Understanding Distance Education Requirements

Distance Education is not the same as teaching a traditional face-to-face on-campus course; there are laws and guidelines that specifically address the requirements for teaching DE courses.

DE courses are guided by Federal Ed Code, CA Title 5, and the Institutions AP 4105.

Federal Education Code

Federal Ed Code incudes laws resulting from legislation or budget action and require legislation to change. Ed Code always supercedes CA Title 5 regulations.

34 CFR 600.2 “Distance education”

Title 5

The California Code of Regulations are derived and approved by the Board of Governors. California Education Code Division 6 - applies to California Community Colleges. These are regulation with the force of law.

ACCJC Policy on Distance Education

An accredited status from an institutional accreditor enables an institution to qualify for federal grants and contracts, to distribute federal financial aid to its students, and for students’ credits to be more easily transferred to other accredited institutions. ACCJC is the body who ensures that Palomar adheres to Ed Code and Title 5.

January 2024 Policy on Distance Education and on Correspondence Education
ACCJC 2024-25 Strategic Initiative: Distance Education Rubric
- For 2025: ACCJC will develop a rubric to assess Regular and Substantive Interaction when reviewing concluded DE courses to see if they meet the RSI requirements

Palomar's Administrative Procedure 4105

Every CCC has Board Policies (BPs) and Administrative Procedures (APs). BPs and APs are how a college explains how they will meet the requirements of Ed Code, Title 5, Accreditation, and other laws/policies.

BPs are broad statements that represent the Board of Trustees' voice and set standards for the institution. BPs define the college's general goals, acceptable practices, and how it should be organized and function. They also implement federal and state laws and regulations, and delegate authority to the superintendent or president to administer the district. BPs require official board adoption.
APs are more detailed documents that create a plan of action for achieving BPs. APs are used by administrators, faculty, and other staff to guide the implementation of BPs. They implement BPs, laws, and regulations, and address how the district's goals are achieved and how it operates. APs include details about policy implementation, responsibility, accountability, and standards of practice. They do not require board action, but are the responsibility of the superintendent or president.

Review Palomar AP 4105: Distance Education