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.

Submit a Grade Grievance if you believe your overall grade for a course does not accurately represent your achievements in said course due to the instructor's 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.

All grade grievances will be handled through the student grievance process outlined in the sections below. However, in general and by law, the instructor is solely responsible for the grades they assign. No instructor may be directed to change a grade except in certain narrow circumstances authorized by Education Code Section 76224(a), “When grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a community college, the grade given to each student shall be the grade determined by the instructor of the course and the determination of the student’s grade by the instructor, in the absence of mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, shall be final.”

For the purposes of this Article, grades may only be reviewed within the following narrow context, subject to ratification by student government organizations:

1. Mistake: an unintentional act, omission or error by the instructor or the college. May include, but is not limited to, errors made by an instructor in calculating a student’s grade and clerical errors. 
2. Fraud: a deception deliberately practiced in order to secure unfair or unlawful gain. Fraud may exist when a grade is based upon some sort of dishonest activity, for example, selling grades.
3. Bad Faith: an intent to deceive or to act in a manner contrary to law and/or a grade assigned because of a student’s protected characteristics as defined in Education Code Section 66270. If, pursuant to the discrimination and harassment complaint procedure, as delineated in Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 59300, it is determined that a grade was the result of discrimination or harassment, the grade may be changed as a remedy for the discrimination or harassment.
4. Incompetency: a lack of ability, legal qualification, or fitness to discharge a required duty. A student may claim incompetency when he or she has evidence that the instructor has an impaired ability or fitness (due to accident or illness) to adequately judge the student’s performance.

Students who believe there is an issue with their grade, should follow these steps to seek a resolution:

• Step 1: Attempt to resolve the grade concern informally by discussing it directly with the instructor of the course.
• Step 2: If the issue is not resolved after discussing it with your instructor, escalate the concern to the respective academic dean. You may find their information here: Office of Instruction - Academic Deans 
• Step 3: If you are still unsatisfied after Steps 1 and 2, you may file a formal grade grievance petition. This petition must be submitted before the end of the sixth week of the subsequent semester, following the semester or summer session in which the grade was assigned.

Please use this form to file a grade grievance.
https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?CoastColleges&layout_id=24

If you have additional questions contact the Dean of Students Office at dos@coastline.edu