From: Kimberly Gibbons
Re: MARSS and Child Count Procedures
Date: April 1, 2009 / N
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E / I. Communication between SCRED and Local Districts
Each district determines the responsibility for MARSS data entry by designating one or more MARSS Contact Persons. These people also are the contact persons for state information.
1. At the beginning of each year, SCRED will clarify who is responsible in each district for data entry at which sites.
2. All SCRED reports requiring data entry will then be sent to all MARSS persons.
3. This may be changed at any time by the local district by contacting the SCRED MARSS contact person.
II. Child Count
Each year, a nation-wide census of students with disabilities is taken on December 1. This census is conducted by the state using MARSS data.
SCRED has developed a reporting system and student database in order to supply this required information. The system also incorporates data collection for state reports and local use.
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E / Initial and Annual Student Data
Information on each student with a disability is required to be collected and entered into the SCRED Student Database. Initial student data is collected when a new student with a disability enrolls into the district or when a currently enrolled student is first identified as having a disability.
1. In either case, when the initial IEP is developed, the SCRED member district Due Process Clerk and/or IEP Manager forwards information to the SCRED Database Clerk.
2. At each fall’s UL Conference, a caseload list is provided to each IEP Manager so new service providers and other changes can be recorded.
3. Due Process Clerks and/or IEP Managers are responsible to provide SCRED with this information.
Good accounting practice, federal requirements, and the need for accuracy requires a process to review and update student data. (see attached)
SCRED will develop a schedule and format for the review, addition and correction of student data.
III. MARSS
Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Services
It is the responsibility of the resident district to report ECSE essential MARSS data elements to MARSS. The resident district is the district in which the child’s parents live. It is the responsibility of SCRED to provide ECSE student’s essential MARSS data elements to the resident district MARSS contact persons for MARSS reporting.
Handicapped Early Childhood Students Attending Kindergarten Programs:
Handicapped early childhood students attending kindergarten alone or in association with attendance in an ECSE program are reported by the district providing the kindergarten program.
Handicapped Students Receiving Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Services:
MARSS is used to generate General Education Revenue for children at the Early Childhood level. The SCRED office will prepare the required ECSE attendance reports for Rush City, Hinckley/Finlayson, Pine City, and East Central at the end of the year and send them to local districts for signatures and mailing. Chisago Lakes will prepare their own reports.
The same data elements and general reporting guidelines used to report older students are also used for reporting early childhood and kindergarten disabled students. Whichever school/district/cooperative is the primary instructional provider should report all student data on MARSS, including the time students spend in another district or at a cooperative, with the exception of ALCs and alternative schools.
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E / At the time of assessment for ECSE services, the child’s case manager will complete the Initial Enrollment Record form (see attached form) and send to the SCRED early childhood MARSS Contact Person. The SCRED early childhood MARSS Contact Person will send a copy of the Initial Enrollment Record form to the resident district's MARSS Contact Person. The Initial Enrollment Record will be used to document that a student of early childhood age has been evaluated. These students should be given a special education evaluation status of “2” regardless of the outcome of the completed evaluation. Please note the additional MARSS data in the form to assist in gathering the needed information for the initial enrollment, including the evaluation hours.
If a student qualifies for services, the child’s case manager will complete the MARSS Report and Federal Childcount form (See attached form). Case managers will complete this form whether services are initiated or not. Staff will identify the new special education evaluation status (3,4,5,6), the disability classification, as well as the Federal Educational Placement for the appropriate age category. The case manager will send the completed form to the SCRED early childhood MARSS Contact Person. The SCRED early childhood MARSS Contact Person will send a copy of the MARSS Report and Federal Childcount form to the resident district's MARSS Contact Person and SCRED Childcount Contact Person.
The local district will assign each student a Student’s State Reporting Number. If it is necessary to assign a State Reporting Number to a student attending a shared/cooperative program, the serving district will assign a number.
Students with Disabilities Receiving Special Education Services
1. Most student attendance data regarding disabled students remain the responsibility of the serving district.
2. SCRED will provide each district’s MARSS entry persons with the following data which is collected from the local Due Process Clerk and/or IEP Managers:
Student Name
Primary Disability Classification
Federal Instructional Setting/Level
Special Education Evaluation Status
District of Enrollment
Date of Birth
Age on 12/01
Ethnic Origin Code
Building
Grade
Current IEP Manager
Special Education Start Date
Current IEP Date
IEP Date of Termination and Exit Code if applicable
Last Comp. Evaluation Date
Legal Parent District
Special Transportation Need (Y or N)
Next Year’s Case Manager
MARSS Change Date
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E / The schedule and type of data provided to local districts will be as follows:
1. Typically the 2nd or 3rd week of September, SCRED will provide each district’s MARSS persons with a list of the students who are enrolled and receiving special education services, along with their primary disability classification, their instructional setting, and special education evaluation status, grade level, date of birth, age as of December 1, ethnic origin, building, special education start date, current IEP date, exit date and code, last comprehensive evaluation date, legal parent district and special transportation information will be provided.
The local IEP Manager will also be identified so that MARSS entry person can seek clarification from someone locally who is knowledgeable about the student.
2. A couple days prior to the MARSS submission deadline or the 2nd week of the month from October through June, SCRED will provide each district’s MARSS persons with a list of all records for all students listing the following: district of enrollment, date of birth, age as of December 1, ethnic origin code, building, grade, IEP Manager, primary disability, Federal level setting, special education start date, current IEP date, special education evaluation status, exit date and code, last comprehensive evaluation date, legal parent district, special transportation.
