Student Services Program Review-Spring 2010 - Shasta College

6. EquipmentAll staff computers and office furniture, along with computers and furnishings for theAssistive Technology Lab are provided by the district. Computers are upgradedand replaced according to the technology plan. Furnishings and equipment arefrequently redeployed from other district offices; DSPS budget has limitedallowance for the purchase of equipment or furnishings.While most equipment and Assistive Technology applications are relativelymoderate in expenses, we do anticipate the need to upgrade the Braille Embosser.The current Braille embosser is the Index Basic Embosser, which was purchased inDecember 2000 and has begun to blow a fuse repeatedly, and is not reliable forheavy production work. There have of course been some significant improvementsin embossing technologies since that time, especially with the handling of graphics.The machine when it was originally purchased was $4,146; replacement of thecurrent embosser would cost approximately $3,295.7. Budget Information, Requests, Action PlansThe state allocation for DSPS (based on weighted student count) had beenrelatively stable until 2008-09. However, from 2006-07 until 2009-10 the number ofstudents DSPS serves has grown by 37 % (see Table 1). With the 2008-09 and2009-10 budget reductions, the number of dollars per student served has been cutin half. Expenses have been predictable, with the exception of the cost forinterpreting and captioning services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Theseexpenses have been supplemented through an annual grant from the Chancellor’sOffice, but the amount has varied, ranging from $43,000 to $80,000.DSPS has two budgets, each corresponding to a state-funded revenue stream.One budget is based primarily upon a weighted-student count of students withdisabilities who received four or more service contacts (e.g. accommodations).The other budget is based on funding received through the college for specialclass enrollment or FTES.Both budgets are intended to cover what is known in Title 5 as Direct ExcessCosts, those actual fixed, variable, and one-time costs…for providingaccommodations, equipment or instruction, which exceed the combined total ofthe following:a. The average cost to the district of providing comparable services (as definedin Section 56066) to non-disabled students times the number of studentsreceiving such services from DSPS;b. The revenue derived from special classes as provided in Section 56070;c. Any other funds for serving students with disabilities which the districtreceives from federal, state, or local sources other than discretionary districtfunds.In other words direct excess costs are expenditures that can be paid withDSPS categorical funds with money from the college general fund (collegeeffort).- 200 -