Policies and Procedures

1. INSPIRE TEXAS by Region 4 Guidelines and Procedures Overview

2. Quality of Work As we begin the course, here are a few expectations and a few reminders: Quality of Work • All work that you post to Blackboard should be of final draft quality • All work posted, especially in Assignments and Discussion Boards, needs to meet the level of professional correspondence (avoid the informality of text messages)

3. Late Work policy Late work is not accepted except in rare and specialized circumstances.  Here is the process: No more than two late assignments will be accepted, without extenuating circumstances per course. (CUIN, ELAR, FOT, ESL, FOBE, SPED) More than two late assignments will result in having to retake the current course. Fees will apply.

4. Late Work Policy Cont. First Late Assignment: • Contact your instructor via email as soon as you know your work will be late, and prior to the deadline • All late assignments will be due no later than 2 days after the original deadline. If there are extenuating circumstances, please contact your instructor to discuss. • No points will be deducted if prior arrangements are made on your first late assignment. • If there is no prior notice of your first late assignment, the instructor will re-assign a deadline and deduct ½ of all possible points. Second Late Assignment: • With or without prior notice of your 2nd late assignment, the instructor will re-assign a deadline and deduct ½ of all possible points.

5. Academic Honesty Policy Academic Honesty Policy:  Plagiarism includes: copying information directly from a source without giving credit, using friends’ or classmates’ work, buying papers on line, re-using one’s own work from previous classes.  The expectation for quality, original work applies to all assignments, including discussion boards.

6. Attendance Requirements Attendance Policy:  Region 4 requires that online students log in 5 out of 7 days a week. Failure to comply with attendance 3 times during one course will result in repeating the course. Fees may apply.

7. End of Course Average Course Completion: To receive credit for an online course, the student must complete each course with an overall average of 80% or above. Students who do not meet the required overall average must complete the course when it is offered again in another cycle. Fees may apply.

8. No Zero Policy No Zero Policy: Completion of all on line assignments is required in order to receive credit for the course. Region 4 will not grant PPR approval, grant certificate approval, or recommend certification for students who have not completed all coursework.

9. Orientation I acknowledge that I attended the ‘virtual’ orientation for my cycle. If I was unable to attend, then I watched the recorded session that was sent to me.

10. Miscellaneous Helpful Hints • Use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as your browser.  Blackboard does not work well with Internet Explorer of Safari • Assignments can be submitted as a .doc, .docx, .rtf, or .pdf. • If you have Yahoo or Hotmail email, you will not be able to send email through Blackboard • If you log in from a tablet or mobile device, your attendance might not register.  In this case, please send a Blackboard message to your instructor that day letting him/her know that you logged in.