DSPS New Directors Training September 15 2020 9
DSPS New Directors Training September 15, 2020 9: 30 AM to 11: 00 AM California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Educational Services and Support Division Disabled Student Programs & Services
Welcome Linda Vann, DSPS Specialist/Region A Programmatic Support, CCCCO • Introduction for DSPS Solutions: • Dr. Gail J Conrad, retired; previous work as interim Vice-Chancellor of Student Services, Director of DSPS, Coordinator of DSPS at San Diego Community College District and SD Mesa College. 1
What you need to know: Day to Day Your Responsibilities, Part 1 Presenter: Dr. Gail Conrad, DSPS Solutions 2
Intent: Providing information for NEW Directors and Coordinators • Poll the audience • Please use the chat box for questions (Please insert your college name and role) • We will prioritize the questions for those in the first/second year in this role • If your question is not related to a day to day operation, we will respond online in an email after the webinar. 3
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DSPS Coordinator/Director page 1 • What is DSPS? • Need to have sufficient time and training to oversee the program • DSPS is complex and poses legal risks to the colleges in terms of ADA and 504 complaints or litigation • Need to work with college/district legal counsel, the campus ADA/504 Coordinator, and 508 IT staff • OCR complaints may go beyond the scope of the initial complaint and can require extensive staff time and resources. • Litigation, regardless of whether the college has erred, costs a great deal. • CCC Chancellor Scott Letter – Institutional Responsibility 5
DSPS Director/Coordinator page 2 The only required position for a DSPS program; minimum quals are in Ed Code; Title 5 – at a minimum, there will be funds for a Coordinator ($150, 000) Duties include: interviewing students with disabilities reviewing disability documentation and determining disability-related functional limitations in the educational setting working with the students to receive needed academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and services and/or instruction in a timely manner working with students with disabilities when they face various barriers to success or disability-related issues that arise with the college working with faculty and other college staff 6
DSPS Director/Coordinator, page 3 • Important considerations: • Suggest 100% full-time Coordinator position (especially if over 500 students) • Multiple program funding cautions • Has the responsibility for the day-to-day operation of DSPS • Must meet the minimum qualifications for a DSPS counselor or instructor set forth in Section 53414 (a) through (d) or meet the minimum qualifications for an educational administrator set forth in Section 53420 Updates the alignment between Sections 56048 and 53414 (Minimum Qualifications) 7
Team DSPS • The term Coordinator means coordinating diverse elements into a whole. You are a leader, a manager. Hold weekly meetings with front office staff, with Certificated Staff, hold monthly meetings with your department • Services must be timely • Cross training staff, Triage, Confidentiality sign off • Using Classified Staff, Student Workers, and Work-Study Students, VA Work Studies • Tasks and training, Processes, Ethics • Working with faculty on academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and services and/or instruction in a timely manner • Delicate • Time consuming • Complaints may move to OCR and legal consul support 8
DSPS- Working with the Institution and Community • Developing good working relationships within the institution and in the community is a primary task (reminder that participation in DSPS is voluntary for students) Students can go to ADA/504 Coordinator if they don’t want to go to DSPS • Responsibility for collaboration with other categorical programs such as EOPS or Cal. WORKS • Other college departments such as Health Services, College Discipline, Psychological Services, Veterans • Must have an Advisory Committee to give guidance and direction to your program related to the needs of the community Title 5 Section 56050 Requirement 9
Day to Day Operations • CCCCO DSPS Webpage • 2019 DSPS Fact Sheet • DSPS Directors Training • Disabilities 101 • Title 5 Checklist of Requirements • Website on OCR Rulings • Sample OCR ruling for extended time on assignments • Sample OCR ruling for multiple aspects of testing and class assignments 10
ADA § 35. 108: Definition of Disability (1) Disability means, with respect to an individual: (i) A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; (ii) A record of such an impairment; or (iii) Being regarded as having such an impairment as described in paragraph (f) of this section. (2) Rules of construction. (i) The definition of “disability” shall be construed broadly in favor of expansive coverage, to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of the ADA. 11
