SCASP

News from your CASP Region I Representative – January 2010

Rose Velásquez, Sonoma County SELPA

Happy New Year to you all! It may appears that the biggest issue we have these days in our region is Mother Nature with the earthquakes and rains.  Hold on tight and ready the sandbags. The CASP Board of Directors met via teleconference the middle of January and while the meeting was brief we discussed many items I want to share with you all. As always the focus of the meeting is how best to support the field of school psychology and to represent school psychologists amidst all the challenges we may face, whether work related, political or budgetary. The following is a summary of discussion. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.

ü      Our board President, John Brady gave a brief report highlighting the technological advances in the CASP office with regard to training opportunities. With the office being “webinar” capable, CASP will be organizing and offering trainings that do not involve travel expenses and hotel costs for their members. Membership is down for this time of year, but here is another incentive to stay a member in the future. Please share with your colleagues this up and coming membership benefit.

ü      Suzanne Fisher, executive director, discussed a number of items, including ways we can remain fiscally sound for the future. In looking at the Association’s costs and losses, trainings that require hotel room bookings and food costs are at the top of the list. Many board members are using their connections with colleges and other institutions to provide low cost or no cost training venues for the future. Most recently, Pedro Olvera (Region IX representative) donated space at Azusa Pacific University for the Summer Institute.

ü      The board passed with no opposition the motion to allow CASP to inform members about non-CASP surveys through email blasts.

ü      BBS continuing education requirements for Licensed Educational Psychologists was discussed. Current requirements are being revised and Sean Surfas (CASP LEP Chair) as well as other board members are making themselves available to the BBS to make sure the requirements mirror the practice and that the continuing education requirements are not too onerous. See the BBS web site, www.bbs.ca.gov for more information on the proposed changes.

ü      The Budget remains dire and many districts are losing their central offices and other administrative costs. Jeff Frost prepared a detailed report that will be available in CASP Today, which is expected to be published online this week.

ü      Journal Update – The 2009 journal was delayed, currently going through proofs and ready to publish next week. There is also a discussion regarding changing the name of the journal to have a more national appeal.

ü      CONVENTION, CONVENTION, CONVENTION! CASP convention is right around the corner and we want to see you there. Please check the CASP web page for the details regarding registering. There is even a detailed description for how your district or county office can use ARRA funds for the training. The lineup of speakers and presenters is fantastic and just like last year we will have many events for students. I look forward to seeing you there!

ü      Finally, there are few things going on in Region I.  Right now the only affiliate is SCASP (Sonoma County), you can see all the activities planned for psychologists by going to the website: www.scasp.org.  If you have activities in your county that you would like others to know about contact me and I would be happy to get the word out.

ü      Important Dates to Remember:

CASP Convention 2010 - March 4-6 Hyatt Regency Santa Clara

Summer Institute – June 17-19, 2010  Azusa Pacific University

Rose Velasquez

Region I Representative

rvelasquez@sonomaselpa.org

October 2009- Email Blast from CASP Region I Representative

Rose Velasquez, Sonoma County SELPA 

Greetings on this brisk fall morning! I hope you are all doing well. I just got back from Leadership Day in our State’s Capitol. No one caught a glimpse of Arnold but many of us were humbled as we walked the long halls and the thought that despite our current crises we do great things each and every day for the people, families and children of this beautiful state. It was reflected in the hopeful faces of the boy scouts who were also at the Capitol. 

• First, School Psychology Week is November 9-13, 2009. I know it’s not always easy to promote yourself but someone has to do it. CASP has a great tool kit on-line to help with that, including a poster that can be downloaded. In order to celebrate our roles as essential components to every school, consider promoting the profession by writing a public service announcement or news release. The Governor sends his best to all us and acknowledges our vital role in the education of children. You can read his letter on-line. Check it out at www.casponline.org under School Psychology Week. We are currently seeking national recognition of School Psychology Week.  Please consider sending an encouraging letter to your local Congressional representative to support this endeavor.

