The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Education
350 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-5023
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
October 26, 2006
Nicholas Fischer
Superintendent
Fall River Public Schools
417 Rock Street
Fall River, MA 02720
Re: Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Report
Dear Superintendent Fischer:
Enclosed is the Department of Education's Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Report (MidCycle Report). This report contains findings based on onsite monitoring conducted to verify the
implementation and effectiveness of corrective action approved by the Department to address
findings of noncompliance included in the Fall River Public School Coordinated Program Review
Report issued on August 1, 2003. The Mid-cycle Report also contains findings based on onsite
monitoring of special education compliance criteria that have been newly created or substantially
changed in response to IDEA 2004.
As you know, 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 documents and, based solely on that selfassessment, is providing you in this report with comments on your ELE program and, where
necessary, corrective action to be implemented. Your district is urged to request technical
assistance in relation to any of these comments or prescribed corrective action. To secure
assistance, you may consult with your Mid-cycle Review Chairperson. You may also consult
with staff in the Department’s Office of Language Acquisition and Achievement at 781-338-3534
and obtain additional ELE guidance documents through the Department’s web site at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/ .
The onsite team would like to commend the following areas that were brought to its attention and
that the team believes have a significant and positive impact on the delivery of educational
services for students enrolled in the Fall River Public Schools. These areas are as follows:
New leadership that is working hard to implement innovative practices; restructuring of the high
school from house support to class support; implementation of school-wide positive behavioral
programs at a few schools; and the current practice of being pro-active in addressing problems.
1
While the Department of 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.
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 school district within the
timelines specified. Your statement of assurance must be submitted to the Mid-cycle Review
Chairperson by November 22, 2006.
Your staff's cooperation throughout these follow-up monitoring activities is appreciated. Should
you like clarification of any part of our report, please do not hesitate to contact the Mid-cycle
Review Chairperson at 781-338-3715.
Sincerely,
Joan Brinckerhoff, Ph.D., Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
c:
David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education
Edward A. Lambert Jr., School Committee Chairperson
Dr. Edward Costar District Program Review Follow-up Coordinator
Encl.: Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ONSITE VERIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
AND/OR IDENTIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL NONCOMPLIANCE REQUIRING CORRECTIVE ACTION
Date of Coordinated Program Review (CPR): December 2-13, 2002
Date of Coordinated Program Review Corrective Action Plan Approval: October 24, 2003
Dates of Corrective Action Plan Progress Reports: February 17, 2004, April 5, 2004, June 3, 2004, September 6, 2004
Dates of this Mid-cycle Review Onsite Visit: October 2-6, 2006
Date of this Report: October 26, 2006
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN SEVERAL SECTIONS.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 1 of
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
Special
Education
Criteria
Originally
Cited in CPR
Report and
Monitored in
Mid-cycle
MOA 4
Disproportionality
[included in this
report if the CPR
report included a
finding under
MOA 4 of
noncompliance
with respect to
racial/ethnic
distribution in
special ed, special
ed placements, or
disability
categories]
Approved
Corrective
Action
Determined
to be
Implemented
and Effective
Method(s)
of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective

Corrective
Action
Determined
Not to have
been
Implemented
or Not to
have been
Effective
Or
New Issues
Identified

Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective Or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
(No findings
under MOA 4
in last CPR)
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 2 of
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
SE 7
Age of
Majority
Approved
Corrective
Action
Determined
to be
Implemented
and Effective
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective

Partial
Partial
SE 9
Eligibility
Determination
and Timelines
SE 18A
IEP
Development
Method(s)
of
Verification
Partial
Corrective
Action
Determined
Not to have
been
Implemented
or Not to
have been
Effective
Or
New Issues
Identified

Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective Or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
The form used by the district
does not include all of the
information necessary. The
choice is not consistently
filed in the student record
and is not always recorded
on the IEP.
Provide an amended Age of
Majority form to include all of the
regulatory language including
three signature lines so a witness,
a school representative and the
student can sign when the student
chooses to delegate decisionmaking to his or her parent by
February 22, 2007.
Complete a plan to monitor the 30
working days for evaluation for
buildings on software and the ones
that are not capable of accessing
software for IEPs. Submit the
plan by February 22, 2007
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
The district has provided training to
staff who advise the student and
parent of the choices at the IEP
meeting when the student is 17
years of age. Students sign IEPs.
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
The district is using the eligibility
flow chart. Team meetings are
usually held within the 45 school
working days of consent.
Partial
Evaluations are not typically
completed within 30 school
working days. Staff
sometimes put a month and a
year down as the date for
evaluation, but not the day
of the month.
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
The district provides relevant
information for the first page of the
IEP related to student strengths and
summary of evaluations. The
district includes extended school
year services on the service grid of
the IEP.
Partial
The IEPs for students are not
always complete and some
IEPs are handwritten where
software is not available to
Team chairs. The vision
statements are all very short
and reflect a Team vision
versus a student vision.
Some Present Level of
Performance pages are not
complete. On PLEP A the
Partial
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 3 of
Submit the plan to put all schools
on the software for IEPs by
February 22, 2007.
Provide training to the Team
chairs on how to complete an IEP
form by February 22, 2007.
Provide training to administrators
and staff that sign IEPs prior to
proposing one on how to review
and monitor the IEP for content by
February 22, 2007.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
Approved
Corrective
Action
Determined
to be
Implemented
and Effective
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective

Corrective
Action
Determined
Not to have
been
Implemented
or Not to
have been
Effective
Or
New Issues
Identified

Partial
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
The district includes the placement
page with the IEP.
Partial
Partial
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
Several IEPs have summer services
on the service delivery grid of the
IEP.
Partial
SE 18B
Placement and
Immediate
Provision of
IEP
SE 21
School Day
School Year
Method(s)
of
Verification
Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective Or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
district does not clearly
answer how the student’s
disability effects
participation in the general
education curriculum. PLEP
B is often blank or partially
completed. The goals are
not always measurable. The
personnel on the service
delivery grid are not precise
(i.e. speech staff,
multidisciplinary staff, sped
staff).
Placements are not always
individualized and there is a
reluctance to place students
in out-of-district placements.
The students at elementary
schools do not have a
subseperate class for life
skills.
Students at the middle
school alternative program
have a shorter day due to
transportation. High school
students who are in athletics
leave early when there are
away games.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 4 of
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
Provide Team chairs with training
on placement options to meet
individualized needs of students
by February 22, 2007.
Provide a schedule for middle
school alternative students and
high school athletes that includes
the required student learning time
and as much time as other students
have in instructional settings by
February 22, 2007.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
SE 23
Confidentiality
Approved
Corrective
Action
Determined
to be
Implemented
and Effective
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective


Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
Partial
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
Corrective
Action
Determined
Not to have
been
Implemented
or Not to
have been
Effective
Or
New Issues
Identified

Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective Or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
The district was cited three
years ago for not allowing
students from the alternative
middle school to participate
in extracurricular activities.
At the time of this review
only one of four middle
schools had provided a
schedule of activities. There
were no examples of
students participating in
extracurricular activities.
Provide an amended student
handbook for the alternative
middle school, Wylie School, that
includes the policy and procedures
for students to participate in
extracurricular activities at any of
the four middle schools in the
district by February 22, 2007.
Provide a schedule for
dissemination to all alternative
students and parents by February
22, 2007.
The letter that the special
education administrator sent
to parents announcing the
vacancies did not let parents
know what actions the
school district would take to
find an alternate means to
address the needs of
students. In addition, the
Provide an amended letter to
parents that indicates alternative
means to get their child’s speech
and language services met by
February 22, 2007.
Provide Team chairs with training
on completing the personnel
column on the service delivery
grid of the IEP to indicate services
The district has maintained student
record confidentiality.
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
SE 48
FAPE
SE 49
Related
Services
Method(s)
of
Verification

The district budgeted for two
additional speech and language
pathologists, however the positions
have not been filled.
Partial
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 5 of
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
Approved
Corrective
Action
Determined
to be
Implemented
and Effective
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective

