Ensuring Standards and Fairness: 

Within the graduate programs, clearly stated policies and procedures in the majors, courses and field ensure that standards are being met and fairness is provided to all students. All program courses in include common policies and procedures within the syllabi. Assignments are fully described and scoring tools are provided, in order to inform candidates of the grading expectations and passing scores. Policies and procedures for program completion are provided to candidates in both hard copy and electronic versions. The handbook, syllabi and the contained policies are reviewed each semester and updated as deemed appropriate by the graduate literacy education team. The program also follows those requirements, policies and procedures stated within the university catalog.

Program Data Collection and Analysis:

Data collection and analysis of course and program assessment is critical for program improvement. In order to collect a variety of assessment data, candidates will be required to acquire and maintain a Taskstream account during all semesters beginning with the candidate’s first course.. Candidates will be directed to submit designated assessments to Taskstream, where faculty members will review and evaluate these items, with feedback provided in a timely manner. Assessment data from Taskstream will be stored and accessed for analysis by faculty and for reporting purposes by the program coordinator.

Candidate Complaints:

Grievance and Arbitration Process for Grades and Other Complaints:

1. Allegations of Discrimination/Sexual Harassment should be reported to the University’s Office of Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity AA/EEO.
2. Grade Grievance procedures (University Procedures for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading (Grade Grievance Policy) Based on Board of Regents Policy IIIK1.20)

1. Grounds for Grievance - The following procedures implement the University of Maryland System Policy for Review of Alleged Arbitrary and Capricious Grading (BOR III 1.20) and are designed to provide a means for a student to seek review of final course grades alleged to be arbitrary and capricious. In this policy the term arbitrary and capricious grading means 1) the assignment of a course grade to a student on some basis other than performance in the course; 2) the assignment of a course grade to a student by unreasonable application of standards different from the standards that were applied to other students in that course; or 3) the assignment of a course grade by a substantial and unreasonable departure from the instructor's initially articulated standards.
2. Alleging a final grade to have been determined in an arbitrary and capricious manner is the sole ground upon which a student may seek review under these procedures. Since matters within the instructor's sphere of academic judgment such as choice of instructional and evaluation methods, criteria, and standards for evaluation are not grounds for grievance, the burden of proving arbitrary and capricious grading by clear and convincing evidence will rest with the student.
3. Students or faculty who desire additional information about the procedures that follow should contact the Associate Provost. Class days are days classes are in session in the subsequent semester after the grade that the student wants to grieve is assigned. The timetable portrays the maximum time allotted. Participants can meet their responsibilities any time before the specified day. 

3. Candidates with a grievance, other than a grade or sexual harassment as defined in the University Handbook, should follow the following procedures. The following procedures are designed to assist students with a process to mediate issues with professors and advisors.

Stage I:

1. The first step is to contact the person from whom there is a grievance. The grievant should document attempts to contact that person who created the grievance. (Examples: Instructor, Program Coordinator, Advisor, Supervisor). If the grievant feels the issue with the instructor/advisor creates a situation where retaliation may be a factor, the grievant should go to step ii.
   1. 1. The grievant should make several attempts to contact the person who created the grievance over a ten day period to ensure adequate time for the person to respond. If after ten days no resolution is accomplished, the grievant should seek further measures.
      2. If the person did not receive satisfaction from initial contact to the person for whom there is a grievance or did not receive a response, the grievant needs to register the issue in writing with the Chair of the department.
2. Step 2: The chair will investigate the issue with the person against whom there is grievance and attempt to facilitate resolution through mediation. If the grievant still feels the issue is not resolved to his/her satisfaction, the grievant moves to a formal grievance process. This mediation process must be completed within 25 days of the registered issue.

Stage II - A Formal Grievance Process (Grade and other) follows the same procedures as University policy.

1. As a precondition to a formal grievance process, the grievant must complete the conditions described in the mediation steps. (#2)
2. No later than the 30 days beyond the grievant move to a formal grievance process, the grievant must file a written grievance with the instructor's/advisor’s College dean. This grievance must describe in detail the bases for the allegation and include all evidence supporting that claim. The student must send copies of this statement to the instructor/advisor and the chair.

3. Within 10 class days of receipt of a student’s written statement, the dean will dismiss the grievance if the student 1) did not participate in Stage I: Mediation and/or meet the deadline specified in Stage I; 2) did not file the Stage II appeal by the stated deadline; 3) does not furnish evidence  of that the allegations. (See conditions for grade grievance.)

4. If the grievance is not dismissed, the dean shall ask the instructor to respond to the grievance in writing within ten class days, addressing the response to the dean and copying the student and the chair.  The dean will ask the chair to forward all documentary evidence collected during the mediation stage to the dean.
5. In the case of grievances beyond grades, the Dean will meet with the student and the instructor or advisor separately to discuss his/her recommendations to resolve the grievant’s issues. A letter will be sent to the instructor/advisor and student indicating the resolution to the situation. A copy of the letter will be placed in the advisors/instructors file indicating the recommendations and resolution. The dean’s decision is final.

6. In the case of grade grievances and if the grievance is not dismissed, the dean shall appoint a grade grievance committee of three tenured faculty members and shall set the date for an informal, non-adversarial grievance hearing to occur within five class days following the due date for a written response from the instructor. The student, the instructor, and the chair will be invited to attend the hearing and may present relevant evidence. The dean also will attend and may choose to participate in the discussion. In keeping with the informal nature of the hearing, neither the student nor the instructor may be accompanied by a representative or advisor. If the academic records of other students in the grievant’ s class are relevant to the discussion, the grievant must be excused for that portion of the hearing in order to protect the privacy of other students.
7. The grievance committee shall forward its written recommendation to the dean within five days after the conclusion of the hearing. The dean may accept, reject or alter the recommendation. The dean shall render a decision to the student in writing, either in support of the original grade or of a grade change, with copies to the instructor, the chair, and the members of the grade grievance committee. If the dean recommends a grade change and the instructor refuses to change the grade, the dean will vacate and replace the grade in question.
8. In deciding whether the circumstances justify changing the grade, the dean shall determine whether the grievant has provided clear and convincing evidence of arbitrary and capricious grading. The dean’s decision is final.

Exception requests:

In the event that a student wishes to request an exception to the program requirements, a letter of request must be submitted to the Associate Dean of the College of Education. The Associate Dean will forward the request to the Unit Monitoring Committee for a recommendation. After the Unit Monitoring Committee has met for discussion and recommendation purposes, the Associate Dean will then make a final decision on the request and will communicate that result to the student in writing.

Removal from Program:

If a candidate not met the stated graduation requirements, the candidate may be unable to continue in or to graduate from one of the reading program.  Failed courses may be repeated, if necessary, but the candidate’s plan of study will be interrupted.  If the candidate wishes to request an exception to the program requirements, the exception request policy stated above would be followed.

Transfer/Proficiency Credit:

If you have successfully completed (Grade B or better) graduate courses at another accredited institution, you may apply for transfer credit up to nine credits in this program. If upon faculty assessment, the courses are deemed comparable to courses in the program, you will be awarded credit toward completion of your degree. All courses considered for transfer credit must meet the Graduate transfer credit policy requirements, including the six-year limit. You also have an option to request a proficiency exam in courses selected for your program based upon your prior training or experience. Proficiency exams may be taken only once per course. Credit by exam must be approved by the program coordinator. You may not exceed a combined total of 9 credits by transfer and credit by exam.