Leaving High School & Coming to College: What You N eed to Know and Do

1. Leaving High School &Coming to College:What You Need to Know and Do Learning Services Napa Valley College McCarthy Library 2nd Floor Room 1766 (707) 256-7442

2. Our Goals for the Students • To become strong self-advocates • To understand their strengths & areas of difficulty • To work to their highest potential • To gain awareness about available campus & community resources

3. Comparison between High School and College Disability Services High School College The school is required to provide appropriate academic adjustments as necessary to ensure that it does not discriminate based on disability There are no formal “plans” and instructors are only contacted by the student. Students must provide consent for parental involvement (even to view grades) • The school must identify an individual’s needs and provide any regular or special education and related aids and services necessary to meet those needs • IEP or 504 Plans drive all services and accommodations, and involve teachers, counselors and parents

4. Comparison between High School and College Disability ServicesWho is responsible? High School College Students need to initiate services, rather than parents Students do not have to disclose that they have a disability; however, they must do so with Learning Services if they want to receive academic accommodations • Parents or teachers often initiate disability-related services • Students “often times” are not actively involved in their educational plan

5. Comparison between High School and College Disability Services Accommodations High School College A student completes the testing process and may qualify to receive accommodations as an LD student based on the guidelines from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office The Learning Services Department provides the student with an accommodation letter outlining appropriate accommodations for each class Student provides accommodation letter to their instructors • At the IEP or 504 meeting, classroom accommodations may be formally developed. • Some teachers informally agree to provide accommodations in their classroom

6. LS Services All services and accommodations are determined on an individual basis and will vary from one student to the next. Accommodations and services might include: • Classroom Accommodations • Priority Registration • Note-taking • Assistive Technology & Alternate Media

7. What to Expect –A Summary • Students with a learning disability should make an appointment at the Learning Services office (Room 1766 – McCarthy Bldg) and bring current disability documentation (an IEP) prepared by an appropriate professional indicating how the disability impacts academic performance. • Once the student completes the assessment at Learning Services and qualifies, appropriate academic accommodations will be provided by the school. • Accommodations should allow students with disabilities to demonstrate their mastery of the subject matter being tested (level the playing field), but not lower academic standards or essential requirements of the course or program • Students should continue to utilize the LS office to review the status of accommodations.

8. To Get Started • Complete an application to the College through NVC WebAdvisor http://www.napavalley.edu/WebAdvisor/Pages/default.aspx • If you have medical documentation for your disability, provide DSPS with medical documentation on your disability (which meets Napa Valley Colleges Guidelines) after admission to the college. • If you have an I.E.P. or 504 Plan, provide Learning Services with this documentation after admission to the college. • If you have a learning disability, schedule a testing appointment with Learning Services room 1766 or call 256-7442.

9. Learning Disability Testing Flowchart Ach. I testing (1 hr) Intake Packet (1 hr) Ach. Results (½ hr) Referral to Campus Resources No Yes Ach. II Testing (1 hr) Nelson Denny Testing (1 hr) Cognitive Testing (3 hr) Final Results (1 hr) No Yes Referral to Campus Resources Accommodations (1 hr)