Documents
and Staff
Interviews
SE 54
Professional
Development
Se 55
Facilities
Method(s)
of
Verification
Partial
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
Corrective
Action
Determined
Not to have
been
Implemented
or Not to
have been
Effective
Or
New Issues
Identified


The cluster of special education
classrooms at Durfee High School
have been dispersed throughout the
school.
Partial
Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective Or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
currently employed speech
and language therapists have
very high case loads with
increased obligations for
evaluations and Team
meetings taking time away
from services to students.
The service grids for speech
and language often indicate
delivery by speech staff.
Only special education staff
received training on state
and federal regulations. The
district has limited
professional development to
two days this year.
The school psychologist for
Morton Middle School has
been moved from a closed
bathroom to a trailer. The
trailer was locked, damp and
smelled moldy. There is
only one girls bathroom and
one boys bathroom working
for 657 students at the
Morton middle School.
delivered by a speech aide
separately from those services
delivered by a speech and
language pathologist. Submit the
training sign in sheet that indicates
name, role and signature by
February 22, 2007.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 6 of
Provide a schedule for regular
educators to participate in
mandatory trainings including one
on state and federal regulations for
special education by February 22,
2007.
Provide a schedule for cleaning
the trailers used by the school
psychologist to remove the mold
smell by February 22, 2007.
Provide a plan to ensure that
students at Morton Middle School
have access to more than one
working bathroom for the four
floor building so students will not
miss extra instructional time by
February 22, 2007.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
Special
Education
Criteria
created or
revised in
response to
IDEA-2004
Criterion
Implemented

SE 6
Determination
of Transition
Services
Partial
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance
Partial
Method(s)
of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
Outside agencies regularly
participate in Team meetings.
Student records include Chapter
688 referrals when appropriate.
The district began using the
Transition Planning Summary
chart, however it is not always fully
completed.
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
The district works very hard to get
and keep parents involved in the
IEP process.
Criterion
Determined
to be
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Partial
Partial
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Students are not consistently
invited to the Team
meetings. The vision
statement is not the student’s
and contains little relevant
information. Guidance
counselors are not always
present at Team meetings
that limits the information
on course of study and
preferences and interests.
Provide Team chairs and guidance
counselors at the high school with
training on inviting students to the
Team meeting, supporting
students to develop a vision
statement, providing information
on the student’s course of study
and the results of any career
interest inventories. Submit the
training agenda, handouts and the
sign in sheet with date, name, role
and signature by February 22,
2007.
Provide training to all individuals
with authority to commit
resources on making the district’s
proposal before the conclusion of
the Team meeting. Develop a set
of procedures for the high school
and the middle schools to include
regular educators at every Team
meeting by February 22, 2007.
Although individuals have
authority to commit district
resources on paper, they are
not always aware of it. Most
annual meetings do not
include an individual with
authority to commit district
resources. The high school
and middle school Teams do
not always include a regular
educator.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 7 of
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
SE 12
Frequency of
re-evaluation
SE 13
Progress
Reports and
content
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s)
of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
Partial
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
Criterion
Determined
to be
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented


The district documentation
included appropriate examples of
the summary of student
performance forms. Some progress
reports at the elementary level
contain all the required elements.
The frequency for distribution of
progress reports was consistent
with dissemination of report cards
across buildings.
Partial
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
The dates for the next reevaluation are not accurate
on the Administrative Data
Sheet and frequently report
dates from the past. The
consent for evaluation is
ineffectively mailed many
times for high school
students without securing
consent.
Numerous student records
included progress reports
that did not include
information related to the
IEP goal. Many progress
reports did not include a
statement indicating whether
the student would achieve
the goal by the end of the
IEP period. Some progress
reports indicated a lack of
progress and did not state
what action the district
would take. Some progress
reports had students
completing their goals prior
to the IEP period and no
action was taken to replace
the goal. Some progress
reports are not written on the
form that contains the goal.
Secure training from the software
provider on completing the
Administrative Data Sheet.
Develop and submit procedures to
secure the consent to evaluate that
include a variety of methods and
how to document each method by
February 22, 2007.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 8 of
Provide training in each school for
the individuals who write progress
reports (special education teachers
and related services staff)
regarding all progress report
elements. Submit the training
agenda and sign in sheets with
date, name, role and signature by
February 22, 2007.
Submit the plan to monitor
progress reports for each building
by the special education director
and the Team chair by February
22, 2007.
Submit the findings of monitoring
progress reports by June 7, 2007.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
SE 14
Review and
revision of
IEPs
SE 25B
Resolution of
disputes
SE 30
Notice of
procedural
safeguards
SE 39A
Private School
at Private
Expense
SE 46
Procedures for
suspension of
students with
disabilities
more than 10
days
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s)
of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
During the summer the district
sends out consent for the IEPs to
secure consent before the IEP
expires.
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
The district’s procedures are
consistent with IDEA 2004.

