Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4096
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
February 24, 2011
Diana Rigby, Superintendent
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
120 Meriam Road
Concord, MA 01742
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Rigby:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report
based on the Mid-cycle Review conducted in your district in December 2010. In this
Mid-cycle 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 March 11, 2011.
Your staff's cooperation throughout this Mid-cycle Review is appreciated. If you have
questions about this letter or the enclosed report, please do not hesitate to contact Betsy
Holcombe at (781) 338-3717.
1
Sincerely,
Betsy Holcombe, 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
Jean Jonker, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Jessica Murphy, Local Program Review Coordinator
Louis Salemy, School Committee Chair CCSC
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: December 16-17, 2010
Date of this Report: February 24, 2011
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 7
Age of
Majority
Criterion
Implemen
-ted

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Partially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Investigation
Interviews
Student Records
Documentation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
A review of student records
and interviews indicate that
one year prior to a student
reaching age 18, the district
informs the students of their
right upon turning 18 to make
decisions related to special
education. However, the
district is also at the same time
securing written student
consent at age 17.
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 1 of 13
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for
Implementation
The district is informing students
of their rights one year prior to the
age 18, however the district must
not implement the procedures to
obtain written consent prior to the
student attaining the age of
majority. The district must review
and update their procedures related
to the transfer of parental rights for
students who have reached the age
of majority and provide training to
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
The district will
submit the
updated
procedures related
to the transfer of
parental rights and
evidence of staff
training, which
will include but
not be limited to a
training agenda,
Criterion
Criterion
Implemen
-ted

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
appropriate staff.
Further, the district must conduct
internal monitoring of student
records to insure that procedures
for obtaining consent are initiated
once the student has reached age
18.
Please note when conducting
internal monitoring that district
must maintain the following
documentation and make it
available to the Department
upon request: a) List of the
student names and grade level
for the records reviewed; b)
Date of the review; c) Name of
person(s) who conducted the
review, their role(s), and
signature(s).
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 2 of 13
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
attendance sheet
and copies of the
materials
presented. Please
submit this to the
Department on or
before April 29,
2011.
Submit the results
of an
administrative
review of those
records for
students who have
reached the age of
majority
subsequent to the
staff training to
ensure that student
consent is not
obtained prior to
turning 18.
Indicate the
number of records
reviewed, the
number found to
be compliant, an
explanation of the
root cause for any
Criterion
Criterion
Implemen
-ted

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
continued
noncompliance
and a description
of additional
corrective actions
taken by the
district to address
any identified
noncompliance.
Please submit this
to the Department
on or before
October 7, 2011.
SE 52A
Registration of
educational
interpreters

Documentation
Interviews
The district does not currently
have any deaf or hard of
hearing students who require
educational interpreting and
the district does not currently
employ any staff members who
are required to register with
Massachusetts Commission for
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Additional Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 3 of 13
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 2
Required
Assessments
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)

Method(s) of
Investigation
Interviews
Student
Records
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
The district completes all
consented-to assessments,
including educational and
teacher assessments, and
includes them in student records.
Documentation
SE 3
Specific Learning
Disability

Interviews
Student
Records
At Team meetings, specific
learning disability
determinations are documented
and signed by all Team
members.
Documentation
SE 4
Assessment
Results
SE 6
Transition

Partially
Implemented
Student
Records
Psychological assessment reports
summarize in writing the
procedures employed and they
contain diagnostic impressions
and educationally relevant
recommendations.
Interviews
Teams discuss and write a
student’s transition plan from
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 4 of 13
The district must revise its
procedures related to transition
The district will
submit its
Criterion
Services
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Documentation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
school to post-school activities,
but the special education director
recently sent a memo to staff
stating that these plans begin
when the student is 15, rather
than age 14, as required.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
plans and provide training to
appropriate staff.
Further, the district must conduct
internal monitoring of student
records to insure that 14 years old
students who have an IEP have a
written transition plan
Please note when conducting
internal monitoring that district
must maintain the following
documentation and make it
available to the Department
upon request: a) List of the
student names and grade level
for the records reviewed; b)
Date of the review; c) Name of
person(s) who conducted the
review, their role(s), and
signature(s).
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 5 of 13
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
procedures
related to
transition plans
and evidence of
staff training,
which will
include but not
be limited to a
training agenda,
attendance sheet
and copies of the
materials
presented.
Please submit
this to the
Department on
or before April
29, 2011.
Submit the
results of an
administrative
review of those
records for those
students with an
IEP who turned
14 subsequent to
the staff training
to ensure that
transition plans
are written.
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
Indicate the
number of
records
reviewed, the
number found to
be compliant, an
explanation of
the root cause for
any continued
noncompliance
and a description
of additional
corrective
actions taken by
the district to
address any
identified
noncompliance.
Please submit
this to the
Department on
or before
October 7, 2011.
SE 8
IEP Team
Composition

