21 NCAC 58C .0304. COURSE COMPLETION STANDARDS

(a)  Academic standards for prelicensing and postlicensing course completion shall reasonably assure that students receiving a passing grade possess knowledge and understanding of the subject areas prescribed for the course adequate to demonstrate a student's competency with due regard to the paramount interests of the public.  A student's grade shall be based solely on his or her performance on examinations and on graded homework and classwork assignments.

(b)  Prelicensing and postlicensing course completion requirements shall include obtaining a grade of at least 75 percent on a comprehensive final course examination that covers all prescribed subject areas and completing any mandatory graded homework or class work assignments in a way which demonstrates mastery of the subject matter.  Take home or open book final course examinations are prohibited. Schools and instructors may utilize other course tests in addition to the final course examination provided that a student's grade on the final course examination accounts for at least 75 percent of the student's grade for the course.

(c)  Prelicensing course final examinations may be provided by the Commission for use by approved schools and instructors and, if so provided, schools and instructors may use those examinations. If the Commission does not provide such examinations, or if a school or instructor elects not to use Commission-provided examinations, the school or instructor shall use a comprehensive examination which tests student's knowledge and mastery of the course subject matter. The examination shall be subject to review and approval by the Commission in accordance with the standards prescribed in G.S. 93A-4(a) and (d) and Paragraph (a) of this Rule. Schools may, within 90 days of the course ending date, allow a prelicensing course student one opportunity to make up any missed course final examination or to retake any failed course final examination without repeating the course.  If examinations provided by the Commission are used, any makeup or repeat examination shall consist of a different form of the examination that the one previously administered in the student's course.  If examinations not provided by the Commission are used, any makeup or repeat examination shall be comparable to the initial examination with regard to the number of questions, subject areas tested and overall difficulty, and at least 75 percent of the questions shall be different from those used on the initial examination.

(d)  Postlicensing course final examinations shall be provided by the Commission and shall be used by approved instructors and schools.  Schools shall, within 90 days of the course ending date, allow a postlicensing course student one opportunity to make up any missed course final examination or to retake any failed course final examination without repeating the course; however, if a makeup or repeat examination is requested by a student to be taken at the earliest possible opportunity, the school must provide an opportunity for the student to take such examination within seven days of the student's request. Any makeup or repeat examination shall consist of a different form of the examination than the one previously administered in the student's course.

(e)  Schools and instructors shall take steps to protect the security and integrity of course examinations at all times.  These steps shall include:

(1)           Maintaining examinations and answer keys in a secure place accessible only to the instructor or school officials;

(2)           Prohibiting students from retaining copies of examinations, answer sheets, and closing statement forms or scratch paper containing notes or calculations that jeopardize examination security; and

(3)           Monitoring students at all times when examinations are being administered.

(f)  Any student who is found by an instructor or other school official to have cheated in any manner on any course examination shall be dismissed from the course in which enrolled and shall not be awarded a passing grade for the course or any credit for partial completion of the course.  The cheating incident shall be reported in writing to the Commission within 10 days of the incident.

(g)  The minimum attendance required for satisfactory course completion shall be 80 percent of all scheduled classroom hours for the course.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 93A‑4;

Eff. September 1, 1979;

Amended Eff. April 1, 1987; September 1, 1984;

Recodified Paragraphs (d) and (e) to Rule 58A .1113 (a) and (b) Eff. January 6, 1989;

Amended Eff. February 1, 1989;

Transferred and Recodified from 21 NCAC 58A .1105 Eff. November 27, 1989;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2009; April 1, 2006; September 1, 2002; July 1, 2000.