MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION
Program Quality Assurance Services
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Charter School or District: Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter
Public (District)
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 05/04/2012.
Mandatory One-Year Compliance Date: 05/04/2013
Summary of Required Corrective Action Plans in this Report
Criterion
SE 7
SE 8
Criterion Title
Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and student
participation and consent at the age of majority
IEP Team composition and attendance
SE 32
Parent advisory council for special education
CR 10B
Bullying Intervention and Prevention
CPR Rating
Partially
Implemented
Partially
Implemented
Partially
Implemented
Partially
Implemented
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
SE 7 Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and student
Partially Implemented
participation and consent at the age of majority
Department CPR Findings:
Review of student records and interviews indicate that one year prior to the student
reaching age 18, the district does not inform the student and the parent of the rights that
will transfer from the parent to the student upon the student's 18th birthday. Upon
reaching the age of 18, the school district does not implement procedures to obtain
consent from the student to continue the student's special education program and inform
the parents of their continued rights.
Description of Corrective Action:
Ms. Pierson will train the special education staff in the process to transfer parental rights
at age of majority obtain student participation and consent at the age of majority; she will
set up a system with the administrative assistant to the special education department to
send appropriate notifications out throughout the year to students turning 17 or 18.
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Expected Date of
Juraye Pierson, Director of Student Services
Completion:
08/31/2012
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
Training agenda and sign-in sheet for Special Education staff
Sample copies of both letters (age 17 and 18)
List of students turning 17 and turning 18 during the 2012-2013 school year
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
The school conducts a an annual IEP compliance review each summer. The compliance
review will be amended to include a review of the previous year's communications to
transfer parental rights at the age of majority and obtain student participation and
consent at the age of majority. The documentation will also include a list of students
expected to turn 17 or 18 in the upcoming school year and target dates for
communications.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
SE 7 Transfer of parental rights at age of
Status Date: 06/18/2012
majority and student participation and
consent at the age of majority
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district's corrective action plan and supportive documentation is thorough in its
explanation.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
The district will provide a narrative description of their new procedures related to
informing the student and the parent of the rights that will transfer from the parent to the
student upon the student's 18th birthday and the new procedures to obtain consent from
the student at age 18 to continue the student's special education program and inform the
parents of their continued rights. Please also provide evidence of staff training on these
procedures, which will include but not be limited to a training agenda, attendance sheet
(including name and role) and copies of the materials presented. Please submit this to the
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
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Department by October 19, 2012.
Submit the description of the internal oversight and tracking system and identify the
person(s) responsible for the oversight, including the date of the system's implementation
to the Department by October 19, 2012.
Please submit to the Department a list of student who received the transfer of parental
rights at the age of majority or student participation and consent at the age of majority
letter. Also, provide copies of all such letters. Subsequent to the corrective action submit
a report of the district?s internal review of records and report: the number of student
records reviewed, the number of student records in compliance, for all records not in
compliance with this criterion determine the root cause(s) of the non-compliance, and the
district?s plan to remedy the non-compliance. Please submit this to the Department by
February 28, 2013.
*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).
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/19/2012
02/28/2013
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
SE 8 IEP Team composition and attendance
Partially Implemented
Department CPR Findings:
Student record reviews and interviews indicate that when members of the Team are not
present at Team meetings, the district does not document if the parent and district agree
to use alternative means, or if the district and the parent agree, in writing, that the
attendance of the Team member is not necessary because the member´s area of the
curriculum or related services is not being modified or discussed. The district also does
not document if the district and the parent agree, in writing, to excuse a required Team
member´s participation and the excused member provides written input into the
development of the IEP to the parent and the IEP team prior to the meeting.
Description of Corrective Action:
Ms. Pierson will train the special education staff in the requirements for IEP Team
composition and attendance, as noted above.
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Expected Date of
Juraye Pierson, Director of Student Services
Completion:
08/31/2012
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
Copy of Team meeting excusal form
Agenda, sign-in sheet for training of relevant people
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
The school conducts an annual IEP compliance review each summer. The compliance
review will be amended to include a question to verify that all Team members who were
not present at the Team meeting either used alternative means to participate or were
excused, either of which would be agreed to in writing by the district and the parent. The
verification will also indicate if the Team member was excused but still needed to provide
input, that s/he did so in advance of the meeting and provided it to both the parent and
the IEP team.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
SE 8 IEP Team composition and
Status Date: 06/20/2012
attendance
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district gave a detailed description of the planned corrective action with correlating
evidence to support their corrective action plan.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
The district will submit to the Department evidence that all required special education
staff have been trained and informed in respect to IEP Team meeting attendance. Please
provide evidence of staff training on these procedures, which will include but not be
limited to a training agenda, attendance sheet (including name and role) and copies of the
materials presented. Submit this to the Department by October 19, 2012.
Submit a copy of the district's internal monitoring system to ensure that all required IEP
Team attendance procedures re being implemented consistently. Please submit this to the
Department by October 19, 2012.
