MassachusettsDepartment of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4096 Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
May 7, 2012
Judith Evans, Superintendent
Medway Public Schools
45 Holliston Street
Medway, MA 02053
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Evans:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based on the onsite visit conducted in your district in March 2012. During the Mid-Cycle Review, the Department monitored selected special education criteria to determine your district’s compliance with special education laws and regulations. The review consisted of information gathered from one or more of the following activities: interviews, review of student records, examination of documentation, and classroom observation(s).
The Department determined that one or more of the criteria monitored in your district was “Partially Implemented” or “Not Implemented.” In all instances where noncompliance was found, the Department has prescribed corrective action for the district. This corrective action must be implemented as soon as possible, but in no case later than a year from the date of this report. You will find these requirements for corrective action included in the enclosed report, along with requirements for submitting progress reports using the enclosed form.
Please provide the Department with your written assurance that all of the required corrective action will be implemented by your district within the timelines specified in the report. You must submit your statement of assurance to Darlene Lynch, Director, Program Quality Assurance Services, by May23, 2012.
Your staff's cooperation throughout this Mid-cycle Review is appreciated. If you have questions about this letter or the enclosed report, please do not hesitate to contact Susan Nichols at 781-338-3722.
Sincerely,
Susan Nichols, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
cc:Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Dean Paolillo, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Jeff DeVolder, School Committee Chairperson
Kathleen M. Bernklow, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs:Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
1
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATIONMID-CYCLE REPORT
Medway Public Schools
Date of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: March 27, 2012
Date of this Report: May 7, 2012
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN TWO SECTIONS.
Required Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
Current special education criteria available by scrolling down to the special education instrument at
Criterion / Criterion Implemented / Criterion Partially Implemented (PI) or Not Implemented(NI) / Method(s) of
Investigation / Basis of Determination about Criterion / If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a)Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation / (b) Progress Report Due Date(s) and Required
Elements
SE 7
Transfer of parental rights and student participation and consent at age of majority / / Student
Record
Review
Interview
Document
Review / One year prior to the student reaching age 18, the district informs the student and the parent of the rights that will transfer from the parent to the student upon the student’s 18th birthday. The notification provided to both the student and the parent states that all rights accorded to parents under special education law will transfer to the 18- year old student.
Upon reaching the age of 18, the district is consistently implementing procedures to obtain consent from the student to continue the student’s special education program. The district is providing the IEP and the Notice of Proposed School District Action (N1) to the student in all instances when the student has reached the age of majority and has decision-making authority.
SE 8
IEP Team composition and attendance / / Student
Record
Review
Interview / All required IEP Team members are present at IEP Team meetings.
The district has procedures for excusing a required IEP Team member from attendance at the IEP Team meetings and ensuring written reports are submitted to the parent and IEP Team prior to the IEP meeting should such an excusal be necessary.
SE 18A
IEP development and content / PI / Student
Record
Review / A review of student records indicated that IEP teams are not consistently considering or addressing the skills and proficiencies needed to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing for students identified with a disability that affects social skills development or when the student’s disability makes him or her vulnerable to bullying, harassment or teasing, as well as for students identified with a disability on the autism spectrum. / Provide training for IEP Team chairs and special education personnel on addressing the skills and proficiencies to respond to bullying, harassment or teasing for students on the autism spectrum, students with disabilities that need social skills development or other special education students who may be vulnerable.
Please see
advisories/11_2ta.htmlfor assistance and guidance.
Develop an internal oversight and tracking system to ensure that for students on the autism spectrum or those that with a disability that make them vulnerable to bullying, harassment or teasing, that the IEP contains information regarding the skills and proficiencies needed to address bullying, harassment and teasing.
Conduct an administrative review of student records for evidence of the IEP Team’s consideration of skills and proficiencies to address bullying, harassment or teasing within the student’s IEP. Please ensure the sample of records selected is from events that occurred after the district completed its corrective action activities.
*Please note when conducting administrative monitoring the district must maintain the following documentation and make it available to the Department upon request:
a) List of student names and grade levels for the records reviewed; b) Date of the review; c) Name of person(s) who conducted the review, with their role(s) and signature(s). / Submit the agenda, signed attendance sheets (including name and role of staff), and training materials used for the training conducted to address bullying and harassment.
Submit the description of the internal oversight and tracking system and identify the person(s) responsible for the oversight, including the date for the system’s implementation
Please submit the above information by October 8, 2012.
Submit the results of the administrative review of student records. Indicate the number of records reviewed, the number found to be compliant, an explanation of the root cause for any continued noncompliance, and a description of additional corrective actions to be taken by the district to address any identified noncompliance by January 7, 2013
SE 25
Parental consent / / Student
Record
Review
Interview / The district provides written notice to the parent of its proposal to discontinue services when a parent revokes consent to special education services in writing and also provides information on how the parent can obtain a copy of the procedural safeguards.
The district provides notice before it discontinues services. Staff members are aware that they may not use mediation or request a due process hearing to obtain agreement or a ruling for continuation of services when the parent revokes consent.
Additional Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
Current special education criteria available by scrolling down to the special education instrument at
Criterion / Criterion Implemented / Criterion Partially Implemented (PI) or Not Implemented (NI) / Method(s) of
Investigation / Basis of Determination about Criterion / If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for Implementation / (b) Progress Report Due Date(s) and Required
Elements
SE 3
Special requirements for determination of specific learning disability / PI / Student
Records
Interview / A review of the student records indicated that there were instances when determining a specific learning disability,that the IEP Team’s written determination did not follow regulated requirements. The SLD forms, including the student observation, were completed and dated after the IEP meeting, with the exception of the signed agreement page. / Review and revise the district’s SLD procedures
Provide training for IEP Team chairs and special education personnel on the requirements for the determination of a specific learning disability.
See Memorandum on Specific Learning Disability-Eligibility Process/Forms (
Develop an internal oversight and tracking system to ensure that the district is following appropriate procedures for the determination of a specific learning disability. The tracking system should include supervisory oversight and periodic reviews to ensure compliance.
Conduct an administrative review of student records for evidence that the procedures for the determination of a specific learning disability are being followed. Please ensure the records selected are from events that occurred after the district’s implementation of its corrective actions.
*Please note when conducting administrative monitoring the district must maintain the following documentation and make it available to the Department upon request:
a) List of student names and grade levels for the records reviewed; b) Date of the review; c) Name of person(s) who conducted the review, with their role(s) and signature(s). / Submit a copy of the district’s SLD procedures.
Please submit the agenda, signed attendance sheets (name and role of staff), and training materials used for the training on the requirements for determination of a specific learning disability.
Submit the description of the internal oversight and tracking system and identify the person(s) responsible for the oversight, including the date for the system’s implementation
Please submit the above information by October 8, 2012.
Submit the results of the administrative review of student records. Indicate the number of records reviewed, the number found to be compliant, an explanation of the root cause for any continued noncompliance, and a description of additional corrective actions to be taken by the district to address any identified noncompliance by January 7, 2013.
Medway Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 7, 2012
Page 1 of 7
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATIONMID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Medway Public School District
M I D – CY C L E P R O G R E S S R E P O R T
Date Prepared: ______
Prepared by: ______
(name and title)
Criterion: ______
Topic: ______
For each criterion for which you prepare a progress report, please- make a copy of this cover page,
- fill in the information requested above, and
- attach a complete description of the corrective action taken and any accompanying documentation.
Send the whole set of completed progress reports to:
Darlene Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA02148-4906
Rev. 6/30/08