Staff Qualifications 

CEA ensures that all individuals employed, contracted, and/or otherwise hired by CEA to provide classroom and/or individualized instruction or related services hold a license, certificate, permit, or other document equivalent to that which staff in a public school/Agency are required to hold in the service rendered as defined in the Master Contract. Such qualified staff will only provide related services within the scope of their professional license, certification or credential and ethical standards set by each profession and not assume responsibility or authority for another related services provider or special education teacher’s scope of practice. When contracting for Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI), CEA will ensure that each special education staff meets the (HQT) requirements and holds a full California Commission Teacher Credential (CCTC) authorizing instruction to students with the disabling conditions

CEA complies with personnel standards and qualifications regarding instructional aides and teacher assistants. CEA complies with all laws and regulations governing the licensed professions, including but not limited to, the provisions with respect to supervision. CEA provides the Charter LEA with updated information regarding the status of licenses, credentials, permits and/or other documents within 30 days of known changes.

Staff Absence

When a service provider is absent, CEA will provide a qualified substitute, unless LEA provides appropriate coverage in lieu of CEA's service providers. It is understood that the parent of a student shall not be deemed to be a qualified substitute for their student. The contracted LEA will not pay for services unless a qualified substitute is provided and/or CEA provides documentation evidencing the provision of “make-up” services by a qualified service provider within thirty (30) calendar days from the date on which the services should have been provided.

Health and Safetyl

Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect the California Penal Code defines who qualifies as a “mandated reporter”. This definition includes classified and certificated school site employees and contractors. As a result, CEA shall verify and annually train all necessary staff members, including volunteers, so that they are familiar with and agree to adhere to its child and dependent adult mandatory reporting obligations and procedures. CEA will provide the contracted Charter LEA, written documentation for each individual volunteering, employed, contracted, and/or otherwise hired by CEA of such compliance before the individual meets the Charter LEA student.

Tuberculosis Requirements

The California Health and Safety Code required all school site employees, including NPA staff, to show proof of the absence of Tuberculosis (TB). The Master Contract requires the agency to provide the contracted Charter LEA with Tuberculosis clearances. Please note: TB clearances are valid for four years and only those persons with documented, positive skin tests may submit certificates to prove absence of active TB which may or may not include a chest x-ray (California Health and Safety Code sections 121525-121555).

Fingerprinting of Staff

CEA follows the California State Law Guidelines, that are as follows, an individual who has been convicted of a serious and/or violent crime is precluded from employment or volunteer service in California’s public schools. An individual who is awaiting trial for serious and/or violent crimes is also precluded from rendering service in California public schools until the matter has been legally concluded. As a result, California law requires all public-school employers to secure criminal background clearance for each new employee. All persons who have contact with pupils must have completed a Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal history clearance before they can be employed by CEA. As required by EC 44237, the DOJ criminal history clearance includes both state and federal criminal record checks. For the most current information on fees and fingerprint submissions, please see the DOJ Web site External link opens in new window or tab. (California Education Code Section 44237). The Live Scan program overseen by the California Department of Justice provides an automated service for criminal history background checks. CEA provides the Contracted Charter LEA with the verified dates of fingerprint clearance and the Department of Justice clearance. CEA staff may obtain a Live Scan locally at law enforcement offices and County Offices of Education. Once fingerprinted, the time to receive clearances may vary. An approximate time frame is one or two weeks. The information provided by the Department of Justice to each employer regarding the previous criminal history information, is confidential. As a result, this information may not be shared between employers AND therefore, each new employer must obtain clearance.

Professional development

Every Wednesday professional development staff will share effective, best‐practice with one another, with clients in special subgroups. Data Collection and Disaggregation Program director collects data and prepares for specialist. Data is desegregated by subgroups, individual grades and Age.

Review and Reflect: specialist review client performance expectations, improvement priorities and areas of client strengths and weaknesses as determined by the data (3) Discussion and Collaboration: Staff discuss findings including data trends, common weaknesses or learning gaps and work together on a set of identified, agency wide actions

Individual Review and Action Steps

Considering the agencywide agreed upon action steps, specialist will conduct a review of their own subgroups data and identify areas where clients may need additional support. CEA staff and consultants will use a variety of instructional strategies to deliver subject matter content to clients. In selecting appropriate instructional strategies, specialist will consider, the relevant content, clients' prior knowledge and prior instruction. In addition to direct instruction and metacognitive strategies, staff will also use Differentiated Instruction and personalized learning.