Attached: Data Collection Schedule
Student Database Directions (Memo #1, 3, 4 & 5)
Annual Student Data Review (Memo #2)
Data Collection Schedule
Date * / ReviewName / Purpose / Due
Date / Data
Elements
3rd Week of August / Student Status Report (Memo #1) / Review all student data to account for changes since last year and add new students for new school year. / 1st Week of
September / District of enrollment, name, date of birth, age as of 12/01, ethnic origin code, building, grade, IEP manager, primary disability, Federal instructional setting, special education start date, current IEP date, special education evaluation status, IEP date of termination, exit code, last comprehensive evaluation date, legal parent district, special transportation.
1st Week of October / Annual Student Data Review (Memo #2) / Review all student and parent data by Due Process (Done by case managers in Rush City and Pine City ECSE.). / 3rd week of October / All
Mid November / Student Status Report (Memo #3) / Prepare for December 1 Child Count; update on all enrolled students; exits. / 1st Week of December / District of enrollment, name, date of birth, age as of 12/01, ethnic origin code, building, grade, IEP manager, primary disability, Federal instructional setting, special education start date, current IEP date, special education evaluation status, IEP date of termination, exit code, last comprehensive evaluation date, legal parent district, special transportation.
Data Collection Schedule Cont.
Name / Purpose / Due
Date / Data
Elements
2nd Week of February / Student Status Report (Memo #4) / Update exits, services, levels and add new students. / 1st Week of March / District of enrollment, name, date of birth, age as of 12/01, ethnic origin code, building, grade, IEP manager, primary disability, Federal instructional setting, special education start date, current IEP date, special education evaluation status, IEP date of termination, exit code, last comprehensive evaluation date, legal parent district, special transportation.
May 1 / Student Status Report (Memo #5) / Update exits, services, levels, graduates, next year’s case manager, etc. / 3rd Week of May / District of enrollment, name, date of birth, age as of 12/01, ethnic origin code, building, grade, IEP manager, primary disability, Federal instructional setting, special education start date, current IEP date, special evaluation status, IEP date of termination, exit code, last comprehensive evaluation date, legal parent district, special transportation & next year’s IEP manager
*Dates are approximate
/ memorandum......TO: IEP Managers and Due Process Paras
FROM: Holly Windram & Jeff Menigo
REGARDING: Student Status Report (Memo 1, 3, 4 & 5)
DATE: (Insert Date)
As you are aware, school districts and IEP managers are responsible for collecting accurate data on students with disabilities. This information is used to input student data into the Minnesota Automated Reporting Student System (MARSS). MARSS is used for a variety of accounting and reporting purposes that results in substantial funding for your district. It is critical that IEP managers submit the proper information, changes, and revisions so that district MARSS data is current and correct.
DIRECTIONS
Attached please find the printout of students for whom you are the IEP manager. Please indicate any changes or corrections (It’s helpful if you put one line through the information provided on this report then write new info. next to it.) of the below categories on the attached list and give to the Due Process Para or if you don’t have a Due Process Para you will need to send it to Brenda Belland at SCRED before (insert date). Please contact Holly or Jeff with any questions.
District of Enrollment: The school district number in which the student attends.
Learner’s Name: First & last name of the student.
DOB (Date of Birth): The student’s birth date.
Age on 12/1: Age of the student as of December 1 for the current school year.
EO (Ethnic Origin):
1: American Indian
2: Asian or Pacific Islander
3: Hispanic
4: Black, not of Hispanic Origin
5: White, not of Hispanic Origin
Bldg: The abbreviation or name of the school building that the student is attending. For example: PCES is Pine City Elementary School.
Grade: The student’s grade.
IEP Manager: The name of the person who is the IEP manager. This can be any licensed special education reimbursed person. This is important information because the person will be considered responsible for the entire student’s due process information. This person will also receive all information regarding this student from the SCRED office with requests for updates, etc.
Primary Disability: Enter only one of the following disabilities (as found on page 1 of IEP):
Speech or Language Impairment (SLI)Developmental Cognitive Disability: Mild/Moderate (DCDM)
Developmental Cognitive Disability: Severe/Profound (DCDS)
Physical Impairment (PI)
Deaf/Hard of Hearing (D/HH)
Visual Impairment (VI)
Specific Learning Disability (SLD) / Emotional or Behavioral Disorder (EBD)
Deaf/Blindness (D/B)
Other Health Disability (OHD)
Autism Spectrum Disorders (AU)
Developmental Delay (DD)
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Severe Multiple Impairments (SMI)
Special Education Federal Instructional Setting: Use the following for children age birth through 2:
11: Program designed for children with developmental delays (refers to an organized program of at least one hour in duration provided on a regular basis. The program is usually directed toward the facilitation of one or more developmental areas. Examples include early intervention classrooms/centers and developmental day care programs).
12: Program designed for typically developing children (services are provided in a facility regularly attended by a group of children. Most children in this setting do not have disabilities. For example, this includes children served in regular nursery schools and childcare centers).
13: Home (services are provided in the principal residence of the child’s family or caregiver).
14: Hospital-inpatient (hospital refers to a residential medical facility. Child must be receiving services on an in-patient basis).
15: Residential Facility (residential program refers to a treatment facility that is not primarily medical in nature, where the infant or toddler currently resides in order to receive early intervention services.
16: Service Provider Location (provider location services are provided at a center, clinic, or hospital where the infant or toddler comes for short periods of time (e.g., 45 minutes) to receive services. These services may be delivered individually or to a small group of children.
17: Other Setting (any service setting not included in the settings or programs listed above. For example, if the only component of the infant’s early intervention services is parent counseling during which the child is not present and the child receives no direct service, count as “other”).