Exam Bulletin - Supervising Counselor, School for the Blind

Department of Education

Exam Code: EX-3666

Examination Plans Included:

  • SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Bulletin Updates

  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been changed.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continuous filing dates have been added.
  • Continous filing dates have been deleted.
  • Continous filing dates have been deleted.

Classification Details

SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND: $4,936.00 - $6,110.00 (A) per Month

View the SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND classification specification.

Application Instructions

To apply for this examination, you must submit a completed examination application package which includes an Employment Application (STD. 678), the Qualifications Assessment Questionnaire with the Affirmation Statement, and evidence of completion of the education requirement (unofficial copies are acceptable). Please click the "Apply Now" button (found at the top of this page) to submit all required documents.

This examination utilizes monthly cut-offs. Cut-off dates are subject to change, please see below for the most current cut-off dates

Upcoming Filing Cutoff Dates:

  • 12/16/2024
  • 1/15/2025
  • 2/14/2025
  • 3/14/2025

Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) must be received or postmarked by the filing date indicated above. Applications postmarked, personally delivered or received via interoffice mail after the filing date will be processed in the next group.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

    3666

For SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-03666

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

You may apply by mail to:

  • Department of Education
    Examination and Recruitment Office
    1430 N Street, Room 1802
    Sacramento, CA 95814

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678).

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

  • Department of Education
    Examination and Recruitment Office
    1430 N Street, Room 1802
    Sacramento, CA 95814
    8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
    Please date stamp before placing in the drop box.

Indicate the Examination Code and Classification(s) on your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678). All applicants must provide proof of identification. Accepted forms of identification are: 1) a photo identification card or 2) two forms of signed identification.

The following items must be submitted with your Examination/Employment Application form. Failure to submit these items may result in rejection of your application.

  • Other - Completed and signed Qualifications Assessment Questionnaire (PDF)
  • Other - Evidence of completion of required education (unofficial copies are acceptable)

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00109714 - SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

Education Requirements:

Completion of 18 semester units or equivalent of college level course work in the following areas: (Note: A minimum of three semester units or equivalent must be completed in at least three different areas. Course content rather than title will determine acceptability as it relates to the minimum requirements.)

1. Child growth and development.

2. Recreational planning and/or physical education methodology for children.

3. Education techniques.

4. English composition or report writing.

5. Health science and hygiene.

6. Psychology, sociology, behavioral sciences, handicapping conditions, family life, social work, or rehabilitation.

(Equivalent to completion of a two-year college associate degree in any major or a Certificate of Achievement requiring 18 or more semester units in child development, early childhood studies, American sign language, deaf studies, consumer and family services, sociology, or psychology may be substituted for the education requirement. Applicants who are enrolled in college and are within one semester of completing the required education may be admitted to the examination but must submit evidence of completion before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)

Experience Requirements

Pattern I

One year of experience in the California state service performing student-counseling duties in a class at a level of responsibility equivalent to a Counselor, School for the Blind. or

Pattern II
Three years of experience in educating, nursing, counseling, or providing recreational activities or residential care for groups of children, which must have included at least one year working as a lead or supervisor over other staff.


 

Position Description

00109714 - SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND

This is the first supervisory level in the series. Under general direction, incumbents in this class work as shift supervisors over counselor staff who provide residential care services to students. Typical tasks include planning and coordinating activities and programs which meet the identified needs of students; preparing or supervising the preparation of written schedules, activity plans, and student behavior management programs; supervising, training, and providing guidance and expertise to staff; contacting parents regarding the more difficult student behavior problems and coordinating the provision of nonschool social, medical, and other services to students and parents; participating in the development of individual student development plans with academic and other school professional staff; ensuring back-up support for Counselors in activities or in controlling student behavior; and working as a night shift supervisor over Night Attendants, School for the Blind.

All classes in this series require: Supportive understanding of the problems of disabled children; interest and concern for the safety and welfare of children; keenness of observation; willingness to assume an instructional role with students; willingness to work differing shifts; tact and patience; and dress appropriate for the assignment.

Possession of a valid driver license of the appropriate class issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1Supplemental ReportWith Application100%

Components that are due with your application will be scored and will count toward your final examination result. Failure to submit these items may result in disqualification or elimination from the examination.

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles and techniques of effective employee development, training, and supervision; the organization and function of a school for the blind; techniques for planning and coordinating staffing and student activity schedules; principles of effective communication; documentation requirements and techniques of student behavior and activities; the duties of other staff members; a supervisor's responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employee development and promotion, and for maintaining a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment; a supervisor's role in the labor relations program.

 Ability to: All of the above, and effectively assign, supervise, train, and provide leadership to subordinate staff; effectively plan, develop, organize, and schedule activities and programs for blind students; effectively document student behavior incidents and other reports; make constructive, realistic decisions; recognize symptoms requiring medical or other special care; effectively promote equal opportunity in employment and maintain a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment; effectively administer labor relations contracts.

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Open eligible list for the SUPERVISING COUNSELOR, SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND Classification will be established for:

  • Department of Education

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 24 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Testing Departments

  • Department of Education

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of Education
Examination and Recruitment Office
1430 N Street, Room 1802
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 319-0857
cdeexams@cde.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of Education reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
In Person (see bulletin for details)
Alternate Application Process

While we recommend that you utilize your CalCareer Account to take advantage of all the tools available, you may choose to apply for this examination without using your account. In this case, print and complete the Exam Application Package Checklist and include it if you submit a hard copy application.

Exam Application Package Checklist

Blank Application Form (STD678)

Accommodation Request (STD679)