Documents,
and Staff
Interviews
The district provides the
appropriate notice of procedural
safeguards to parents at the annual
IEP and for any eligibility
determination.

Documents,
and Staff
Interviews
The district’s procedures are
consistent with IDEA 2004 that
includes calculations of
proportionate share.
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
Several schools have a positive
behavioral approach for the school
as a whole as prevention to
suspensions.


Partial
Criterion
Determined
to be
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Partial
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Several inconsistencies in
implementation were found
in the student records.
Functional Behavioral
Assessments are not always
conducted prior to the
manifestation determination.
The forms used for the
manifestation determination
Until all of the schools and the
special education office are
updated with software, a system to
notify staff before the 8th day of
suspension is difficult to manage.
The FBA should be provided early
on in the cycle of suspensions so
that the information can be used to
preclude additional suspensions.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 9 of
do not have the Team sign
for the final decision and do
not include all of the
information needs. The IEP
Amendment form is used for
manifestation determination
meetings.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 10 of
The manifestation forms should be
amended to include a sign off for
the Team members. In addition
the manifestation determination
form should address whether the
student’s IEP was fully
implemented, whether a behavior
plan was in place and
implemented appropriately, as
well as identifying the Team’s
decision on whether the behavior
was a result of the student’s
disability. The IEP Amendment
form is not appropriate to use as it
cannot be used with a change in
placement.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of 20052006 CPR
requirements)
Civil Rights
(MOA) and
Other General
Education
Requirements
MOA 2
Program
modifications
LEP
Approved
Corrective
Action
Determined
to be
Implemented
and Effective

Partial
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective
Corrective
Action
Determined
Not to have
been
Implemented
or Not to
have been
Effective
Or
New Issues
Identified

Students at five elementary
schools, one middle and the high
school have appropriate support for
the acquisition of English language.
Documents,
Student
Records and
Staff
Interviews
MOA 8
Accessibility
ExtraCurricular
Activities
MOA 9
Recruitment
Prospective
Students
Method(s)
of
Verification
Partial
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
Partial

The district had a Memo for the
alternative middle school.
Partial
Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective
Or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Requirements
Students who do not attend a
school with LEP supports do
not receive any support.
Many regular educators do
not have sufficient sheltered
English immersion training.
Submit the plan to provide support
to LEP students in schools where
there is no English as a second
language support by February 22,
2007. Submit the schedule for
training regular education teachers
in sheltering content for LEP
students by February 22, 2007.
Provide a plan to include students
in extracurricular activities with
all the offerings translated for
parents and students who do not
speak English by February 22,
2007.
Provide an amended form for
individuals who participate in
career days, work study programs
and prospective employers to sign.
The form should include a
statement that the employer
complies with federal and state
The students at the
alternative middle school at
Wylie School are not
included in extracurricular
activities
The district does not have
employers sign a statement
that the employer prohibits
discrimination and includes
prospective employers from
career days.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 11 of
laws prohibiting discrimination
based on race, color, national
origin, sex, religion, sexual
orientation and disability by
February 22, 2007.

Documents
and Staff
Interviews
The high school handbook contains
all of the appropriate information
for the code of conduct.

