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Rules of the Senate

    1.5. Award of CPL for Special Examinations

    1.5.1. Purpose

    Any student enrolled in, or accepted for admission to, a KCTCS College, may be given a faculty-developed special examination for credit or course placement, provided the examination is approved by program- or discipline-specific faculty and the Chief Academic Officer or their designee.

    1.5.2. Definitions

    • 1.5.2.1. Special Examinations
      • Special Examinations (e.g., Challenge or STEP exams) are assessments developed and administered by the college to provide an opportunity to demonstrate mastery of course content and receive credit toward program requirements or course placement.
    • 1.5.2.2. Challenge Exam
      • A Challenge Exam is utilized in cases where a student requests to test out of general or developmental subject matter. An example would be supplemental instruction courses that support math or English.
    • 1.5.2.3. STEP Exam
      • A Special Technical Education Proficiency (STEP) Exam is utilized in technical programs when a student believes they have the knowledge and skills to test out of a course such as welding, electrical and others. A student may have taken related courses in high school or acquired skills through a position at work.

    1.5.3. Role of Faculty and Associated Procedures

    • 1.5.3.1.
      • Regardless of their enrollment status, an enrolled or accepted KCTCS student may be given a faculty-developed special examination upon written request to the Chief Academic Officer or their designee. Special examinations should align with the course competencies. If a KCTCS college maintains an inventory of special examinations, examinations should be reviewed by program- or discipline-specific faculty and the Chief Academic Officer or their designee on a regular basis.
    • 1.5.3.2.
      • The examiner will schedule an examination at the examiner’s convenience but must offer the examination within a 30-day period of the student’s written request or by the end of the drop/add period if the student is actively enrolled in the class. All special examinations shall be graded on a Pass/Fail basis. A college will set the minimum acceptable score to determine mastery of the material. KCTCS curriculum committees may develop system-wide special examinations for specific courses.

    1.5.4. Role of Administrative Staff and Associated Procedures

    The registrar’s staff shall be notified of the student’s performance on any special examination by the appropriate program- or discipline-specific faculty member. A “Fail” will not be noted on the student record. A student currently enrolled in the course, who takes a special examination and is dissatisfied with the result, may continue in the course. A student who receives a “Pass” shall have the course credit awarded. If actively enrolled in the class, the student shall be removed from the class roster and a refund issued according to KCTCS refund policies. Academic course credit awarded via special examinations does not count towards the residency requirement. KCTCS shall charge the student a standardized fee prior to the administration of any special exam according to the KCTCS fee schedule.