Maintaining DE Certification - Crafton Hills College
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Maintaining Distance Education Certification 

To maintain high standards in CHC Distance Education courses and ensure compliance with current best practices and regulatory guidance (e.g., regular and substantive interaction, ADA Title II, etc.), the Crafton Hills College distance education recertification cycle is set at three years, aligning with our sister college (SBVC) and other Region 9 community colleges. This recertification/refresh plan was approved by the CHC Academic Senate at its May 6, 2026 meeting.

The program consists of three key options:

  1. Two hours of Distance Education-related sessions (two 1-hour or one 2-hour) during each Fall and Spring Flex/In-service (ongoing), OR
  2. An optional, enhanced four-week facilitated “level-up” course (~24 hours) that faculty may complete to earn a three-year recertification status. If said course is taken through @ONE, continuing credits toward a step increase are available to full-time faculty, OR
  3. A course quality-badged through CHC POCR also earns three-year certification status; additional CHC badged courses will extend certification by an additional year.

This three-track approach allows broad baseline compliance while offering deeper professional development for those who elect the advanced options. Other opportunities not listed above may apply. 

  •  For part-time faculty, recertification or advanced training from other higher education institutions may apply similarly to what is stated above, if equivalent and within the same time frame. Equivalency requests will be reviewed by the Distance Education Program Committee.

Goals and Outcomes

Goals:

    1. Maintain and refresh faculty competence in distance education andragogy, tools, and regulatory requirements (e.g., RSI – regular and substantive interaction, federal & state regulations, ADA Title II, DE best practices).
    2. Provide an opportunity for deeper engagement and peer collaboration.
    3. Streamline and align the recertification process with other Region 9 community colleges.
    4. Encourage continual professional growth and alignment with evolving best practices (e.g., accessibility, regular and substantive interaction, assessment, technology, AI, etc.)

Expected Outcomes:

    1. Online faculty complete two hours of DE PD at Flex/In-service each semester, ensuring up-to-date awareness of key issues. This maintains ongoing training certification.
    2. Faculty who complete a four-week course (either CHC or @ONE) demonstrate advanced competency and earn recertification valid for three years.
    3. Faculty who complete Peer Online Course Review (POCR) for one course to be quality badged on the CVC Exchange earn recertification valid for three years (with additional courses extending certification by an additional year).
    4. Enhanced faculty engagement in online teaching quality, leading to improved student experience.

Equivalency:

Equivalency requests will be reviewed by the Distance Education Program Committee.