Program Quality Assurance Services
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Charter School or District: Westport
CPR Onsite Year: 2011-2012
Program Area: Special Education
All corrective action must be fully implemented and all noncompliance corrected as soon as possible and no later than one year from the issuance of the Coordinated Program Review Final Report dated 09/21/2012.
Mandatory One-Year Compliance Date: 09/20/2013
Summary of Required Corrective Action Plans in this Report
Criterion / Criterion Title / CPR RatingSE 8 / IEP Team composition and attendance / Partially Implemented
SE 37 / Procedures for approved and unapproved out-of-district placements / Partially Implemented
SE 55 / Special education facilities and classrooms / Partially Implemented
CR 16 / Notice to students 16 or over leaving school without a high school diploma, certificate of attainment, or certificate of completion / Partially Implemented
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
SE 8 IEP Team composition and attendance / CPR Rating:
Partially Implemented
Department CPR Findings:
Documentation and staff interviews indicated that the special education director is the only representative of the school district with authority to commit the resources of the district. When other district administrators or special education teachers serve as the chairperson of the IEP Team meeting, interviews indicated that the chairpersons must check with the special education director before committing the resources of the district.
Description of Corrective Action:
The District will post for a position of at least 4 days a week after informing the School Committee of this intended action on 10/24/12. The position of Special Education Supervisor will require the Supervisor to attend IEP meetings in the buildings, review completed IEPs, ensure compliance with IEP requirements and commit the district to additional resources as needed in order to implement the requirements of the IEPs. We expect to hire a qualified individual by 11/26/12 with a start date of 1/2/13.
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Ann Harkin, Director of Special Education / Expected Date of Completion:
01/02/2013
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
SC Agenda
Job Posting
Job description
Hire letter
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
The director of special education has been tasked with the supervision and evaluation of all itinerant SPED personnel. (Those that travel between buildings.) Part of the supervisor's educator goals will include weekly reports to the Director of SPED and copied to the building principal with the IEP attendance sheets and IEP meeting summaries to monitor compliance with the IEP implementation. The director will review compliance with this reporting requirement with the SPED Supervisor at the Formative and Summative assessment portions of the evaluation process as per new DESE regulations. If the Supervisor cannot attend a particular meeting, the supervisor will assign a staff person designated as in charge and tasked with the responsibility and authority to commit district resources as needed to implement the IEP.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
SE 8 IEP Team composition and attendance / Corrective Action Plan Status: Partially Approved
Status Date:11/21/2012
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district stated that it is in the process of hiring someone who will represent the school district with authority to commit the resources of the district. However, Team meetings continue to run without someone who is able to commit to district resources.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Until the district is able to hire and train staff able to commit district resources, develop a temporary plan of action that will ensure that Team meetings consist of school personnel with the authority to commit the resources of the district.
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
Submit a plan of corrective action to address how the district will ensure that a representative of the district who is able to commit district resources is present at the Team meetings.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
01/31/2013
1
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education,Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEWCORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
SE 37 Procedures for approved and unapproved out-of-district placements / CPR Rating:
Partially Implemented
Department CPR Findings:
Documentation and interviews indicated that the district monitors and maintains written contracts with out-of-district placements, however, the school district's contract does not meet all of the content requirements of 28.06(3)(f)(1-5). Specifically, the district's contract does not provide assurance that the private special education school maintains nondiscriminatory practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.
Description of Corrective Action:
The district's contracts with out-of-district placement providers will be revised to include the corrected statement that the contracted agency, "provides assurance that the private special education school maintains nondiscriminatory practices on the basis of gender identity, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability".
All new contracts will contain the corrected language. All existing contracts will be reissued with the corrected language and resigned by the district and provider.
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Ann Harkin, Director of Special Education / Expected Date of Completion:
01/18/2013
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
The contract template has been revised to include the corrected language. Copies of revised template and contracts will be provided to the DESE as part of this corrective action plan.
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
The Special Education Director reviews all contracts annually to ensure appropriate content prior to being sent to providers each school year. For existing contracts this is done annually by June 1st for a July 1st contract start. New contracts are reviewed as they are developed during the course of the year.
