identify alternatives to the traditional school or college program for earning credit or credentials at the secondary and postsecondary levels, to present the policy of the New York State Board of Regents on the award of credit or credentials for nontraditional educational experiences, and to describe the benefits of nontraditional educational experiences to students, educational institutions, and communities. The first section discusses such policy issues as what qualifies as nontraditional learning; who can provide, recognize, and assess nontraditional educational experiences for credit or credentials; and who can establish criteria for awarding credit or credentials and the purposes for which they can be used. The second and third sections deal with secondary and postsecondary nontraditional educational programs that result in credit or credentials. Each section describes the scope of programs. In addition, the section on secondary programs discusses adolescent vocational exploration, cooperative occupational education, external high school diplomas, general work experience, high school equivalency through postsecondary credit or General Educational Development tests, and work experience and career exploration. The section on postsecondary programs discusses college-level examinations, college proficiency examinations, advanced placement of the College Board, defense activity for nontraditional education support, military service schools and occupational specialties, postsecondary cooperative education and programs that credit life experiences, and the Regents College degree program and examinations. (MN)