<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".05" citation="COMAR 13A.04.15.05" title_num="13A" subtitle_num="04" chapter_num="15" heading="Review and Approval Procedures.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>There are three options for obtaining review and approval of credit-bearing online courses and professional development courses.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Options for Obtaining Review and Approval.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Departmental Review and Approval.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A vendor may request a Department review of an online credit-bearing course or professional development course.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Department review shall be conducted by a panel of at least three content experts, one of whom shall be a reviewer trained to conduct such reviews.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Department review shall include an assessment of the accessibility of the course.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>A vendor seeking Department approval of an online or professional development course shall pay a nonrefundable fixed fee of $1,400 to the Department to cover the cost of a review.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>The Department reserves the right to review previously approved courses every 3 years.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>The Department reserves the right to determine which courses will be reviewed based on student and local education agency need.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Local Education Agency Review and Approval Process.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A vendor may request an LEA review of an online credit-bearing course or professional development course.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The LEA review shall be conducted by a panel of at least three content experts, one of whom must be a reviewer trained to conduct such reviews as designated by the Department.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The LEA review shall include an assessment of the accessibility of the course.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>An LEA may establish a reasonable fee to cover the cost of a review.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>After conducting the review, the LEA shall submit its review and recommendation for approval to the Department for final approval.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>To cover the cost of the final review, the LEA shall submit to the Department 15 percent of the fee it collected from the vendor.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>The LEA reserves the right to determine which courses will be reviewed based on student need.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>MSDE-Approved Reviewing Program.</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>A vendor may request an MSDE-Approved Reviewing Program review of an online credit-bearing course or a professional development course that includes an assessment of the accessibility of the course.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>After the review is completed, the MSDE-Approved Reviewing Program shall submit the review documentation to MSDE.</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The vendor shall pay a fee of $360 to the Department to cover the cost of the final review.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>