Documents
and Staff
Interviews
The district placed stickers in the
handbooks indicating the
coordinators and their contact
information.
Partial
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
The district has the attendance
officer go to the student’s home
with the written notice.
MOA 17
Physical
Restraint
Partial
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
The district has disseminated the
policy and forms for administration
of a physical restraint. Each of the
buildings visited has one or more
fully trained resource persons.
MOA 18
Responsibility
of the School
Partial
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
Some elementary schools have a
functioning CAT Team for
instructional support. Durfee High
MOA 10A
Handbooks
and Code of
Conduct
MOA 11A
Designation of
Coordinators
and Grievance
Procedures
MOA 16
Notice to
Students 16 or
Over
Partial
Partial
Partial
The district has not been
conducting meetings to
discuss the reasons that the
student is leaving school and
the student’s right to return
to school. The form is not
translated into the native
language of the parent.
Not all staff had awareness
level training during the first
30 days of school. In some
schools, staff are not aware
of who their resource
persons are.
Physical restraints were
written into IEPs without a
behavior plan.
LEP students who are not in
a school with a program do
not receive support for the
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 12 of
Amend the written notice to
include the student’s right to
return to school and the right to
meet with a representative of the
district within ten days. Submit
the amended form with
translations in Spanish and
Portuguese by February 22, 2007.
Monitor IEPs for the use of
physical restraint and replace the
use of restraint with a positive
behavioral plan. Physical
restraints are not meant to be a
management tool for behavior.
Submit the summary of the review
of IEPs by February 22, 2007.
Provide awareness level training
within each building during the
first 30 days of school that
includes de-escalation techniques
and the names of resource persons
within each building. Submit the
schedule and handouts by June 7,
2007.
Provide the instructional support
procedures, forms and resources
for each building within the
School and Talbot Middle School
have a functioning Teacher
Assistance Team for instructional
support.
Principal
MOA 24
Curriculum
Review
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
MOA 25
Institutional
Self-evaluation
Documents
and Staff
Interviews
acquisition of English.
Elements for instructional
supports are not consistent
across each building within
the district.


