Personal Attendant

Personal Attendants as an Accommodation

Personal Attendants will be allowed entrance into MiraCosta College classrooms, meeting online and in-person, as an authorized accommodation for qualified students per Administrative Procedure 4072. A student who requires individual assistance through a Personal Attendant will make arrangements to provide for their own service. MiraCosta College does not assume coordination or financial responsibility for this accommodation.

Students: Getting Started

The first step in requesting this accommodation is to meet with a SAS counselor after applying to the SAS program. If authorized, the Personal Attendant accommodation will be available to you to use when you request your Accommodation Forms. Once authorized for this accommodation, you must request updated Accommodation Forms from SAS each semester if you wish to use a Personal Attendant in your class(es). You are responsible for notifying your Personal Attendant that they must submit a completed MiraCosta College Personal Attendant Accommodation & Agreement Form each semester. If a different or additional Personal Attendant is needed during the semester, you are responsible for ensuring they submit the completed form.

Personal Attendants: Getting Started

Personal Attendants must review and submit a completed MiraCosta College Personal Attendant Accommodation & Agreement Form for the semester they will be supporting the student in class. Personal Attendants must not attend with the student in the classroom until:

The student has been authorized for this accommodation for the semester, and
The Personal Attendant has submitted the completed MiraCosta College Personal Attendant Accommodation & Agreement Form to SAS.

Important Guidelines And Policies For Students, Personal Attendants and Instructors

Personal Attendants are expected to adhere to the following:

Personal Attendants provide individualized physical or behavioral support that enables classroom participation but do not serve an instructional or advocacy role. The instructor remains the sole authority in the classroom, and the attendant's assistance should focus on tasks such as turning pages, retrieving materials, attending to medical needs, or providing support to help the student regulate behavior and engage appropriately in classroom activities.
Personal Attendants will provide services in a discreet manner without disrupting instruction. They should not engage in communication on behalf of the student with instructors, classroom staff, or classmates.
Personal Attendants are not responsible for the student’s academic progress.
Personal Attendants will not participate in the class independently.
Personal Attendants will not discuss any confidential information about the student with the instructor, staff or other students.
Personal Attendants are allowed in proctoring appointments on a case-by-case basis, dependent upon approval of a SAS Counselor.
Personal Attendants cannot use any course material or information shared in the classroom setting (online or on campus) in any way that would interfere with the legal right of privacy for the students and/or the instructor and must ensure protection of content licensing.
Personal Attendants are expected to follow the Administrative Procedure 5500: Standards of Student Conduct and comply with all expectations outlined above. Failure to adhere to these expectations and procedures may result in the college determining that the Personal Attendant is no longer permitted to support the student in the classroom. In such cases, the accommodation for a Personal Attendant remains in place for the student, but the student will be responsible for identifying a different Personal Attendant, who must also complete and submit the MiraCosta College Personal Attendant Accommodation & Agreement Form.

Student FAQ

Who hires and pays for my Personal Attendant?

Students are responsible for securing, training, and compensating their own Personal Attendants.

Can SAS help me find a Personal Attendant?

SAS does not provide Personal Attendants, but they can help direct you to community resources.

What if my Personal Attendant is absent?

Students should plan ahead for backup support. The absence of a Personal Attendant does not change course requirements or attendance expectations.

Can my Personal Attendant help with my academic work?

Personal Attendants cannot complete assignments or take quizzes/exams for you, or otherwise participate academically.

Can a Personal Attendant attend class in my place?

No. Personal Attendants are only present to assist you while you are attending class.

What should I do if I have questions about this accommodation?

If you have already been authorized to use a Personal Attendant, please contact the SAS counselor listed at the bottom of your Accommodation Form, or reach out to SAS directly at sas@miracosta.edu or 760-795-6658. If you have not yet been authorized for a Personal Attendant but have questions about this accommodation, please contact SAS using the information above. SAS staff can answer your questions and, if needed, help schedule a meeting between you and a SAS counselor.

Does my Personal Attendant need to pay for parking?

Following approval by SAS, Personal Attendants are eligible to receive a free parking pass for the semester they are supporting you, provided that your Accommodation Form for the semester includes "Accompanied by a Personal Attendant" and the Personal Attendant submitted a completed Personal Attendant Accommodation & Agreement Form for that semester.

Instructor FAQ

How will I know if a student has a Personal Attendant?

If a student has been authorized for a Personal Attendant and they’re requesting to use a Personal Attendant in your class, the student’s SAS accommodation form will note “Accompanied by Personal Attendant” within the Classroom Accommodation section of the form.

What role does the Personal Attendant play in my class?

Personal Attendants only provide specific supports (ex. handling materials, mobility assistance, helping facilitate appropriate classroom conduct). They are not academic participants and should not engage in class activities.

What should I do if a Personal Attendant disrupts class?

If issues arise, notify your Department Chair and/or Dean as soon as possible and contact the SAS counselor listed on the bottom of the accommodation form or the SAS office at sas@miracosta.edu or 760-795-6658, to share your observations. In urgent cases, an administrative official may be contacted to address the situation immediately.

Should I communicate directly with the Personal Attendant?

Please address all class-related communication to the student. The Personal Attendant is there to support the student, not to replace communication between instructor and student.

What about confidentiality?

Personal Attendants are expected to maintain confidentiality and may not discuss student information with instructors, staff, or classmates. In accordance with FERPA, you may not disclose any educational information about the student to the Personal Attendant. The student is responsible for sharing their educational information (ex. grades, etc) to the Personal Attendant should they choose.

Does the presence of a Personal Attendant change course requirements?

No. Students remain responsible for meeting all course objectives and academic expectations. The Personal Attendant’s role is to support access, not to modify standards.

What should I do if a student comes to class with someone, they say is there to help them, but I haven’t received an accommodation form that includes “Accompanied by Personal Attendant”?

You can provide them SAS’s contact information (www.miracosta.edu/sas; sas@miracosta.edu; 760-795-6658) and share that having someone else in class with them must be authorized by SAS as an academic accommodation in accordance with Administrative Procedure 4072.

What should I do if I have questions about this accommodation?

Please contact the SAS counselor listed on the bottom of the student’s accommodation form or the SAS office at sas@miracosta.edu or 760-795-6658.