Interviews
Student
Records
Documentation
Team meetings include at least
one general education teacher.
The district documents parent
agreement for excusals of invited
Team members or parent
agreement that attendance of
these Team members is not
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 6 of 13
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
necessary.
SE 9
Timeline for
Determination of
Eligibility

SE 10
End of Year
Evaluations

Student
Records
Documentation
Interviews
Student
Records
Documentation
SE 13
Progress Reports

Student
Records
Interviews
The district meets the 30-day
and 45-day timelines for
completion of assessments and
IEP development.
When consent is received
between 30 and 45 school
working days before the end of
the school year, the school
district ensures that a Team
meeting is scheduled so as to
allow for the provision of a
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.
Progress reports include written
information on the student’s
progress towards reaching the
annual goals in the IEP. When
progress reports indicate a lack
of expected progress, the district
takes appropriate steps to
address the lack of progress,
such as reconvening the Team.
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 7 of 13
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
SE 14
IEP Review
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Interviews
Student
Records
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Annual review meetings are
conducted prior to the expiry of
the prior IEP.
SE 18A
IEP Development

Student
Records
IEPs contain all required
elements, including specialized
instruction or a related service.
Goals and benchmarks specify
how the student will reach the
goal. IEPs also have
individualized statements as to
why removals from general
education are critical to students’
programs.
SE 18B
Placement

Interviews
The district provides IEPs
immediately following their
development, as required.
Parents leave the meetings with
a team summary of agreements
reached and the service delivery
grid.
Student
Records
SE 20
Least Restrictive
Program

Student
Records
Interviews
When students are removed from
the general education classroom,
their IEPs include an
individualized statement as to
why the removal is considered
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 8 of 13
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
critical to the student’s program.
SE 24
Notice to Parent

Documentation
Student
Records
The district responds to referrals
for evaluation within five school
working days of receipt of the
referral. The required written
notice is sent with proposals for
evaluations and with IEPs.
SE 25
Parental Consent

Student
Records
The district completes
evaluations after receiving
parental consent.
SE 25A
BSEA

Student
Records
The district sends the required
notice within five calendar days
to the Bureau of Special
Education Appeals when it
receives notice of a rejected IEP
or placement.
Interviews
Documentation
SE 32
PAC

Documentation
Interviews
SE 37
Out of District

Interviews
The district has a parent advisory
council (PAC), and an annual
workshop on the rights of
students, their parents and
guardians under the state and
federal special education laws
has been held.
The district’s contract contains
the required elements, and
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 9 of 13
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Placement
SE 39A
Private School In
District

SE 39B
Private School
Out of District

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Student
Records
comprehensive monitoring of
individual students placed in outof-district programs is written
and placed in student files.
Documentation
The district conducts child find
to identify and, if appropriate,
provide services to eligible
students in private school at
private expense. The district
calculates the proportionate
share of Federal Special
Education Entitlement funds
required to be spent on eligible
private school students. The
district has submitted
documentation to show that it
collects data on the number of
eligible students enrolled in
private school at private
expense, when the parents reside
in the district.
Interviews
Documentation
Interviews
The district conducts child find
to identify and, if appropriate,
provide services to eligible
students in private school at
private expense. The district
calculates the proportionate
share of Federal Special
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 10 of 13
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Education Entitlement funds
required to be spent on eligible
private school students. The
district has submitted
documentation to show that it
collects data on the number of
eligible students enrolled in
private school at private
expense, when the parents reside
outside of the district.
SE 40
Instructional
Groupings

SE 41
Age Span

Documentation
Interviews
Interviews
Documentation
SE 43
Behavioral
Interventions
SE 51


Student
Records
The tutorial study classes that
run concurrently have two
teachers, one for each classroom,
as appropriate.
The ages of the youngest and
oldest students in the Pathways
instructional grouping are within
the required 48 months.
Interviews
Teams discuss positive
behavioral interventions and the
possible need for functional
behavioral assessments for
students with behaviors that
impede learning and write plans
as needed.
Documentation
Students placed in the alternative
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 11 of 13
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Teacher
Licensure
SE 53
Paraprofessionals
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Interviews

Documentation
Interviews
SE 54
Professional
Development

SE 56
Evaluation of
Special
Education
Programs

Documentation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
program are taught social studies
and science by a teacher who
holds appropriate content
licensure.
Tutorial study classes are
appropriately staffed with a
teacher who is proximate and
readily available to supervise the
tutors providing instruction. The
special education teachers design
the instruction that is
implemented in these classes.
Staff are receiving the trainings
as required by this criterion.
Interviews
Interviews
Documentation
The district has evaluated its
special education programs and
services, and plans to continue to
self-evaluate on a three-year
cycle. The district administration
is continually refining the
district’s special education
programs and services based on
data collected and analyzed.
Concord-Carlisle Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 24, 2011
Page 12 of 13
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Concord-Carlisle Regional 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