VISSPA Workload Adjustments

Direct Service Time: specially designed instruction delivered by a VI professional to individuals and/or small groups to provide instruction in the expanded core curriculum (ECC) and access to the core curriculum.

Direct services are provided to address educational needs directly related to the student’s visual impairment and not to provide additional academic instruction (i.e., tutoring). For the purpose of this tool, direct service time totals come from VISSIT/O&M VISSIT results of all the students on a caseload.

The following are possible considerations related to direct service time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• If there are multiple VI professionals, review all staff VISSPA data and make adjustments in caseloads
• Hire additional VI staff
• Recruit new VI professionals through the “Grow Your Own” strategy
• Research availability for contract staff to assist part-time
• Determine if plans and arrangements for IEP service time can be conducted outside the school day. (e.g., add days to a COMS contract in order to provide O&M services after the school day or in the summer) TEC section 30.002(e)(5)
• Make sure IEP goals are related to the role of the TSVI and/or COMS in the current version of Guidelines and Standards for Educating Students with Visual Impairments in Texas Standards 5 & 6.
• Consider referral to residential school placement (e.g., TSBVI) for students with very high VI service time and/or intensive need in specially designed VI instruction (e.g., due to transitioning from print to braille, sudden loss of vision, complex communication needs)
• Cluster students with similar IEP objectives

Collaborative Consultation Time: an interactive process that enables VI professionals to generate creative solutions to mutually defined problems with other educational team members, including families. Time spent in this activity should be documented in the IEP/IFSP meeting.

The following are possible considerations related to collaborative consultation service time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• If there are multiple VI professionals, review all staff VISSPA data and make adjustments in caseloads
• Hire additional VI staff
• Recruit new VI professionals through the “Grow Your Own” strategy
• Research availability for contract staff to assist part-time
• Encourage VI professionals to schedule and document collaborative consultation time accurately
• Check VI professional(s) shared calendar to see if collaborative consultation time is related to student programming.
• VI professionals could develop group training that can be used with multiple classroom teachers and/or service providers to reduce time spent on individual training surrounding a common topic for an individual student (e.g., on topics such as how to use routines/calendars in a class, basic facts about having a student with a visual impairment in your classroom, hand-under-hand technique, guide technique).

Travel Time: time spent traveling from one location (home, school, and/or community) to another and within buildings to perform duties related to the student’s educational program or additional workload activities.

The following are possible considerations related to travel time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• If there are multiple staff, review the caseload and restructure by geographical location in order to minimize individual staff driving time.
• If there is only one staff member, review the caseload and restructure by grouping by day and geographical location to minimize driving across territory.

Duty-Free Lunch: allocated lunch time free of all work assignments, depending on individual state guidelines. This category of time usage on the VISSPA cannot be adjusted.

Materials/Equipment Preparation and Procurement: the production and/or purchasing of materials and equipment unique to the education of a student with a visual impairment. Includes, but is not limited to, converting print and graphics to braille/raised line drawings, enlarging print, making tactile symbols, building/creating active learning materials, converting text to audible formats, building adaptive mobility devices, hardware/software setup/installation, and creating tactile maps.

The following are possible considerations related to materials/equipment preparation and procurement time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Dedicate a paraeducator who is trained to assist in materials production
• Check with other districts/service centers/agencies to determine if specialized equipment can be shared.
• Hire a contractor/clerical assistant to help with materials preparation

IEP/IFSP Meetings – Planning/Participation: time related to this category includes both planning and participation in the IEP/IFSP process.

The following are possible considerations related to IEP/IFSP meetings – planning/participation time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Attend virtual meetings to cut down on travel time
• Review local, state, and national regulations to find out which IEP/IFSP meetings are required for VI personnel

Braille Materials Preparation: includes planning, production, and proofreading of braille and tactile graphics/maps.

The following are possible considerations related to braille materials preparation time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Use a braille production company/agency
• Dedicate a paraeducator or clerical staff trained to operate a braille production unit
• Purchase braille production equipment and software for faster production
• Partner with the local agency to utilize braille production equipment

Lesson Preparation: time spent to develop, plan, and write the contents of a lesson. May include route planning for orientation and mobility. Does not include time spent in preparing and/or procuring materials or equipment used in the lesson (this time will be reported in the Materials/Equipment Preparation and Procurement category).

The following are possible considerations related to lesson preparation time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Consider that lesson preparation generally will be more time-intensive for new VI professionals
• Pair with an experienced professional to assist in lesson planning
• Allow for additional paid time before the school year begins for learning routes in new communities for COMS

Evaluations: time spent on evaluations for eligibility/reevaluation/dismissal, IEP/IFSP development, and/or progress monitoring. These may include the Functional Vision Evaluation, Learning Media Assessment, Orientation and Mobility Evaluation, and ECC Evaluation. Evaluation time may also include observation and collaboration with other team members.

