Report 2017-102 Recommendation 8 Responses

Report 2017-102: California Community Colleges: The Colleges Reviewed Are Not Adequately Monitoring Services for Technology Accessibility, and Districts and Colleges Should Formalize Procedures for Upgrading Technology (Release Date: December 2017)

Recommendation #8 To: Cerritos Community College District

To ensure that it is fulfilling requests for alternate media services from students with disabilities in a timely manner, by June 2018, Cerritos should establish procedures for monitoring its timeliness in responding to such requests so that it can periodically review its performance in completing the requests. Specifically, Cerritos should record and track sufficient information to be able to review how long it takes to complete requests. Additionally, Cerritos should calculate the number of days it takes to complete requests, and periodically evaluate its performance against its time-frame goals.

1-Year Agency Response

Cerritos College has developed standard operating procedures to ensure equal access to instructional materials for qualified students with disabilities. The procedures include college catalogs, course schedules, textbooks and other printed course materials in alternate formats. The Universal Access Taskforce is reviewing the alternate media procedures for finalization. The Taskforce has also developed an Equally Effective Alternative Access Plan which will ensure compliance with the California Government Code Section 11135 and Section 508. A copy of the procedure and plan will be provided. See attachments for supporting documents.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

The operating procedures provided to us by Cerritos contain provisions for it to track the time to complete alternate media requests, to analyze the timeliness of addressing requests periodically, and to make programmatic changes to achieve necessary improvements.

6-Month Agency Response

Cerritos College has drafted standard operating procedures to ensure equal access to instructional materials for qualified students with disabilities. The procedures include college catalogs, course schedules, textbooks and other printed course materials in alternate formats. The Universal Access Taskforce is reviewing the alternate media procedures for finalization. The Taskforce has also drafted an Equally Effective Alternative Access Plan which will ensure compliance with the California Government Code Section 11135 and Section 508. A copy of the procedure and plan will be provided.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

Meetings are begun to discuss the DSPS internal processes, and tools that we will use to develop and track timely delivery of alternate media. The Universal Access Task Force is meeting February 2, 2018 to develop a plan for implementation.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2017-102

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.