A copy of each contract is kept on file in the special education office.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
SE 37 Procedures for approved and unapproved out-of-district placements / Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
Status Date:11/21/2012
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district submitted a signed copy of the revised contract with out-of-district placements assuring that the private special education school maintains nondiscriminatory practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
Submit a list of all out-of-district placements contracted with the school district along with a letter of assurance that all contracts meet all of the content requirements of 28.06(3)(f)(1-5), with specifics to nondiscriminatory practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
01/31/2013
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
SE 55 Special education facilities and classrooms / CPR Rating:
Partially Implemented
Department CPR Findings:
An observation of the location of a special education class at the high school indicates that the district does not maximize the inclusion of the students in this class into the life of the school. The RISE program is located in the cafeteria which is in a new wing of the building, conjoined to the building but separate from other classrooms and programs. The RISE program is the only classroom in this location and utilizes two rooms, both of which are located in the cafeteria.
Description of Corrective Action:
A new location for the special education classroom located in the cafeteria has been identified for the 2013 school year. The new location is in the first floor corridor which houses general education academic classrooms and is situated to "maximize the inclusion of such students into the life of the school".
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Ann Harkin, Director of Special Education / Expected Date of Completion:
12/15/2013
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
A floor plan of the location and identification of surrounding classes is being provided as part of this corrective action plan. A representative of the DESE will come to the school to verify the relocation.
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
The location or relocation of all special education classrooms must be approved by the Director of Special Education prior to a move as described in the Special Education Procedure Manual.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
SE 55 Special education facilities and classrooms / Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
Status Date:11/21/2012
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district stated that the special education RISE program has been moved to a location that maximizes the inclusion of students into the life of the school.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
By January 31, 2013, PQA staff will conduct an onsite visit to ensure that the corrective action has been implemented.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
01/31/2013
1
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education,Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEWCORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CR 16 Notice to students 16 or over leaving school without a high school diploma, certificate of attainment, or certificate of completion / CPR Rating:
Partially Implemented
Department CPR Findings:
Documentation and interviews indicated that the district does not send annual written notice to former students who have not yet earned their competency determination and who have not transferred to another school informing them of the availability of publicly funded post-high school academic support programs and encouraging them to participate in those programs.
Description of Corrective Action:
The principal will send a letter to all students who have not yet earned their competency determination and who are absent without an excuse for more than 10 school days to request that they meet with the principal to discuss reasons for non attendance, possible re-entry plans to the Westport High School or the availability of publicly funded Post-high school academic support programs and to encourage them to participate in those programs. The school will also send letters to the last known address to students 16 years of age or over who have dropped out of school to request that they meet with the principal to discuss reasons for non attendance, possible re-entry plans to the Westport High School or the availability of publicly funded Post-high school academic support programs and to encourage them to participate in those programs.
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Mrs. Cheryl Tutalo, Principal WHS & Mrs. Ann Dargon, Assistant Superintendent / Expected Date of Completion:
01/02/2013
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
Letters of invitation to meet with the principal for students with more than 10 days of unexcused absences.
Letters of invitation to meet with the principal for students who have dropped out going back to FY 10.
List of students the letters were sent to.
List of students where the letters were returned by the USPO.
List of students that responded to the letters sent.
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
Each spring (by May 30) and fall (October 31) the principal will collect from guidance a list of students who have dropped out within the last 36 months. Letters will sent and the list shared with the Assistant Superintendent who supervises the building principals and will monitor that the letters are sent and that the responses that generate an interest result in a meeting with the principal. The principal will present evidence of what was discussed and shared during those meetings at the formative and summative evaluation stages of the principal's supervision and evaluation process.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
CR 16 Notice to students 16 or over leaving school without a high school diploma, certificate of attainment, or certificate of completion / Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
Status Date:11/21/2012
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district submitted a copy of the annual written notice for former students who have not yet earned their competency determination and who have not transferred to another school informing them of the availability of publicly funded post-high school academic support programs and encouraging them to participate in those programs. The district identified the principal as the person responsible for the oversight of its internal monitoring or the frequency of its periodic review of records.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
Provide a report of the students to whom the annual letter was sent (include the students' initials and date the letter was sent). This progress report is due January 31, 2013.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
01/31/2013
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
District: Westport Public School District
Corrective Action Plan Forms
Program Area: English Learner Education
Prepared by: Westport Community Schools ~ Ann Marie Dargon Ed.D, Assistant Superintendent
CAP Form will expand to as many lines as necessary. Before completing and emailing to , please see separate Instructions for Completing Corrective Action Plans.