• Jeff Frost, CASP Advocate, provided Legislative Updates. 
• American Psychological Association’s Model Licensure Act, which bars anyone that is not a licensed psychologist with a Ph.D. from using the title, has not gone away, despite the 19,000 opposing letters received. While the APA might believe any licensed psychologist can go into the schools and perform a school psychologist’s job, our certification is provided by a state agency with set criteria. However, both NASP and CASP are ready to go against this proposal at the national level to avoid any rippling down effect to the states.
• Proposed change to the Title V regulations in California affects NPS and NPA.  Because of the increased numbers of students with autism, there is a proposed amendment that would require employees of Non-Public Schools and Non-Public Agencies to take additional higher education units related to behavioral training and Autism. CASP plans to provide input at an upcoming hearing on this topic.
• A CAHSEE update is that the CDE’s special panel formed in response to the Kidd Settlement Agreement has readied its recommendations regarding alternative means option(s) to the exit exam for students with IEPs or 504 Plans.  We met with folks from the CDE but they were not willing to give us any preview until the State Board of Education and State Superintendent has heard their recommendations, a meeting is scheduled in the middle of November. The Board will decide if the recommendations are feasible and then proceed from there. Currently, students with IEPs or 504s are exempt from the CAHSEE requirement for graduation.
• I mentioned the Race To The Top Funds in the last email blast. Update here is that while the State of California had recently been ineligible for the set aside stimulus money, we currently meet the minimum requirements to apply for the grant money. The Obama Grant money had set requirements that the states who applied must firstly use student-related data to evaluate teachers and educational programs and secondly, States must not have a cap on the number of charter schools allowed. The State has removed the prohibitive clause that keeps teachers from being evaluated using test data. Individual districts and unions must negotiate the question on how data might be used. The language on charter schools is such that it can be adjusted as needed. Local educational organizations are not willing to make any further changes and it appears that California State Senator Gloria Romero’s bill, which calls for what amounts to merit pay and open enrollment, will not garner the support needed to pass. (That bill is being heard this week.)

• Please consider donating to the Political Action Committee. As you can see school psychologists require a strong voice at the state level to make sure that we play a vital role in shaping policy and staying abreast of changes. By donating to the PAC, you strengthen that voice. This year we would like valuable packages at the silent auction to increase in value of $250 or more. If you can help in this endeavor, contact Wendy Hand at the (916) 482-5090 or wendy@themeetingsnetwork.com.

• CASP 61^st Annual Convention 2010: Helping Schools Invest in All Students will take place in beautiful Santa Clara, March 4-6. While budgets have been chopped, members might consider accessing ARRA (American Recover and Reinvestment Act) funds. Some of these funds are earmarked specifically for special education and can be used for professional development. Members might consider writing a proposal outlining how school psychologists might commit to disseminate the information learned at the convention to district employees. This could effectively increase district capacity and be a very compelling proposition.  For more details about the convention please go to www.casponline.org.

• Speaking of casponline.org, have you seen some of the wonderful recent changes there?  I would recommend popping into the CASP Forum and hear what school psychologists are discussing across the state. Look for changes proposed by the Board in the near future that would include Best Practices on various topics, something like a CASP-wikipedia.

• CASP has purchased Polycom software and equipment to reduce costs to members for training. Members and district staff can now view trainings remotely, over their computers. That means no travel or lodging costs. There is a Webcast scheduled for November 6, at 10:00 am to 11:30am on Finance for School Psychologists. To learn more about this webcast and others go to www.casponline.org.

• I want to throw out those important dates once more:

1. November 10, 2009: First of a three series, half-day training on RtI for School Psychologists. This is training only for school psychologists. Sonoma County SELPA has been working with SCASP in providing the psychologists with meaningful training on implementing RtI. I hope to see many of you there.  These trainings will not be available for sign-up on the SCOE site.  If you would like more information please contact me. 

2. December 9, 2009: Deadline for Nominations. Please consider nominating school psychologists for the Nadine Lambert Outstanding School Psychologist Award, the Sandra Goff Memorial Award, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Scholarship and Paul Henkin Convention Scholarship.

3. November 6, 2009: CASP will hold its first webcast, on Financial Planning for School Psychologists. To register please go to www.caspwebcasts.org or www.casponline.org. Two financial planners will discuss what you should be doing for your financial future. Also, Winter Conference will be held December 4 & 5, and will feature five live workshops and two live webcasts. See what CASP has planned atwww.casponline.org.

4. March 4-6, 2010: Don’t forget the annual CASP Convention. Santa Clara is the place. Registration information will be available by the end of November. Save the date!

 Well that appears to be enough for now. Warm fall wishes to you all. Drop me a line, if you get a chance just to say hello. 

