1. Approval Criteria: Part 1 Standards of Progress Satisfactory Progress, Grades, Attendance, Probation & Dismissal, Readmission
Dr. Joseph Wescott, North Carolina State Approving Agency
Gina Wekke, Oklahoma State Accrediting Agency
NTI
October 2018

2. Sometimes you just have to ask the right questions!
7 Hearts

3. Satisfactory Pursuit Regulation
Excerpt from Title 38 of CFR, Part 21
§   Progress and Conduct.
(a) Satisfactory pursuit of program. In order to receive educational assistance for pursuit of a program of education, an individual must maintain satisfactory progress. VA will discontinue educational assistance if the individual does not maintain satisfactory progress. Progress is unsatisfactory if the individual does not satisfactorily progress according to the regularly prescribed standards of the educational institution he or she is attending.

4. Standards of Progress
Both accredited and non accredited schools must include in the catalog a policy and regulations relative to standards of progress required of the student by the institution.
This policy will define:
The attendance policy (if applicable),
The grading system of the institution,
The minimum grades considered satisfactory,
Conditions for interruption for unsatisfactory grades or progress,
A description of the probationary period, if any, allowed by the institution,
Conditions of reentrance for those students dismissed for unsatisfactory progress; and,
A statement regarding progress records kept by the institution and furnished to the student

5. Attendance - Definition
The presence of a veteran or eligible person:
In the class where the approved course is being taught and he or she is enrolled;
At a training establishment; or
Any other place of instruction, training or study designated by the training establishment where the student is enrolled.
What if the training is done online?
Only training at in an accredited IHL degree program is accepted.
These programs are not required to have an attendance policy.

6. ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS NON-ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS
Attendance
ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS
Must include any attendance standards of the institution, if the institution has and enforces such standards.
NON-ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS
Must include a school policy and regulations relative to leave, absences, class cuts, makeup work, tardiness, and interruptions for unsatisfactory attendance.

7. Attendance – Accredited IHL
Sample Accredited IHL Attendance Policy (UCONN)
The instructor describes the computation of the grades and the relation between grades and attendance at the beginning of the semester. Where grades depend on classroom participation, absences may affect the student’s grade. However, if a student were absent and the instructor reduced the grade, the reduction would be due to lack of class participation, not the student’s absence. Except for final examinations, instructors have final authority in permitting students to submit assignments late or make up examinations.

8. Attendance – Accredited NCD
Sample Accredited NCD Attendance Policy (Porter & Chester Institute)
Students must attend a minimum of 90% of their scheduled class time. Students will be notified if their attendance levels put them in academic jeopardy. Students falling below a 95% attendance rate will be placed on Attendance probation. Failure to maintain Satisfactory Attendance may result in academic sanctions up to and including dismissal from the student’s program.
Attendance is taken at the start of class. Anyone not present at that time is considered Absent.
It is the student‘s obligation to report to the instructor if the student arrives after attendance has been taken in order to be recorded as Tardy.

9. Attendance – NCD (continued)
Sample NCD Attendance Policy (Porter & Chester Institute)
All tardiness and class time lost by returning late from class breaks or leaving class before dismissal are accumulated and recorded as absent hours.
Making up content and/or time does not nullify absences.
The student must submit a written request for a Leave of Absence to the Campus Director. Only one Leave of Absence is available to the student during any twelve month period, and the length of the Leave may not exceed calendar days.
In addition to the Institute’s term-based attendance policy, Practical Nursing students have cumulative, programmatic attendance requirements which are explained in the Practical Nursing Addendum.

10. Attendance – Non Accredited NCD
Non-Accredited NCD Program:
Let’s say the catalog had a 100 clock hour CNA program listed.
State of CT requires completion of 100 Clock Hours to sit for certification.
Here is the Attendance Policy:
Attendance is mandatory. Students must be on time and punctual for class starts. In order to be making satisfactory progress, students must attend 90% of total program hours for all programs. Any student with excessive absences will be terminated from their class. Requests for re-enrollment will be handled on a case by case basis.
Do you see anything wrong here?

11. Attendance
How about here?
Non-Accredited NCD Program:

12. Attendance Things to look for:
Do the programs you are evaluating have separate policies for specific programs?
Watch out for conflicts in the school’s policy
Is there an Academic Calendar?
Does it include policies on:
Tardiness
Total allowable absences
Leaves of Absence
Dismissal

13. Attendance Absentee Policy (SAMPLE):
Students must notify the school by 8:00am if they are unable to attend. Students agree to attend classes as scheduled. Students with five or more unexcused absences will be placed on three-day suspension. Ten unexcused absences will result in a seven-day suspension. Fifteen unexcused absences will result in termination. Students are allowed only seven absences for the program. After the seventh day, the student is responsible for make-up time at their own cost.

