MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION
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
SE 8
Criterion Title
IEP Team composition and attendance
SE 37
Procedures for approved and unapproved out-of-district
placements
Special education facilities and classrooms
SE 55
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
Partially
Implemented
Partially
Implemented
Partially
Implemented
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
SE 8 IEP Team composition and attendance
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:
Expected Date of
Ann Harkin, Director of Special Education
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:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Partially
SE 8 IEP Team composition and
Approved
attendance
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):
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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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
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
SE 37 Procedures for approved and unapproved out-of-district
Partially Implemented
placements
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:
Expected Date of Completion:
Ann Harkin, Director of Special Education
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:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
SE 37 Procedures for approved and
Status Date: 11/21/2012
unapproved out-of-district placements
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
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
SE 55 Special education facilities and classrooms
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:
Expected Date of
Ann Harkin, Director of Special Education
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:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
SE 55 Special education facilities and
Status Date: 11/21/2012
classrooms
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
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
Criterion & Topic:
CPR Rating:
CR 16 Notice to students 16 or over leaving school without a
Partially Implemented
high school diploma, certificate of attainment, or certificate of
completion
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:
Expected Date of
Mrs. Cheryl Tutalo, Principal WHS & Mrs. Ann Dargon, Assistant
Completion:
Superintendent
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:
Corrective Action Plan Status: Approved
CR 16 Notice to students 16 or over
Status Date: 11/21/2012
leaving school without a high school
diploma, certificate of attainment, or
certificate of completion
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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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
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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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
pqacap@doe.mass.edu, 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
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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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
Expected Date of Completion for Each
Implementation:
Ann Marie Dargon, Ed.D,
Corrective Action Activity:
Completed
Assistant Superintendent
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
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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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
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
(To be completed by collaborative)
Rating: Partially Implemented
Criterion & Topic: ELE 9 Instructional
Grouping
Department CPR Finding: Based on documentation submitted, the district appears to be using
instructional grouping to provide ESL services. However, criteria used to form the groups were not
specified.
Narrative Description of Corrective Action:
Due to our low number of ELL students, they are
grouped by grade. As of today we have just 1-2 students at some grades receiving ELL services.
Should we have more students with diverse needs at our schools, we will group by ability/need based
on WIDA Model and ACCESS scores. We will develop written procedures.
Title/Role of Person(s) Responsible for
Expected Date of Completion for Each
Implementation:
Ann Marie Dargon, Ed.D,
Corrective Action Activity:
Assistant Superintendent
December 1, 2013
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
Procedural Manual
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
developed procedures are being followed.
Principals will be responsible for seeing that
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
(To be completed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
Criterion: ELE 9
Status of Corrective Action:
Approved [X]
Partially Approved Disapproved
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
N/A
Department Order of Corrective Action:
N/A
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
Provide a copy of the 2013-14 ESL teacher schedules for all grade levels district-wide. All schedules
should include the following for each block of time: 1. Names of the ELL students; 2. Grade level for
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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each student; 3. English proficiency level for each student.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
February 7, 2014
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
(To be completed by collaborative)
Criterion & Topic: ELE 13 Follow-up Support
Rating: Partially Implemented
Department CPR Finding: Documentation indicated that procedures are in place to monitor students
who have exited the English learner education program for two years, however, the student record
review did not contain evidence of monitoring activities.
Narrative Description of Corrective Action: We are in year 2 for several students being
monitored. Written records are kept on file monitoring students not receiving direct service.
Title/Role of Person(s) Responsible for
Expected Date of Completion for Each
Implementation:
Ann Marie Dargon, Ed.D,
Corrective Action Activity:
Completed
Assistant Superintendent
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
Student records
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
records.
The Director of ELL will monitor ELL student
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
(To be completed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
Criterion: ELE 13
Status of Corrective Action:
Approved [X] Partially Approved Disapproved
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval: N/A
Department Order of Corrective Action:
N/A
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
By February 7, 2014, please submit the following for Progress Report 1:
 Copies of monitoring forms;
 Description of a quarterly internal monitoring process to ensure future compliance.
By April 11, 2014, please submit the following for Progress Report 2:
Conduct an internal review of FLEP student records and submit the results of the internal record review
reporting:
 The number of student records reviewed;
 The number of records that are compliant;
 For all records not in compliance, determine and report the root cause(s) of the noncompliance; and
 The district’s plan to remedy the non-compliance.
Progress Report Due Date(s): February 7, 2014 & April 11, 2014
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
(To be completed by collaborative)
Rating: Partially Implemented
Criterion & Topic: ELE 15 Professional
Development Requirements
Department CPR Finding: Although documentation reviewed did not include a multi-year Sheltered
English Immersion (SEI) Professional Development Plan, other documentation indicated that the
district has trained teachers in all the SEI Category Training. Although not all content area teachers
have completed their SEI category training, the district has a fair number of teachers trained.
The district should note that the Department’s regulations and requirements concerning SEI training
have changed. Refer to: http://www.doe.mass.edu/retell/ for more information.
Narrative Description of Corrective Action: The district will offer a SEI course to its teachers late
this fall.
Title/Role of Person(s) Responsible for
Expected Date of Completion for Each
Implementation: Ann Marie Dargon, Ed.D,
Corrective Action Activity:
Spring 2014
Assistant Superintendent
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action:
Invoice from Endicott College and teacher
transcripts.
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures: The district will continue to either send teachers
for the SEI endorsement or offer a course in-house.
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
(To be completed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
Criterion: ELE 15
Status of Corrective Action:
Approved [X]
Partially Approved Disapproved
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval:
The district has been assigned to Cohort 3 based upon the district’s 2012 data submission. The district
should have a plan in place to ensure that SEI cohort training is available to all core academic teachers
with ELLs and administrators that supervise core academic teachers of ELLs. No further submission is
required at this time.
Department Order of Corrective Action: N/A
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
None required.
Progress Report Due Date(s): N/A
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN
(To be completed by collaborative)
Criterion & Topic: ELE 18 Records of LEP
Students
Rating: Partially Implemented
Department CPR Finding: The student record review indicated that student records were missing
evidence of follow-up monitoring, where applicable.
Narrative Description of Corrective Action:
At the time of the CPR visit there were no students
on a monitor plan. We did have a form developed. This past school year we had several FLEP students
being monitored and we have a form documenting that monitoring. Those students are now in year two
on the monitoring plan.
Title/Role of Person(s) Responsible for
Expected Date of Completion for Each
Implementation: Ann Marie Dargon, Ed.D,
Corrective Action Activity:
Assistant Superintendent
Already in place.
Evidence of Completion of the Corrective Action: Students records
Description of Internal Monitoring Procedures:
these students and recording forms.
The ELL Director will continue to monitor
CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN APPROVAL SECTION
(To be completed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education)
Criterion: ELE 18
Status of Corrective Action:
Approved [X] Partially Approved Disapproved
Basis for Partial Approval or Disapproval: N/A
Department Order of Corrective Action:
N/A
Required Elements of Progress Report(s):
See ELE 13.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
February 7, 2014 & April 11, 2014
MA Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, Program Quality Assurance Services
Westport CPR Corrective Action Plan
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