Cheers,

Rose Velásquez

rvelasquez@sonomaselp.org  
 

News from your CASP Region I Representative – August 2009

Rose velasquez, Sonoma county SELPA

 

Hello to all new and returning CASP members.  I am the newly elected Region I Representative, Rose Velásquez.  Michelle Fourré sends her regards.  I am very excited to be serving the group and can be reached at (707) 524-2929 or rvelasquez@sonomaselpa.org.  I attended the first board meeting this August and I was very pleased to see so many people gathered together who are highly interested in putting forth their skills and talents for membership and ultimately for the children and communities we serve.  I feel quite honored to stand among them.  This first blast of the school year discusses some the issues presented at the board.  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions on this information or have any other issues you would like addressed by the board.

We began the meeting recognizing the many new board members and board members with new positions, including our new President John Brady. He opened with a discussion of his goals for the year, which prudently reflected our current state budget woes and school psychologists’ continued need for increased prominence and visibility within our districts and counties.

ü   Jeff Frost and Jim Russell gave a very frank legislative update which mostly highlighted budget issues and current legislation which might impact School Psychologist.

·         Hot off the press: Our Governor is asking for a special session to see if California is eligible for “race to the top” funding. Specific language that prohibits us is that we current prohibit tracking progress by teacher. We track by student but not by teacher. At this point the CTA has a primary concern with drawing these correlations. The Governor is calling a special session to discuss this prohibition, data collection, charter school cap and more choice for parents and students (i.e. school districts of choice).

·         Budget: 25% less revenue than what we had a year ago. There have been very hard decisions about how to make cuts. There was a decision that $11.2 million will be maintained through Prop. 98. This money will start flowing back into school districts in the next few years. There will be disagreements about how to allocate these monies, but the money will be coming back in. As many of you know, Math and ELA textbooks are not being required to be replaced at this time at a huge saving for schools and the state.  

·         What happens now? Further cuts are likely, but will not go below 2005/2006 maintenance of effort level required. What are the opportunities after the hemorrhage stops…flexibility!

·         Assembly Bills and Senate Bills to keep your eye on: While Jeff summarized 15 Assembly Bills and seven Senate Bills that could have an impact on our work and education, he highlighted five.

1.      The first was AB 661 which will provide increased funding to all local education agencies to comply with the BIP mandate.

2.      The second was AB 826 which would treat the federal special education dollars as a federal grant for purposes of allocation and distribution to school districts and SELPAs. CASP believes that by removing the federal special education dollars from the state statutory funding formula, school agencies will clearly be able to track the federal increases in special education as they are passed directly to the SELPA or school agency.

3.      The third is AB 1124 which would make a significant change to the current special education requirements for local school districts when a student transition into the public education system at the age of three. AB 1124 would apply to a child with exceptional needs who currently has an IFSP in place, the bill would require that the IFSP placement would be the student’s “stay put” placement during the pendency of stay put proceedings. This bill would exceed minimum requirements under federal law and therefore impose new state mandates on local school districts for which the state must pay.

4.      The fourth is AB 1517 which would expand the existing pilot program for the Special Education Alternative Dispute statewide. SELPA’s have reported that ADR programs have successfully resolved disputes at the local level, thus reducing the cost of litigation and complaint investigation at the state level.

5.      The fifth is AB 1538 which prohibits an educational provider from using physical restraint on a pupil who is an individual with special needs for the purpose beyond immediate emergency, unless otherwise stated in a pupil’s IEP.

ü      APA-MLA Update  from  NASP Representative- Margaret Sedor: There was the public input period which we know about (ended in June), 19,000 responses were calculated from the education realm,  including administrators, SLP’s, etc. The input is being analyzed which will be completed in the Fall. By February, they will vote, apparently it looks favorable to school psychologists. 

ü      CSP Journal Update – Michael Hass from Chapman University will take over the publication of the journal. The focus of the journal will be linking theory to practice. Michael is also looking to expand the articles for practitioners, readership, student involvement, etc.. It will be in electronic format.

ü      From your CASP Treasurer (Barbara Lewis Mill): Barbara started the fiscal discussion, related to CASP budget, with a wonderful roller coaster analogy associated with her recent trip to Disney World. Barbara discussed the budget and final numbers for the year including the losses for the year which were much lower than initially expected. This was in large part due to free venues and speakers who charged reduced and low cost fees. This was also due to the large rally right before convention last March of participants at the associate and student level! YEAH!  CASP is committed to finding ways to cut costs and allocate spending to ensure maximum support for the members.

ü      WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU!!! Send us your funny stories for CASP Today publication. Deadline is September 15^th.  Send other articles you’re working on, as well. Please send submissions to Heidi at communications@casponline.org.