The district submitted a
diversity booklet that is
disseminated to high school
students and middle school
students every other year to
meet this criterion. The
district did not provide
procedures for teachers to
review classroom materials
and supplementary materials
including a means to provide
balance and context for any
stereotypes.
The documentation provided
by the district did not
include a process for
reviewing policies and
programs. The policies
voted on by the School
Committee are not dated or
numbered.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 13 of
district. Provide training to each
principal on administering the
instructional support system.
Submit the procedures for
instructional support, forms and
resources for each building. Also
submit the agenda for training and
the sign-in sheet with name, role
date and signature of the training
by June 7, 2007.
Provide procedures for individual
teachers to review classroom
materials, including
supplementary materials for bias
and procedures to provide balance
and context for any stereotypes by
February 22, 2007.
Provide the procedures for the
review of K-12 programs to
ensure equal access to all
programs including athletics and
extracurricular activities for all
students regardless of race, color,
sex, religion, national origin,
limited English proficiency,
sexual orientation, disability or
housing status by June 7, 2007.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
English Learner Education (ELE) Requirements
Mid-Cycle Review Comments and Corrective Action Based on the Department’s Review Of Local Self-Assessments
(Please refer to full text of 2005-2006 CPR-ELE legal requirements and related implementation guidance at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/instrument/chapter71A.doc )
ELE Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Comments Based on the Department’s Review of Local
ELE Self-Assessment
ELE 1
Annual
Assessment
The district uses the IPT and has procedures for the
implementation of assessments to determine proficiency. All
staff that administer the MELA-O are trained and the district
has one trainer. MEPA and MCAS administration are
provided by trained staff.
ELE 2
MCAS
Participation
ELE 3
Initial
Identification
ELE 4
Waiver
Procedures
ELE 5
Program
Placement and
Structure
ELE 6
Program Exit
Required Corrective Action, Timelines for Implementation, and Progress
Reporting
None
None
The district provided SIMS testing data and had ordered
word-to-word dictionaries for 2006-2007.
None
The district has the Home Language Survey translated and
provided appropriate implementation practices. The
coordinator of the ELL program makes every attempt to meet
new parents and students.
None
The district has translated waiver procedures. Appropriate
waiver forms were submitted with documentation.
The district has ESL/ELD curriculum that is based on the
Frameworks.
The district’s procedures match the requirements for FLEP
and provide for monitoring for two years. The coordinator of
Not all teachers who need Sheltered English Immersion have been trained.
Submit the schedule to train teachers in SEI by February 22, 2007.
None
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 14 of
ELE Criterion
Number
and
Topic
and Readiness
ELE 7
Parent
Involvement
ELE 8
Declining Entry
to a Program
Comments Based on the Department’s Review of Local
ELE Self-Assessment
the ELL program meets with each student and parent who are
designated FLEP in order to maintain continuity at the school
with supports for LEP students and to cut down on the number
of transitions a student has.
The district provides translated notices for parents of school
council membership. The district makes every effort to
include parents of LEP students in school activities.
The district has a large number of students who opt out of a
program. The coordinator for the ELL program started to
meet with each parent last April in an effort to decrease this
number.
Required Corrective Action, Timelines for Implementation, and Progress
Reporting
None
The district needs to provide a description of the supports to students whose
parents have declined entry to a sheltered English immersion program. LEP
students who are not in a school that provides English language instruction do
not receive any support. Provide the plan to ensure that English language support
is provided to LEP students at every school by February 22, 2007.
None
ELE 9
Instructional
Grouping
Appropriate groupings for instructional support of LEP
students are provided in the schools with an ESL teacher.
ELE 10
Parental
Notification
The parent notification letter is sent and report cards are sent.
Translations of these documents were provided.
The parent notification letter does not include: how the program will meet the
educational strengths and needs of the student; how specifically the program will
help children learn English; and the specific exit requirements in addition to all
the information currently provided. Provide an amended parent notice by
February 22, 2007.
ELE 11
Equal Access to
Academic
Programs and
Services
All students have access to the programs and offerings in their
school.
The LEP students at schools where there is no ESL teacher do not receive
support for the development of English language. Provide the plan for all
schools to provide English language development by February 22, 2007.
ELE 12
Equal Access to
Nonacademic
and
Extracurricular
Programs
The district has a number of translations such as calendars,
bus regulations, preschool screening, school notices and report
cards.
The district did not provide a list of nonacademic services and school sponsored
extracurricular activities. Provide the offerings and al list of the LEP students
who participate by February 22, 2007.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 15 of
ELE Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Comments Based on the Department’s Review of Local
ELE Self-Assessment
Required Corrective Action, Timelines for Implementation, and Progress
Reporting
ELE 13
Follow-up
Support
The district has a policy for LEP students to stay in the school
where they received services and can be monitored as FLEP
for two years.
The district did not have a monitoring form. Please provide the forms to monitor
FLEP students by February 22, 2007.
All Staff who provide English language instruction are
certified or on a DOE approved waiver.
None
ELE 14
Licensure and
Fluency
Requirements
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 16 of
ELE Criterion
Number
and
Topic
ELE 15
Professional
Development
Requirements
ELE 16
Equitable
Facilities (To be reviewed
during next
CPR visit)
ELE 17
DOE Data
Submission
Requirements
and Program
Evaluation
ELE 18 Records
of LEP
Students(To be reviewed
during next
CPR visit.)
Comments Based on the Department’s Review of Local
ELE Self-Assessment
Required Corrective Action, Timelines for Implementation, and Progress
Reporting
The district provides professional development in assessment
and second language learning and teaching.
The district needs to provide more sheltered English immersion to teachers in
schools where support is provided and in schools where students who have opted
out are in attendance. Provide a schedule to deliver the required SEI in all
schools by February 22, 2007.
The schools visited by the DOE team did not have facility
issues for LEP students.
None
The district regularly submits required data.
A program evaluation has not been conducted since the ELL Director was new to
the district in April 2006. Submit a plan for a program evaluation to determine
the effectiveness of the ELL services throughout the district by June 7, 2007.
Student records were not reviewed during this mid cycle
review.
FALL RIVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
October 26, 2006
Page 17 of