Recognizing that a trusting, positive relationship between students and instructors is vital to successful learning and teaching, the Grade Grievance procedure at Coastline College is intended to provide all parties with due process in the event of a disagreement or misunderstanding regarding classroom policies or grades. The Grade Grievance process does not address personality, character, or styles of teaching; this process takes into account only the grading concern of the student to determine if the California Code of Education was violated.

The final grade that is assigned to a student is the purview of the course instructor who teaches the course. The California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 55025, Grade Changes (a), states, “In any course of instruction in a community college district for which grades are awarded, the instructor of the course shall determine the grade to be awarded each student in accordance with this article. The determination of the student’s grade by the instructor shall be final in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency.”

Concerns about grades should be addressed as soon as possible in order to ensure availability of student and instructor records, and to permit time for a formal appeal, should one be necessary. Grade grievances will be permitted only through the end of the sixth week of the semester following the semester or summer session in which the grade was assigned. For more information contact the Dean of Students at (714) 241-6142.