ü      CASP Convention 2010: Helping Schools Invest in All Students: Please plan on attending March 4-6 in Santa Clara. Also presentation proposals are being accepted until next week!

ü      Final wrap-up: All Region I members are invited to join the Sonoma County Association of School Psychologists in the their Kick-Off Event.  Jennifer Shannon, MFT, and Litsa Tanner, MFT, will be presenting on Anxiety and Its Relationship to School Phobia and Refusal Behaviors.  It is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23 and will begin with lunch at Osake in Santa Rosa.  Please visit the SCASP website at www.scap.org for more information.  If anyone out of town would like to attend, please contact me and we can find a psychologist willing to put you up for the night.

ü      Important Dates to Remember:

·         Affiliate Leadership Day- October 22-24 

·         December 9, 2009 Outstanding School Psychologist, Sandra Goff Memorial Award, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Scholarship and Paul Henkin Convention Scholarship nominations are due.

·         CASP Convention- March 4-6 Hyatt Regency Santa Clara

Rose Velásquez, Region I Representative   ü    rvelasquez@sonomoaselpa.org  ü    707-524-2929

MLA Update: The CASP Board of Directors met prior to the Convention and again, as in the January teleconference, placed renewed emphasis on our due diligence regarding APA‚s proposed action to eliminate the exemption to use "psychologist" in our title and any reference to all things psychological, or related to psychology, if the Model Licensure Act goes forward. As a profession, we know our Master‚s level training as School Psychologists is not only based in the "intra-child" model of school based psychoeducational assessment, but is also ecologically based in its consideration of the contexts of home and community which inform our ability to consult, collaborate, and perform program evaluation. Our experience and training is based in schools. We are well situated to support teachers and administrators in the understanding and implementation of Response to Intervention beyond the school psychologists‚ typically thought of role in assessment for Special Education eligibility. We are able to analyze data to make program recommendations, devise local norms and track the success of evidenced based interventions. With all due respect, I challenge Clinical Psychologists to do what we do with the expertise with which we do it.  

Proposed Title 5 Changes: Of equal importance for students is the attempt to limit related Pupil Services Coalition (PSC) members (PPS, MFT and LCSW) from providing service to Non-Public School students. See the CASP website for sample letters and continue to talk with your administrators, teachers, parents and colleagues about these important issues. Especially with the current shortage of school psychologists, the extra costs of finding and employing Doctoral level Clinical Psychologists to districts and NPS‚s would just be an added burden.

Money, Money, Money: CASP currently reports good reserves, indicating we are fiscally sound, but we will have to dip into them to weather the current budget challenges. Convention attendance was down, but the Political Action Committee (PAC) fundraiser was lively and successful. I hope you were able to sample the wonderful hors d‚oevres, hear the jazz band, bid on, (and win!), some of the wonderful auction items. Don‚t forget about Summer Institute (in San Jose June 15-17) as one means of continuing your own professional development, but also contributing to CASP‚s coffers. An upbeat note has been the fiscal benefits of the Assoc. of CA School Administrator‚s (ACSA) partnership with CASP and their collaborative RtI presentations around the state. CASP‚s share of these earnings was $30,000!  Finally, if the budget woes have you receiving a layoff notice see the CASP website for support and next steps.
 
Board Actions: The Executive Board voted on and approved the adoption of the NASP Position Paper on SLD. The Board also approved amended changes to the Procedure Manual regarding the CSP Journal. The Journal will move forward with a primary online access but continued hardcopy publication in limited availability.
 
NCSP hours:  The CASP office (Thanks Heidi!) has begun the extensive paperwork process required to become an approved provider for Nationally Certified School Psychologist mandated professional development hours. Stay tuned for developments.
 
News Around the Regions:  Long Beach Affiliate reported a presentation on "A Framework for Understanding Poverty."  They also have an Affiliate Board Member dedicated to community outreach and fundraising. Orange Co. invited Dr. Naglieri to present. Region X Affiliates in Lodi/Stockton had a workshop on the DAS-II while Placer Co. organized one on the WRAML-2.
 
Our own Sonoma Co. Affiliate will be hosting Dr. Emily Rubin for a return visit (April 21-22) with emphasis on the Emotional Regulation component in the SCERTS model (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, Transactional Supports) for ASD. We will also be hosting Dr. Jessup, a lead researcher on the UNIT, for a presentation on Tuesday morning May 13. Contact 707/524-2750 for details.

Michelle Fourré
Previous Region I Representative