Satisfactory Academic PROGRESS POLICY (SAP)

The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is consistently applied to all students enrolled at the school. It is printed in the catalog to ensure that all students receive a copy prior to enrollment. The policy complies with the guidelines established by the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts and Sciences (NACCAS) and the federal regulations established by the United States Department of Education.

Factors for measuring the student’s progress toward satisfactory completion of the program include maintaining:

Formal Satisfactory Progress Evaluations in both attendance and academics occurs when the student reaches 450, 900,and 1,200 actual hours. Students will receive a hard-copy of their Satisfactory Academic Progress Determination at the time of each of the evaluations. The frequency of evaluations ensures that students have had at least one evaluation by midpoint in the course.

*Transfer Students- Midpoint of the contracted hours or the established evaluation periods, whichever comes first.

Evaluations will determine if the student has met the minimum requirements for satisfactory academic progress.

Full time students attend 5 days/32.5 hours per week, 9:00a.m-3:30p.m. Part time students attend 20 hours per week, Monday through Friday, 9:00a.m.-1:00pm or 5:00p.m-9:00p.m. The State of Connecticut requires 1500 clock hours for Cosmetology. Students are expected to complete their course of Cosmetology in no more than 150% of the program length. If a student is never absent, they would complete their course of study within 46 weeks for a full time student and 75 weeks for a part time student.

The maximum time (which does not exceed 150% of the course length) allowed for students to complete each course at satisfactory academic progress is stated below:

The maximum time allowed for transfer students who need less than the full course requirements or part-time students will be determined based on 67% of the scheduled contracted hours.

Attendance is monitored every 30 days at a minimum. A record of the students hours are posted monthly for students to view. Students are required to attend a minimum of 67% of the hours possible based on the applicable attendance schedule in order to be considered maintaining satisfactory attendance progress. Evaluations are conducted at the end of each evaluation period to determine if the student has met the minimum requirements. The attendance percentage is determined by dividing the total hours accrued by the total number of hours scheduled. At the end of each evaluation period, the school will determine if the student has maintained at least

67% cumulative attendance since the beginning of the course which indicates that, given the same attendance rate, the student will graduate within the maximum time frame allowed.

Grade reports will be reviewed by instructors monthly for each student in order to make them aware of their status towards meeting satisfactory progress. The student will be counseled by the instructor if they are in danger of not meeting satisfactory academic progress. Examinations are given in all subjects. Records are kept of grades and attendance. The qualitative element used to determine academic progress is a reasonable system of grades as determined by assigned academic learning. Students are assigned academic learning and a number of practical experiences. Academic learning is evaluated after each unit of study. Practical assignments are evaluated as completed. We have designed a Clinic Points System, in which students are expected to acquire a minimum of 75 points per week by performing services either on their mannequin or clients in the student salon. This counts as a weekly clinic/lab grade. At least three comprehensive practical skills evaluations will be conducted during the course of study. Practical skills are evaluated according to text procedures and set forth in practical skills evaluation criteria adopted by the school. Students must maintain a written grade average of 75% and pass a FINAL written and exam prior to graduation. Students must make up failed or missed tests and incomplete assignments by either retaking tests or completing extra credit assignments.

Numerical grades are considered according to the following scale:

Students meeting the minimum requirements for academics and attendance at the evaluation point are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress until the next scheduled evaluation.

Students who fail to meet minimum requirements for attendance or academic progress are placed on warning and considered to be making satisfactory academic progress while during the warning period. The student will be advised in writing on the actions required to attain satisfactory academic progress by the next evaluation. If at the end of the warning period, the student has still not met both the attendance and academic requirements, he/she may be placed on probation if the student appeals the decision, and prevails upon appeal.

If a students is receiving Title IV assistance and fails to meet the minimum requirements they will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for the next evaluation period. The student will be counseled regarding actions required to attain satisfactory requirements by the next evaluation point. During the Financial Aid Warning period, students are eligible, if applicable, to receive financial aid funds. If at the end of the Financial Aid Warning period, the student has still not met both the attendance and academic progress requirements, he/she will be determined as not making satisfactory progress and will be ineligible for Title IV assistance.

