Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Short Course Program

• Does my child get reported as absent from their district while attending a one-week short course?
  No. Districts should continue to mark them as present as if they were on a field trip. Districts should continue to receive their average daily attendance (ADA) while the child is at California School for the Blind (CSB). A letter from CSB can be provided that confirms this and is available on request.
  
  
• Is participation in a short course considered a change in placement?
  No. Applying to become an enrolled student at CSB is an entirely different process than participating in a short course. However, families sometimes use short courses as an opportunity for the student to experience CSB first-hand as part of their decision-making process for applying to the school.
  
  
• Are there costs associated with attendance of a short course?
  No. Participation in a short course is free to families and districts. Sometimes students like to have money available, for example, to purchase a souvenir during an off-campus field trip. However, bringing a small amount of spending money is at the discretion of a family. There are no costs for participation in short courses including dorms, dining, and transportation.
  
  
• Can transportation be provided for a student that lives far from CSB?
  Yes. Students travel long distances including Southern and Northern California to participate in short course programs. CSB has an extensive bus network for students that live within a four-hour drive of our campus. For longer distances, flights can frequently be arranged at no cost. For students who are not independent flyers, escort support by CSB staff can often be arranged. All transportation must be arranged in advance.
  
  
• Can a family member submit the application?
  Yes. Either a family member or district staff may submit the application. Typically districts and families need to collaborate to complete an application.
  
  
• Can a student take more than one short course in a school year?
  Yes. Students may attend more than one short course in a year. Students may also attend one or more Summer Academy courses in the same year as short courses.
  
  
• Does a separate application need to be submitted for each short course?
  No. Only one application per year needs to be submitted for short courses. The application is designed to indicate interest in more than one short course. Participation in Summer Academies is a separate application process.
  
  
• My child has an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and is visually impaired, but they are not 'legally blind'. Would they still be able to attend a course?
  Yes. Students attending our courses have varying degrees and types of visual impairments. All of the students are visually impaired, but they do not need to be legally blind to participate in our programs.

If you have further questions not listed on this page, please contact Erica Hogle, Short-Term Programs Coordinator, at ehogle@csb-cde.ca.gov or by phone on 510-951-1889. If you have any application related questions, please reach out to Sarah Joseph, Outreach Coordinator at sjoseph@csb-cde.ca.gov or by phone on 510-936-5506.