14. Attendance TARDINESS POLICY (sample): LEAVE of ABSENCE (sample):
Students are expected to arrive to school 15 minutes before class begins. Students who arrive more than five minutes late to class will be marked as tardy. Being tardy five times will be counted as an unexcused absence.
LEAVE of ABSENCE (sample):
The School may allow a student experiencing certain hardships to take a leave of absence (LOA) from their program. All LOA’s must be approved by the School Director, and must be submitted in writing. The request must include the starting and end date of the LOA. A student is eligible for one leave of absence during their term of enrollment in a program. Students who fail to return from LOA will be terminated from the school.

15. Grades Grading System: Must include:
Make sure the grading structure is clear and logical.
If you are unsure of what a certain grade means, contact the SCO.
Must include:
Minimum Satisfactory Grade
Grade key for nonstandard grades

16. Grades Non-Punitive Grade Punitive Grade
Determines the student’s overall progress towards completion of graduation requirements.
Affects GPA.
Non-Punitive Grade
Any assigned grade that is not considered in fulfillment of graduation requirements.
No payments are issued for non-punitive grades.
Ask yourself:
Is it an earned grade?
Does it affect GPA?
If you are unsure what a grade is, ask if it affects the GPA!

17. Grades Audited Courses Remedial Courses Incomplete
Student attends as a listener.
Prior arrangement made with school.
Credit obtained does not count towards graduation requirements.
No educational allowances may be used.
Sub 100-level course
May be non-credit
Grades sometimes do not apply to overall GPA
Typically applied as a grade when a student has make-up work to complete and is allowed additional time.
Make sure that the catalog specifies how long a student has to make-up their work before being issued a final grade.
Considered a non-punitive grade.
Audited Courses
Remedial Courses
Incomplete

18. Sample IHL Grading Policy (UCONN):
Grades, Grade Points, Credits, and Skills
Explanation
Final Grade
GradePoints
Excellent A 4 A-
3.7
Very Good B+
3.3
Good B 3 B-
2.7 C+
2.3
Average C 2
Fair C-
1.7
Poor D+
1.3 D 1
Merely Passing D-
0.7
Failure F
Pass/Fail Pass
N/A
Pass/Fail Failure
Satisfactory S
Unsatisfactory U
Audit Au
Withdrawal W
I (incomplete)
The instructor reports an I if the completed work is passing and the instructor decides that, due to unusual circumstances, the student cannot complete the course assignments by the scheduled end of the term. If the student completes the work by the end of the third week of the next semester, the instructor will send the Registrar a grade for the course.
X (absent from the final examination)
The instructor reports an X only when a student missed the final examination and when passing it with a high mark could have given the student a passing grade for the course. If the student would have failed the course regardless of the grade on the final examination, the student will receive an F.
What is the minimum satisfactory grade??

19. The Institute employs a grading system based on one hundred percent:
Grades
Sample NCD Attendance Policy (Porter & Chester Institute)
The Institute employs a grading system based on one hundred percent:
90 to 100: Excellent
80 to 89: Good
70 to 79: Satisfactory
60 to 69: Below Average
Below 60: Failure
W = Withdrawn
AU = Audit
T = Transfer Credit
I = Incomplete
IN ADDITION
A grade of “Incomplete” may be assigned when mitigating circumstances have prevented a student from completing all required work before a course ends. The student must complete all outstanding work according to the Make-up plan (usually within a two week deadline) or the grade reverts to an “F”.
What is the minimum satisfactory grade??

20. Grades
What’s wrong here?

21. Satisfactory Progress
QUALITATIVE:
Quality of academic completion (cumulative grade point average).
QUANTITATIVE:
The pace of hours earned compared to hours attempted.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is typically broken down into two components:

22. Satisfactory Progress
The school is required to have a policy that ensures students are meeting certain benchmarks to successfully complete the program.
Grades and attendance must be periodically evaluated by the school.
Requirements and periods SAP will be reviewed must be disclosed to the student.
Standards and policies that speak to probation, dismissal, appeal and readmission.
School may have different policies for different programs.
Schools that issue Title IV funds (Financial Aid) are required to have an SAP policy in place.
Review this policy as it may only result in a loss of Title IV eligibility.
Ensure that this policy speaks to dismissal of a student if progress continues not to be met.