The following are possible considerations related to evaluation time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Consider utilizing one staff member for evaluation only, depending on skill level, experience, etc.
• Consider spreading out evaluations across staff members equitably
• Consider contracting for evaluation staff
• For inexperienced VI professionals, review and help organize their evaluation process

Medical Appointments: time spent attending sensory-related medical evaluations, such as clinical low vision evaluations, audiology appointments, and eye doctor appointments.

The following are possible considerations related to medical appointments when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Encourage the district to invite a low vision specialist to travel to your city for a day of clinical low vision evaluations
• Take advantage of low vision clinics for conducting low vision evaluations for multiple students on the same day

Accountability Reporting: time spent in progress monitoring and data collection (including observations), documentation for Medicaid reimbursement programs, and completing daily logs.

The following are possible considerations related to accountability reporting time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Develop a streamlined process for entering data electronically or consider apps on an iPad or apps on a smartphone
• Utilize paraeducator/clerical staff to input handwritten notes

Assistive Technology (AT) Support: time spent may include attending specialized training specific to individual AT products/devices, AT training/modeling for teachers/paraeducators/family members, communicating with vendors/campus/district IT staff to set up the student’s AT and/or resolve technology challenges.

The following are possible considerations related to assistive technology (AT) support time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Consider utilizing support from assistive technology vendors
• Consider collaborating with local resources that have specialized assistive technology programs (Lighthouse for the Blind, state rehabilitation programs, etc.)
• Utilize state programs and Outreach programs/Short-Term Programs to advance knowledge (e.g., Lighthouse, state school for the blind and visually impaired)
• Use remote learning opportunities and archived trainings for just-in-time training on AT devices

Applications for Other Services or Program Development: completing applications and documentation for specialized programs on behalf of students such as summer programs, short-term programs, camps, work programs, ESY programs, etc. Program development may include time spent in creation and/or participation in a summer ECC program, technology, sports, or O&M skill-related event.

The following are possible considerations related to applications for other services or program development time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Complete forms online rather than filling in a paper copy
• Enlist the assistance of the family when filling out a form

Preparation and Administration of High-Stakes Testing: includes standardized statewide assessments, advanced placement testing, end-of-course tests, benchmark testing, college entrance exams (PSAT/SAT/ACT), etc.

The following are possible considerations related to the preparation and administration of high-stakes testing time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• VI professionals can collaborate with other school personnel so that the trained personnel can facilitate testing instead of the VI professional

Technical Assistance/Training for Others: providing training or demonstrations to district or campus staff, community workers, and others who are NOT directly related to a specific student. Examples may include training on basic O&M techniques and terminology, reviewing technology options for a range of students, teaching gestures/basic signs for students who are deafblind, training on the referral process to assessment personnel, presenting to a class on White Cane Day, discussing the role of a VI professional at a career day/job fair, or presenting “VI 101” information to district administrators/staff.

The following are possible considerations related to technical assistance/training for others’ time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Develop trainings that can be used routinely to promote general knowledge and utilized regularly
• Use virtual meetings to conduct technical assistance and/or training for others

District-Required Meetings: time spent attending meetings or other duties required by the district that are not student-specific.  Examples may include campus faculty meetings, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) training, professional evaluations, and/or health and safety trainings.

The following are possible considerations related to district-required meeting time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Consider relevance to VI professionals and work with the administrator to create training specific to VI professional development

Staff/Professional Development: time spent attending trainings, webinars, conferences, and/or participating in professional learning communities.

The following are possible considerations related to staff/professional development time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Allow VI professionals to complete staff/professional development hours over the summer or virtually
• Allow staff to attend staff meetings virtually

Team/Staff Meetings: time spent meeting with the VI team, supervisor, or student-specific staffing meetings.

The following are possible considerations related to team/staff meeting time when addressing a workload that is over 40 hours per week:

• Prepare and follow an agenda for every meeting. Keep meetings brief (1.5-hour max) and productive
• Allow participation through virtual meetings

• Shift caseloads between staff members.
• Add additional job responsibilities related to students with visual impairments. These tasks could include managing assistive technology, keeping inventory of VI-specific materials including purchases and equipment checkout, forming a parent group, increasing outreach/training to community partners/educational staff, and developing a new ECC event or activity.
• Build specialized skills in this individual to be shared with the team.
• Mentor other VI professionals in the district.
• Handle majority of initial referrals and/or VI-related evaluations.
• Review results of VISSPA to make sure individual is carrying out all related job responsibilities.