2019-20 Unit Plan
Special Education

Mission Statement

To meet the needs of students who are intellectually and physically challenged by promoting independence and self-reliance through instructional support for vocational and life-skills learning.

Program Description

The Community Partners in Education (CPE), formerly Special Education Program, serves adults with disabilities. There are four partnering agencies with 14 facilities where 36 sections of CPE classes are held. These classes consist of CPE 308, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 318, 320, 322. Instruction is provided by 41 Instructional Service Agreement Instructors who are assisted by other agency staff. Enrollments for this Spring 2019 Semester total 1406. 

Spring 2019, the Special Education Instructional Service Agreement Certificate of Training was offerred. To complete this program a student has to complete three classes and seven units of instruction. Funding for this program is enhanced because it is a workforce development certificate. After students have completed all coursework and have four years of occupational experience and two years of experience working with adults with disabilities, they qualify to become Instructional Service Agreement Instructors in the Community Partners in Education Program. Currently, we have eleven students enrolled.


Accountability for Previously Funded Items


Accountability Item 1

In 2016, two new agencies that served adults with disabilities entered into a partnership with Butte College to provide classes.  One-time funding was allocated in 2016-2017 and 2018-2019 to cover the contract obligations to reimburse the agencies for a portion of the FTES generated from student attendance in their programs. The original allocated amount was $187,896.00 in 2016-2017. This was to be used to cover the two contracts and provide for further expansion of the Community Partners in Education Program (Formerly Special Education). In 2018-2019, this amount was cut to $100,000. Because of the Camp Fire and the decline in student attendance hours both contracts were covered.

The Special Programs Department is requesting an on-going allottment for 2019-2020 of $200,000 to cover the current FTES generated in existing contracts and expected new enrollments of 260 students. Without this funding, Butte College will lose a substantial number of FTES. 


Amount: 100000.00
Used For Intended Purpose: Yes
Benefit

The $100,000 has benefited the College through the generation of a substantial number of FTES. With the additon of another $100,000 current contracts will be maintained and more new students can enroll.

Recent legislation is pressuring agencies to seek integrated minimum wage employment opportunities for all individuals with disabilities. By offering the Community Partners in Education Courses through Instructional Service Agreement Instructors, students are learning job-readiness skills, interpersonal skills, independent living skills, and vocational skills.

The Community Partners in Education Program serves an underrepresented and disadvantaged population.



Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes (Optional)

SLO Assessments were completed for Summer and Fall 2018. There were a few issues which stood out between these two assessments.

1. The SPE 311 class was taught both semesters. During the summer session, students scored well. During the winter session, students didn't score very well. The Department sited the bad winter weather as being a barrier for students gardening outside. The Department provided suggestions for indoor activities and materials that would adhere to the course outlines. 

2. There was a noticeable difference and a huge decline in student scores between the Summer and Fall 2018 Assessments for one agency. Upon further investigation, it was found that a new Program Manager had replaced the former Program Manager, and he did not understand the instructional needs of the classes. The instructional delivery of classes has become better after a series of meetings and a teaching demo provided by the Special Programs Department for him and his staff.

 

For Fall 2018, an accurate assessment could not be conducted due to the Camp Fire. Many students and staff became homeless creating a situation where staff from Paradise had to be moved into other programs and positions. Because of disrupted classes, new environments, new staff, and new students, accuracy of the assessments had been compromised. 


Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (Instruction Departments) (Optional)


        

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments) (Optional)


        

Strategic Direction (Optional)


        

Program Review (Optional)

The Community Partners in Education (formerly Special Education) Program Review was completed Spring 2018.

Recommendations included:

1. Due to the complexity of the Community Partners in Education (Special Programs Department)  and degree of required oversight related to compliance and liability of the team, it was recommended that the department have a management/Director position. 

2. It was recommended that an administrative support (Admin. Sec. III) position be added to the department. This has happened as of Feb. 1, 2019.

3. Support growth by funding associate faculty for HAL and OLS. This has happened.

4. Market the program internally and externally. The Department has handed out brochures, flyers, and did presentations in Glenn and Butte Counties.