23. Satisfactory Progress
Progress Records:
Acceptable items:
Unofficial transcript
Grade Report (Accredited, may not require attendance)
Academic Progress Report
They must include:
Final grades for each evaluation period
Record of withdrawal from any subject, if applicable
Record of reenrollment, if applicable
Record of attendance, if applicable (required for non-accredited institutions)

24. Satisfactory Progress
Sample Accredited IHL Policy (UCONN):
Defined Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress
Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA):
Undergraduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 1.8 prior to earning twenty-three (23) credit hours and at least 2.0 subsequent to earning twenty-four (24) credit-hours. Courses that are repeated will have only the most recent course counted towards the GPA calculation.
Graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
Pace:
All students must earn a minimum of seventy-five (75) percent of their cumulative attempted credit hours.

25. Satisfactory Academic Progress
Sample Accredited NCD Policy (Porter & Chester Institute):
Defined Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress
I. Cumulative Grade Point Average (Cum GPA):
Students in the Practical Nursing program must maintain a minimum grade point average of 75 in all courses every term. In all other programs, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA (C-GPA) of 70 (which is the equivalent of a “C” average).
II. Academic Pace (Hours Earned Compared to Hours):
Students must earn at least 67% of total cumulative hours attempted.

26. SAP Evaluated At Specific Intervals

27. Sample SAP Report

28. Probation
Students should be advised of any counseling services available to them at the school in order to resolve academic or other problems and to establish a meaningful plan for successful completion of their education or training. Schools and training establishments are asked to remind students of the counseling services and tuto§ Nonaccredited courses.
(6) School policy and regulations relative to standards of progress required of the student. This policy will define the grading system of the school, the minimum grades considered satisfactory conditions for interruption for unsatisfactory grades or progress, and a description of the probationary period, if any, allowed by the school, and conditions of reentrance for those students dismissed for unsatisfactory progress. A statement will be made regarding progress records kept by the school and furnished the student;rial assistance benefits available through VA.

29. Dismissal
§ Discontinuance: unsatisfactory progress, conduct and attendance.
(a) Satisfactory pursuit of program. Entitlement to benefits for a program of education is subject to the requirement that the veteran or eligible person, having commenced the pursuit of such program, continues to maintain satisfactory progress. If the veteran or eligible person does not maintain satisfactory progress, educational benefits will be discontinued by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Progress is unsatisfactory if the veteran or eligible person does not satisfactorily progress according to the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the institution he or she is attending.
(b) Satisfactory conduct. Entitlement to a program of education is subject to the requirement that the veteran or eligible person, having commenced the pursuit of such program, continues to maintain satisfactory conduct in accordance with the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the institution in which he or she is enrolled. If the veteran or eligible person will no longer be retained as a student or will not be readmitted as a student by the institution in which he or she is enrolled, educational benefits will be discontinued, unless further development establishes that the action of the school is of a retaliatory nature. See §
(c) Satisfactory attendance. Entitlement to benefits for a program of education is subject to the requirement that the veteran or eligible person, having commenced the pursuit of such program, continues to maintain satis- factory attendance in accordance with the regularly prescribed standards and practices of the institution in which he or she is enrolled. If the veteran or eligible person will no longer be retained as a student or will not be readmitted as a student by the institution in which he or she is enrolled, educational benefits will be discontinued.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3474, 3524)

30. Readmission § 21.4278 Reentrance after discontinuance.
(a) Conditions permitting reentrance after discontinuance. A veteran or eligible person may be reentered following discontinuance because of unsatisfactory conduct, progress or attendance only when either of the following sets of conditions exist:
(1) The veteran or eligible person is resuming enrollment at the same educational institution in the same program of education and the educational institution has -
(i) Approved the veteran's or eligible person's reenrollment, and
(ii) Certified it to the Department of Veterans Affairs; or
(2) All of the following exist:
(i) The cause of unsatisfactory conduct, progress or attendance has been removed,
(ii) VA determines that the program which the veteran or eligible person now proposes to pursue is suitable to his or her aptitudes, interests and abilities, and
(iii) If a proposed change of program is involved, the change meets the requirements for approval under §§  , ,  and   of this part.
(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 3474 and 3524)
(b) Programs which may be reentered after discontinuance. Reentrance may be for the same program, for a revised program or for an entirely different program depending on the cause of the discontinuance and the removal of that cause.

31. Questions?