Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
350 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-5023
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
April 24, 2007
Mary Ann A. Lanzo
Superintendent
Chatham Public Schools
425 Crowell Road
Chatham, MA 02633
Re: Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Report
Dear Superintendent Lanzo:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Coordinated
Program Review Report (Mid-Cycle Report). This report contains findings based on onsite
monitoring conducted to verify the implementation and effectiveness of corrective action
approved or ordered by the Department to address findings of noncompliance included in the
Chatham Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Report issued on April 7, 2004. The Midcycle Report also contains findings based on onsite monitoring of special education compliance
criteria that have been created or substantially changed in response to IDEA 2004.
Another component of the Department’s Mid-cycle Review is the review of your school district
or charter school's self-assessment in the area of English learner education (ELE). (In the
remainder of this letter, please read “district” as meaning “school district or charter school.”) The
purpose of this review is to determine whether your district is implementing the significant
changes in M.G.L. Chapter 71A, governing the education of limited English proficient students,
that were adopted by voters by means of Question 2 in 2002. The Department has reviewed your
district’s ELE self-assessment (documentation and any written analysis of compliance) and, based
solely on that self-assessment, is providing you in this report with findings on your ELE program
and the corresponding corrective action to be implemented. Your district is urged to request
technical assistance in relation to any of these findings or this prescribed corrective action from
me or from staff in the Department’s Office of Language Acquisition and Achievement at 781338-3534. ELE guidance documents are available on the Department’s website at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/ .
While the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education found your district to have
resolved certain noncompliance issues, others were partially corrected or not addressed at all, or
the Department’s onsite team identified new issues of noncompliance, either noncompliance with
special education criteria added or substantially changed in response to IDEA 2004,
noncompliance with ELE criteria, or other new noncompliance. Where the district has failed to
implement its approved Corrective Action Plan, the Department views these findings to be
serious.
1
In all instances where noncompliance has been found, the Department has prescribed corrective
action for the district that must be implemented without delay. You will find these requirements
for corrective action included in the attached report, along with requirements for progress
reporting. Please provide the Department with your written assurance that all of the Department's
requirements for corrective action will be implemented by your district within the timelines
specified. You must submit your statement of assurance to me by Thursday, May 17, 2007.
Your staff's cooperation throughout this Mid-cycle Review is appreciated. Should you like
clarification of any part of our report, please do not hesitate to contact me at 781-338-3726.
Sincerely,
Thomas Taylor, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
c:
David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education
Michael Harry, Chairperson Chatham School Committee
Roseanne Crowley, District Program Review Follow-up Coordinator
Encl.: Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT
Chatham Public Schools
ONSITE MONITORING OF IMPLEMENTATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION AND OF CERTAIN NEW REQUIREMENTS
Date of Coordinated Program Review (CPR): January 21-26, 2004
Date of Coordinated Program Review Corrective Action Plan Approval: May 27, 2004
Dates of Corrective Action Plan Progress Reports: January 4, 2005, February 10, 14, 15: March 14, 2005
Dates of this Mid-cycle Review Onsite Visit: February 6 and 7, 2007
Date of this Report: April 24, 2007
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN SEVERAL SECTIONS.
Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 1 of 8
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented

Record Review
and Staff
Interviews
Transition goals are discussed
beginning at age 15; a transition
plan is developed that reflects the
course of studies and the
preference and interest of the
student.

Record Review
and Staff
Interviews
IEP Team meetings are composed
of a full complement of Team
members as outlined in 34 CFR
300.321.
SE 12
Frequency of
re-evaluation

Record Review
and Staff
Interviews
Re-evaluations are conducted
every three years. Re-evaluations
are conducted when a student is
considered to be no longer eligible
for special education services, and
re-evaluations are conduct when
requested by a parent.
SE 13
Progress
Reports and
content

Record Review
and Staff
Interviews
Progress reports are sent to
parents as often as they are sent to
parents of non-disabled students.
Written information is presented
that addresses progress toward the
annual goals of the IEP, and a
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Special
Education
Criteria
created or
revised in
response to
IDEA-2004
SE 6 ##1 - 3
Determination
of Transition
Services
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance
Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 2 of 8
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
summary of his/her academic
achievement is provided upon
graduation or termination.
SE 14
Review and
revision of
IEPs
SE 25B
Resolution of
disputes
SE 33
Involvement in
the General
Curriculum
SE 39A
Procedures for
services to
eligible private
school students
whose parents
reside in the
district
(SE 39A does
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
Record Review
and Staff
Interviews
Annual reviews are conducted
within the anniversary date of the
IEP, and amendments are made
without a Team meeting upon the
written request of the parent(s)
and the parents are provided a
revised copy of the IEP.