5. College needs to leave the budget as it is in order to fund future expansion and maintain revenue currently generated. Requested in unit plans.


Department Goals

 

1. Increase enrollments by adding an additional 91 students in Tehama County and

    recovering 170 from students returning to programs

2. Continue with standardization of curriculum

3. Revise SLO Assessments

4. Permanant $100,000 funding rather than one-time


Future Development Strategies

Strategy 1 - Increase enrollments

Working with partnering agencies to enroll new and returning students


Initiatives
  • Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
  • Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

North Valley Services currently conducts classes in Orland. They  predict they will have more staff who meet the minimum qualifications for ISA Instructors by Fall 2019. This will increase enrollments by 91 more new students. In February 2019, students are beginning to settle back into programs which the expected increase may reach 170 additional students. Total student increase could be 260 more students. 


Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: No
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: No
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes

Strategy 2 - Continue to standardize curriculum

The CPE 308-322 courses are being organized by topics with corresponding weeks, so that everyone in the program will virtually be working on the same topic during a given week. This would provide some discussion between the ISA Instructors across all four agencies as to the delivery of instruction, materials used, activities, and assessment.


Initiatives
  • Modeling Sustainability
  • Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
  • Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
  • Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
  • Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

Because this program serves 13 different facilities and several sections of multiple courses, it is necessary to standardize the curriculum. This will also allow for more accurate assessment of student abilities.


Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: No
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: Yes
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: No
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes

Strategy 3 - Revise SLO Assessments

The SLO Assessments were rolled over from years before and formatted differently last year. Instructional Service Agreement Instructors often do not understand the format or do not interpret the language of the SLO Assessment correctly. All of the CPE 308-322 SLO Assessments will be analyzed and revised according to the course outlines of record.


Initiatives
  • Modeling Sustainability
  • Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
  • Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
  • Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
  • Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

Instructional Service Agreement Instructors have complained about the SLO Assessments, and they would like to see them revised. By allowing them input, they can assist in designing assessments that will provide a more uniform interpretation of what is being assessed. 


Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: No
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: Yes
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: No
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes

Strategy 4 - Permanant $200,000.00 contract funding rather than one-time

For fiscal years 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019, the Special Programs Department has had to request one-time funds ($100,000) to provide the contract funding necessay to maintain partnerships to serve a large student population and generate revenue for the College and agency partners. The Program is exemplary because of the skills training for students with disabilities, community partnerships, and support of an underrepresented and disadvantaged population who would not otherwise be served.

 

For the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the Special Programs Department is requesting that the one-time funding of $100,000 provided for two existing agency contracts be made on-going and increased to $200,000 to cover the cost of not only two existing contracts, but also the expected addition of 260 students to the program.


Initiatives
  • Modeling Sustainability
  • Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
  • Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
  • Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

Permanant funding would allow for the sustainability of two agency programs and the addition of 260 more students resulting in an increase of 356.57 - 475.43 FTES.


Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: No
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: No
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: No
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: No
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes

Requested Non-Financial Resources

Classroom space for OLS classes

Current Financial Resources

CPE (SPE) District Funding:

$605,571

$200,000

Augmentation Requests

Original Priority Program, Unit, Area Resource Type Account Number Object Code One Time Augment Ongoing Augment
Description Supporting Rationale Potential Alternative Funding Sources Prioritization Criteria
1 Community Partners in Education (formerly Special Education) Operating Expenses $0.00 $200,000.00
Permanent funding to provide ongoing support program participation This funding supports students in the areas of vocational training, job readiness, and independent living skills. Currently, $100,000 is used to maintain two agency contracts. In order to take in additional new programs with 260 students in Fall 2019, an additional $100,000 will be needed to adequately cover all the contracts bringing the total to $200,000. The additional money could yeild anywhere between 356.57 - 475.43 FTES in additional to our current FTES generation.
  • Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants)
  • Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement
  • Addressing Program Review Recommendations
  • Implementing the 2019-2020 Strategic Direction Priorities
  • Closing Equity Gaps
  • Meeting enrollment targets
  • Meeting student achievement goals
  • Fostering a Culture of Inclusiveness
8/2/23