Determining Eligibility for DSPS Services • Section 56002 – “Student with a Disability” • ADA Title II Section 35. 108 “Definition of Disability” • (a)(2)(i) “The definition of ‘disability’ shall be construed broadly in favor of expansive coverage, to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of the ADA. ” • Student must have a verified disability which results in an educational limitation • An impairment may be verified by: • Observation in conjunction with student self-report of the following disabilities only physical, DHH, Blind/Low vision, and ABI • Assessment • Review of existing documentation • Educational limitations are identified/described in the Academic Accommodations Plan by DSPS Certificated Staff 12
Sources for Determining Eligibility • • ADAA and 504 vs. Title 5 Civil Rights vs. Funding The documentation conundrum Is this a person with a disability? • Must impair a major life activity • Time, manner, OR duration analysis to determine “qualifying Person with a disability” • Include: difficulty, effort or time required to perform a major life activity; the pain experienced in doing so, length of time effects • Is this a QSD (qualified student with a disability)? • ADA Amendments Act of 2008: Summary and Resources 13
Timeliness and Effectiveness of Services are Critical Timeliness: • Per statute, accommodations must be given in a timely manner • Keep in mind STUDENT SUCCESS - • how long before the student is behind in class • Ensure sufficient staffing for timeliness • Be creative and provide SOMETHING EFFECTIVE when delays happen • If you can’t make something accessible, then you must accommodate. 14
Timeliness and Effectiveness of Services, cont. 15
Office and Intake Efficiencies • Interactive Process • Online DSPS Orientation and Test Proctoring Procedures and Guidelines, Suspension of Services procedure, etc. • Front Office prep of intake packets • Group Intake • Drop-in Times • Specialized counseling/academic adjustments, auxiliary aids counseling • Video/Online Presentations (make accessible) 16
Outreach and Transition • Meeting with feeder high schools • Transition Guides • Catch the Wave • OCR/Transition Guide • High School Students with Disabilities, CCCCO Legal Opinion • MOU’s with feeder HS- determine who provides services, where are classes held? • Chart on Differences 17
Behavioral Issues – Follow Due Process! • Title 5, Section 56010 • College Code of Conduct, well defined • CCCCO Unlawful Discrimination Opinion • Work with your College Disciplinarian – problem solve for best outcome; interactive process • Academic Adjustments – what others may be helpful to remedy the situation; be careful about withdrawing • Suspension of Services (show at intake) and Student Conduct Contracts-Services cannot be entirely canceled, but they can be temporarily suspended until a student completes specified steps to reinstate services. • Direct Threat – Title II, 28 Code of Fed Regulations –a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices or procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services… • SB 968: Postsecondary Education: Mental Health Counselor, one f/t per 1, 500 students (contingent upon funding) 18
DSPS Solutions / Interwork Institute • DSPS Solutions – The Technical Assistance (TA) provider for DSPS programs in the California Community College System • DSPS Solutions website – look at this later if you have never checked it out! • Website updated regularly with a variety of training and resource information: • CCCCO Trainings (New Directors and Special Trainings… • New Directors Training Assets • Resources (Chancellor’s Office information; laws and regulations, including Title 5 support; OCR and legal rulings; DSPS program management; DSPS service delivery; Alternate media…) • Directories (for all DSPS related groups, including DSPS Coordinators Directory) • Latest News; Hot Topics; Jobs… 19
DSPS Solutions / Interwork Institute Continued • Technical Assistance Support and how to access it: • Individual TA: This is provided via email, phone or both. Questions range from best practices, to urgencies related to accommodations, to budget and staffing issues and more. If you have a question, we are here to support you. • Can be reached at DSPSsolutions@interwork. sdsu. edu • Via the website at Contact Us • Or contact one of the consultants directly • Group TA: This support is provided to individual colleges; to find out more, visit the Technical Assistance section of the DSPS Solutions website, currently handled with zoom meetings. Request through Linda Vann. 20
CAPED Mentoring Program(CMP) • New DSPS Director/Coordinator matched with an experienced DSPS Director/Coordinator • Mentorship pairs make a commitment to partner and guide the professional development from October to June • Monthly training on current and relevant topics • Technical support from CAPED DSPS professional experts • Contact: Dr. Lucinda Aborn, CMP Coordinator capedmentorshipprogram@gmail. com or 310. 989. 2656 21
Questions and Answers Use Chat bottom of the screen 22
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