Record/
Documentation
Review and
Staff
Interviews
The district has not had an IEP
appeal for a number of years.
However, all parents receive the
Notice of Procedural Safeguards
concerning their right to appeal to
the Bureau of Special Education
Appeals.

Record /
Documentation
Review and
Staff
Interviews
The general curriculum is based
on the Massachusetts Curriculum
Frameworks. The district has
taken steps, and in many cases
extra effort, to provide students
(including those students with
disabilities) an opportunity to
participate in the general
curriculum.
Documentation
Review and
Staff
Interviews
The district has a policy and
procedure in place to provide
services to eligible private school
students whose parents reside in
the district.


Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 3 of 8
SE 39B
Procedures for
services to
eligible
students in
private schools
in the district
whose parents
reside out of
state

Documentation
Review and
Staff
Interviews
The district has a policy and
procedure in place to provide
services to eligible private school
students whose parents reside out
of state.
Record /
Documentation
Review and
Staff
Interviews
The district has policies and
procedures in place to address
suspensions that exceed 10
consecutive school days for
students with disabilities or a
pattern of suspensions that may
exceed 10 consecutive school
days. The district has Functional
Behavior Assessments and/or
Manifestation Determinations as
part of the procedure. Team
meetings are held when behavior
may necessitate a change in
placement.
(SE 39B does
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
SE 46
Procedures for
suspension of
students with
disabilities
more than 10
days
Partial
Partial
Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 4 of 8
The district has not included
in the student handbooks for
the middle school and high
school the policy and
procedure for suspending
students with disabilities.
The district must submit to the
Department by Friday, June 15,
2007 a copy of the middle school
and high school handbooks that
state the policy and procedure for
suspending students with
disabilities.
Chatham Public Schools
English Learner Education (ELE) Requirements
Mid-Cycle Review Findings and Corrective Action Based on the Department’s Review Of Local Self-Assessments
(Please refer to full text of 2006-2007 CPR requirements for ELE and related implementation guidance at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/instrument/chapter71A.doc )
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
ELE 1
Annual
Assessment
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)

ELE 2
MCAS
Participation

ELE 3
Initial
Identification

ELE 4
Waiver
Procedures

Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 5 of 8
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

ELE 5
Program
Placement
and Structure
ELE 6
Program Exit
and
Readiness
ELE 7
Parent
Involvement
ELE 8
Declining
Entry to a
Program
ELE 9
Instructional
Grouping
ELE 10
Parental
Notification
Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
The district did not provide English language development curriculum
for the high school level. Also, the district did not provide schedules
for ELE students at the high school level.
The Department requests that the district provide
by Friday, June 15, 2007: copies of all schedules
for ELE students at the high school level, and a
copy of the high school sheltered English
immersion curriculum.
The district did not provide the class roster for instructional groupings
at the high school level. or the curriculum for each instructional
group.
The Department requests that the district provide
by Friday, June 15, 2007: a copy of the class
roster at the high school level, and copies of the
instructional curriculum for each level.
The district did not provide a sample notice in all home languages in
order to inform parents upon student’s placement in an ELE program.
The Department requests that the district provide
by Friday, June 15, 2007: a copy of translated
notices sent to parents to inform them upon
student’s placement in an ELE program.



Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 6 of 8
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
ELE 11
Equal Access
to Academic
Programs
and Services
ELE 12
Equal Access
to
Nonacademic
and
Extracurricular
Programs
ELE 13
Follow-up
Support
ELE 14
Licensure
Requirements
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)




Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 7 of 8
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

ELE 15
Professional
Development
Requirements

ELE 16
Equitable
Facilities

ELE 17
Program
Evaluation

Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)
Chatham Public School District Mid -Cycle Report
April 24, 2007
Page 8 of 8
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting