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Grading Procedures & Standards
Basis for Grades
Grades normally are based on a final written examination and two mid-term exams. Instructors may require written papers, additional examinations or other assignments which may be taken into account in the final grade. California School of Law awards letter grades. Plus and minus grades are given at the professors’ discretion.
Grading Standards
The Faculty are instructed to grade on standards comparable to those at ABA accredited law schools.
Grading should be such that students who pass the law School’s courses are likely to be able to pass the First Year Law Students’ Exam (FLYSE) and the California Bar exam.
The Dean of Faculty, the Dean and his appointee will review the professors ’ grading to ensure that it indicates the students’ ability to pass the FYLSE and the California Bar.
Student Work Authentication Procedures
The California School of Law verifies student participation through video and audio identification. Students sign into a virtual classroom two nights a week and must be on video and speak with the professor in order to participate in the Socratic Method, which utilizes direct questioning of the individual students as a major educational device. The professors become aware of each student’s facial identity and voice during the trimester. During the course of each examination, the professors randomly check on the students, to determine that each student is at his or her computer working on the examination.
Exams, essays and other documents are submitted to the professor online, to the California School of Law “Moodle” software program. Moodle maintains each student’s records separately, which can be viewed only by the professor and the student who submitted the exam.
Course Passage Requirement
First year students must pass all courses. If a first year student does not pass a course, he or she will be dismissed from the law school.
Students in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th years can petition the Dean of Faculty for permission to repeat a course.
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