Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
May 27, 2010
Stephen Donovan, Superintendent
Acushnet Public Schools
708 Middle Road, Suite 1
Acushnet, MA 02743
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Donovan:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report
based on the Mid-cycle Review conducted in your district in March 2010. In this Midcycle 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: staff
interviews, review of student records, examination of documentation, and/or classroom
observation.
The Department found one or more of the criteria monitored in your district to be
“Partially Implemented” or “Not Implemented.” In all instances where noncompliance
has been 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 June 11, 2010.
Your staff's cooperation throughout this Mid-cycle Review is appreciated. If you have
1
questions about this letter or the enclosed report, please do not hesitate to contact Doryce
Smith at (781) 338-3178.
Sincerely,
Doryce Smith, 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
Vani Rastogi-Kelly, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Frank Kuthan, School Committee, Chairperson
Danielle Coffin, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Acushnet Public School District
Date of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: March 18, 2010
Date of this Report: May 25, 2010
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
http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
SE 3
Special
requirements
for the
determination
of specific
learning
disability
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Interview
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The district is appropriately
evaluating students suspected of
having a specific learning
disability. Written documentation
was evident in the records,
including signed statements of
agreement of all IEP Team
members.
Acushnet School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 25, 2010
Page 1 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
SE 52A
Registration
of
educational
interpreters
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Documentation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
All providers of interpreting
services for students who are deaf
or hard of hearing are registered
with the Massachusetts
Commission for the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing.
Acushnet School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 25, 2010
Page 2 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Additional Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
Current special education criteria available by scrolling down to the special education instrument at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
SE 9
Timeline for
determination
of eligibility
and provision
of
documentation
to parent
SE 10
End of school
year
evaluations

Student
Records
The district meets the required 45
school working day timeline for
eligibility determinations and
provision of documentation to the
parent.

Student
Records
SE 15
Outreach by
school district

SE 24
Notice to

If consent is received between 30
and 45 school working days
before the end of the school year,
the district consistently ensures
that a Team meeting is held and
provides the proposed IEP or
written notice of the finding that
the student is not eligible no later
than 14 days after the end of the
school year.
The district has an established
process of outreach and extensive
communication with community
liaisons in order to identify those
students in need of special
education services.
The district consistently sends
written notices to parents that are
Interview
Documentation
Interview
Student
Records
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
Acushnet School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 25, 2010
Page 3 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
parent
regarding
proposal or
refusal to
initiate or
change the
identification,
evaluation, or
educational
placement of
the student or
the provision
of FAPE
SE 32
Parent
advisory
council for
special
education
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
comprehensive and address all
elements.
PI
Interviews
Interviews revealed that members
of the parent advisory council
(PAC) are not currently involved
in the planning, development and
evaluation of the district’s special
education programs.
Develop a plan for meeting with the
PAC regularly during the 20102011 school year in order to include
the PAC in the planning,
development and evaluation of the
school district’s special education
programs.
Submit the plan
for meeting with
the PAC regularly
during the 20102011 school year
in order to include
the PAC in the
planning,
development and
evaluation of the
school district’s
special education
programs. Submit
this plan to the
Department by
August 31, 2010.
Submit
Acushnet School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 25, 2010
Page 4 of 7
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
documentation
evidencing the
steps taken thus
far to ensure PAC
participation in
the planning,
development and
evaluation of the
district’s special
education
programs.
Documentation
may include PAC
and school
committee
meeting agendas
and minutes.
Submit this
documentation by
January 31,
2011.
SE 37
Procedures for
approved and
unapproved
out-of-district
placements
SE 39A
Procedures
used to
provide

Student
Records
Contracts are signed by both the
district and the out-of-district
placement. The district
documents monitoring activities
in the student files.

Documentation
The district appropriately
calculates the proportionate share
of Federal Special Education
Entitlement funds required to be
Interview
Acushnet School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 25, 2010
Page 5 of 7
Criterion
services to
eligible
students
enrolled in
private schools
at private
expense
whose parents
resident in the
district
SE 43
Behavioral
interventions
SE 46
Procedures for
suspension of
students with
disabilities
when
suspensions
exceed 10
consecutive
school days or
a pattern has
developed for
suspensions
exceeding 10
cumulative
days;
responsibilities
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
spent on eligible private school
students and documents the
spending of at least this amount
of federal entitlement funds on
one or more of the eligible private
school students.

Student
Records

Student
Records
Interview
Student records include written
positive behavior plans and other
evidence of positive behavioral
interventions as appropriate.
The district follows appropriate
procedures for the suspension of
students with disabilities. The
district conducts functional
behavioral assessments and
develops behavioral intervention
plans, as appropriate, when
suspensions exceed 10
consecutive school days or a
pattern has developed for
suspensions exceeding 10
cumulative days.
Acushnet School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 25, 2010
Page 6 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
of the Team;
responsibilities
of the district
SE 54
Professional
development
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Interview
Documentation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
The district provides extensive
professional development; staff
have been trained on special
education requirements and
related local special education
policies and procedures.
Acushnet School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 25, 2010
Page 7 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Acushnet 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.
(Description of corrective action for each criterion and any accompanying documentation should include all of the
“Progress Report Required Elements” for that criterion in the Mid-cycle Report.)
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, MA 02148-4906