A student may appeal the decision if they have a reason as to why they did not make satisfactory progress and if they can document that the circumstances which caused them to have an unsatisfactory progress determination have in some way changed. The basis for filing an appeal, such as death of a relative, injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstances must be documented. If the school grants the appeal they may impose conditions for the student’s continued eligibility to receive Title IV, such as changing schedules. If such an appeal is granted the student is placed on Financial Aid Probation or one evaluation period.

Only students who have the ability to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy standards by the end of the evaluation period may be placed on probation. Students placed on an academic plan must be able to meet requirements set forth in the academic plan by the end of the next evaluation period. Students who are progressing according to their specific academic plan will be considered making Satisfactory Academic Progress. The student will be advised in writing of the actions required to attain satisfactory academic progress by the next evaluation. If at the end of the probationary period, the student has still not met both the attendance and academic requirements required for satisfactory academic progress or by the academic plan, he/she will be determined as NOT making satisfactory academic progress and will be withdrawn from the program.

If at the end of the Financial Aid Probation the student has not met both academic and attendance requirements all Federal aid will be suspended until such time that the student re-establishes satisfactory progress. Federal financial aid, if applicable, will not be disbursed to students on Financial Aid Probation unless the student appeals and prevails on appeal. Students may re-establish satisfactory progress by meeting minimum attendance and academic requirements at the next evaluation period. If the student has not met academic and attendance requirements for two consecutive evaluation periods, the student will be determined as not making satisfactory progress and will be terminated.

Students may re-establish satisfactory academic progress by meeting minimum attendance and academic requirements by the end of the warning or probationary period.

If enrollment is temporarily interrupted for a Leave of Absence, the student will return to school in the same progress status as prior to the Leave of Absence. Hours elapsed during a Leave of Absence will not be included in the students cumulative attendance calculation. Students may be granted one leave in a twelve month period, for a minimum of 2 weeks. The total time for Leave of Absence may not be exceed 180 calendar days. When a student takes a Leave of Absence, the contract end date is amended. To calculate the new contract end date, the amount of the days of the Leave of Absence and any holidays in which the school is closed, is added onto the contract end date. Length of the leave of absence (days) + Holidays and/or days the school is closed = New contract end date. In the case of unforeseen circumstances and at the schools discretion, the student may be granted an extension to their leave of absence. An approved leave of absence must be submitted n writing to the financial office. The leave of absence wile extend the students contract period by the same number of days taken in the leave and will result in no additional charges to the student. Students who withdraw prior to completion of the course of study and wish to re-enter within six months of the original formal withdrawal date will re-enter at the same progress status as applicable at the time of withdrawal.

Course in-completes, repetitions, and non credit remedial courses have no effect upon the schools satisfactory progress standards

If a student is determined to not be making satisfactory academic progress, or is terminated for no making satisfactory academic progress, the student may appeal the negative determination in writing within ten calendar days. Reasons for which students may appeal a negative progress determination include death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or any other allowable special or mitigating circumstance. The student must submit a written appeal to the school on the designated form describing why they failed to meet satisfactory academic progress standards, along with supporting documentation of the reasons why the determination should be reversed. This information should include what has changed about the student’s situation that will allow them to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress by the next evaluation point.

An appeal hearing will take place within fifteen (15) business days of recipient of written appeal. This hearing will be attended by the student, parent/guardian (if the student is dependent/minor), the students instructor, and school owner. A decision of the students appeal will be within three (3) business days by the school owner and will be communicated to the student in writing.

This decision will be final.

Should a student prevail on his/her appeal and be determined as making satisfactory progress, the student will be automatically re-entered in the course, and financial aid funds will be re-instated to eligible students.

If a student is terminated for gross misconduct, which includes but not limited to reporting to school under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, cheating, stealing, insubordination, and threats and/or bullying, such termination final and may not be appealed.

Noncredit, remedial courses, and repetitions do not apply to this institution. Therefore, these items have no effect upon the school’s satisfactory academic progress standards.

With regard to Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student’s transfer hours will be counted as both attempted and earned hours for the purpose of determining when the allowable maximum time frame has been exhausted.