All corrective action must be fully implemented and all noncompliance corrected as soon as possible and no later than one year from the issuance of the Coordinated Program Review Final Report to the school or district.
Mandatory One-Year Compliance Date: August 20, 2014
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
(To be completed by collaborative)Criterion & Topic: ELE 5 Program Placement and Structure / Rating: Partially Implemented
Department CPR Finding: Documentation reviewed indicated that until the end of the school year 2011-12 the district has not developed an ESL curriculum. In the mean time, the district purchased ESL curricula: Pearson Language Central for grades K-6 and the WIDA (World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment) Can Do Descriptors for grades 5-12. (The district should note that the Department has adopted the WIDA for all grade levels.) Also, no evidence was submitted on how the ESL curricula are used with English language learners (ELLs) at each level of English proficiency. The district is aware that the Department has new regulations in place which may affect the district’s corrective action plan (CAP). Please refer to: http://www.doe.mass.edu/retell/for more information.
Concerning ESL services, although the district reported the hours ESL instruction provided to ELLs, the levels of English proficiency were not reported. Therefore, the Department could not determine if the amounts provided are consistent with Department guidance. (Please refer to http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/mepa/guidance.html - p. 5
Please refer to ELE 15 for comments on Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) professional development training.
In summary, the district does not have a fully implemented SEI program as required by Chapter 71 A, An ESL curriculum will begin to be implemented in the Fall of 2012, although several teachers have been trained in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI), not all have completed the required Category Training, and the hours of ESL services provided to ELLs may not be consistent with Department guidance.
Narrative Description of Corrective Action: The District is using the WIDA curriculum. ELL services are provided to students for up to 2 ½ hours per day depending on level. Our two ELL teachers attended the WIDA Train the Trainer workshop last spring. They are working with our teachers incorporating the WIDA standards into our developed Units of Study.
Title/Role of Person(s) Responsible for Implementation: Ann Marie Dargon, Ed.D,
Assistant Superintendent / Expected Date of Completion for Each Corrective Action Activity: Completed
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action: Student schedules, teacher schedules, lesson plans, and Units of Study.
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures: Principals will supervise ELL staff and monitor delivery of services to our students.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
(To be completed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
Criterion: ELE 5 / Status of Corrective Action:
Approved Partially Approved Disapproved [X]
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
WIDA is not a curriculum. The district should note that adoption of the WIDA ELD standards does not mean that ELE program requirements have changed. Although the new language standards promote academic and social language development in core content area classrooms, ELL students must also continue to receive explicit and systematic English language instruction. During the 2013-2014 school year, districts are required to have an updated plan for integration WIDA into content area and also their ESL curriculum.
The district offered no evidence in regard to the service hours provided to ELLs and it is unclear whether the ELLs receive sufficient hours of ESL instruction in accordance with their ACCESS levels of English proficiency.
Department Order of Corrective Action: Provide evidence of the service hours provided to ELLs in accordance with their ACCESS levels of English proficiency.
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
1)Please provide a detailed plan that shows that the district is providing sufficient ESL instruction to all ELL students during the 2013-2014 school year based on the Department's Transitional Guidance on Identification, Assessment, Placement, and Reclassification of English Language Learners found at http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/TransitionalGuidance.pdf
2)Please complete district information in the attached spreadsheet labeled ELL List by school for each ELL student in the district.
3)Submit a plan that includes information about a process for reviewing or developing ESL curriculum that integrates WIDA ELD standards.
Progress Report Due Date(s): February 7, 2014