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
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The district will submit to the Department copies of any excusal forms that have been
utilized during the 2012-2013 thus far with a copy of the attendance sheet (N3A form).
Subsequent to the corrective action submit a report of the district's internal review of
records and report: the number of student records reviewed, the number of student
records in compliance, for all records not in compliance with this criterion determine the
root cause(s) of the non-compliance, and the district?s plan to remedy the noncompliance. Please submit this to the Department by February 28, 2013.
*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).
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/19/2012
02/28/2013
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
SE 32 Parent advisory council for special education
Partially Implemented
Department CPR Findings:
Document review and interviews indicate that while the district has made and
documented ongoing efforts to encourage the establishment of a functioning PAC, there
are no officers or bylaws in place. The district has provided an annual workshop within the
district regarding the rights of students and their parents and guardians under the state
and federal special education laws.
Description of Corrective Action:
The school will advertise a "welcome back to school" PAC meeting in September, 2012. If
no one chooses to attend, or if those in attendance do not agree to serve as officers of the
PAC, Ms. Pierson will actively recruit at least 1 parent to serve as the President of the PAC
and update the PAC's bylaws, which were last drafted in 2005. PAC meetings will
continue to be held monthly, at a time convenient to the officers and advertised to the
school community at least 2 weeks in advance.
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Expected Date of
Juraye Pierson, Director of Special Education
Completion:
10/31/2012
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
List of PAC officers
Copy of PAC bylaws
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
The school conducts a an annual IEP compliance review each summer. The compliance
review will be amended to include a requirement that the compliance review goes to the
PAC President, whose name will appear on the compliance review.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Partially
SE 32 Parent advisory council for special
Approved
education
Status Date: 06/20/2012
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district will also submit the following as evidence of their efforts to establish a
functioning PAC: copies all of advertised PAC meetings, PAC agendas, sign-in sheets,
updated Bylaws, PAC officer list, and school committee consultation with PAC.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
One month prior to the commencement of the school year 2013-2013, the district shall
actively advertise the initial PAC meeting of the academic year using multiple methods
(postings, fliers, web-site, emails, mailings) and maintian this as record on an annual
2012-2013 school calendar. As evidence, the district will provide to the Department
copies of all such advertisements including PAC training agendas, sign-in sheets, Bylaws,
and PAC officers list.
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
The district will provide the Department with a description of the newly developed
strategies for encouraging the establishment of a PAC. The district will also submit a copy
of the annual calendar of 2013-2013 school year PAC meetings, including the proposed
meeting on the rights of students and their parents and guardians under the state and
federal special education laws. Please submit this to the Department by October 19, 2012.
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
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The district will provide the Department with a description of the results of the district's
efforts to establish a PAC. Include copies of: the PAC officer list, The PAC Bylaws, school
committee agendas and minutes pertaining to consultation with the PAC, Agendas of PAC
training sessions or meetings conducted by the district, documentation of other district
efforts to support the PAC. Please submit this to the Department by February 28, 2013.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/19/2012
02/28/2013
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
CR 10B Bullying Intervention and Prevention
Partially Implemented
Department CPR Findings:
A review of documentation and interviews indicate that the district does not implement
professional development for all contracted service providers that includes
developmentally appropriate strategies to prevent and stop bullying incidents; information
regarding the interaction and differential that can take place between and among a
perpetrator, victim and witnesses to the bullying; research findings on bullying,; and
information on internet safety and cyber-bullying.
Description of Corrective Action:
Contracts with contracted service providers will now include language that they must
participate in training. BART will invite all contracted service providers to the school's
training sessions on our Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan. The school offers these
during the teachers' August professional development residency, so contractors should
have more flexibility to attend. The school will also have a "make-up" session in
September for any personnel or contracted service providers that miss the August
session. If contracted service providers are unable to make either of those sessions, they
will be provided with the materials from the training, as well as a video of the
presentation.
Title/Role(s) of responsible Persons:
Expected Date of
Juraye Pierson, Assistant Principal
Completion:
10/31/2012
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
Signed attendance sheets and/or signed receipt of training materials
Copy of training materials
Agendas from training sessions
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
The ED will require documentation (sign-in sheets) from the Assistant Principal to ensure
that the training was completed for all personnel (including contracted service providers)
and that our contracts with our contracted service providers are upheld.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
Criterion:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
CR 10B Bullying Intervention and
Status Date: 06/20/2012
Prevention
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district provided evidence of the procedures that are in place to ensure that
contracted service providers are trained on the district's Bully Prevention and Intervention
Plan that includes developmentally appropriate strategies to prevent and stop bullying
incidents.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
The district will submit to the Department evidence of staff training that all contracted
service providers have been trained on the requirements of district's Bully Intervention
and Prevention Plan which will include, but not be limited to, a training agenda,
attendance sheet (including name and role) and copies of the materials presented. Please
submit this to the Department by October 19, 2012.
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
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*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).
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/19/2012
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education , Program Quality Assurance Services
Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public (District) CPR Corrective Action Plan
9