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
June 13, 2008
Patricia Stevens
Superintendent of Schools
Granby Public Schools
387 East State Street
Granby, MA 01033
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Stevens:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report. Please
note that your district’s last Coordinated Program Review Report, dated September 8, 2005,
identified no noncompliance issues in the program areas of Special Education or English
Language Learner. This Mid-cycle Report, therefore, contains only findings based on onsite
monitoring of special education compliance criteria that have been created or substantially
changed in response to IDEA 2004.
We are pleased to tell you that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has found
your district to have implemented special education compliance criteria that were created or
substantially changed in response to IDEA 2004, as well as SE 33 on the access of students with
disabilities to the district’s general curriculum (the curriculum expected to be taught to all
students). The findings of the Department are included in the enclosed report. You and your
entire staff are to be congratulated for your success in implementing new special education
requirements as well as continuing to maintain compliance in all Special Education areas during
and since the Coordinated Program Review (CPR).
The Department will notify you of your district's next regularly scheduled CPR several months
before it is to occur. At this time we anticipate that this CPR will occur sometime during the
2010-2011 school year unless the Department determines that there is some reason to schedule
this visit earlier.
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 413-584-4839.
1
Sincerely,
Linda J. Estes, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
c:
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Deborah Buckley, School Committee Chairperson
John Robert, District Program Review Follow-up Coordinator
Encl.: Mid-cycle Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
GRANBY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Date of Coordinated Program Review (CPR) Final Report: September 8, 2005
Date Coordinated Program Review Corrective Action Approved: November 17, 2006
Dates of Corrective Action Plan Progress Reports: June 28, 2006
Dates of this Mid-cycle Review Onsite Visit: May 1, 2008
Date of this Report: June 13, 2008
Special Education Criteria Created or Revised in Response to IDEA-2004
Current CPR criteria available by scrolling down to the monitoring instruments at http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
SE 3
Special
requirements
for
determination
of specific
learning
disability
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
Documentation, record
review and interviews
indicate that the district
implements appropriate
procedures for determination
of specific learning
disabilities. When a student
suspected of having a
specific learning disability is
evaluated, the Team creates a
written determination as to
whether or not she or he has
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Granby Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 13, 2008
Page 1 of 5
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
a specific learning disability,
which is signed by all
members of the Team, or if
there is disagreement as to
the determination, one or
more Team members
document their disagreement.
The district is aware of the
new forms for determining
specific learning disabilities,
which will be required next
year.
SE 6 ##1 - 3
Determination
of Transition
Services
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
Student records,
documentation, and
interviews indicated that
vision statements include
information regarding a
student’s future direction and
goals. Additionally, the
district is using the transition
planning chart and is
documenting transition
related activities in the
student record.

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
IEP Teams consistently have
all required people in
attendance. The district has
a team member excusal
process consistent with the
Granby Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 13, 2008
Page 2 of 5
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
requirements of IDEA 2004.
The district appropriately
sends a form letter to parents,
which informs parents when
it is expected that staff is
unable to attend Team
meetings. The letter contains
a line for parents to sign
indicating their agreement or
disagreement.
SE 12
Frequency of
re-evaluation
SE 13
Progress
Reports and
content

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
The student record review
and documentation indicated
consistent implementation of
completing the three-year reevaluation within required
timelines. The district also
conducts a re-evaluation
whenever it is suspected that
a student is no longer eligible
for special education
services.

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
Progress reports are
completed with the same
frequency as the report card
cycle and include all required
information on the student’s
progress toward the annual
goals in the IEP.
Granby Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 13, 2008
Page 3 of 5
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
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
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
Student records and
documentation indicated that
the district conducts annual
reviews within the required
timelines.

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
The district has put into place
appropriate procedures and
forms for dispute resolution.

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
Documentation, student
records, and interviews
indicated that all students
have access to the general
curriculum. Students on
IEPs in the district have
essential learning
opportunities that prepare
them to reach the state
graduation standards.

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
Documentation, student
records, and interviews
indicated that the district has
appropriate procedures in
place to provide services to
eligible students enrolled in
private schools at private
expense whose parents reside
in the district.
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Granby Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 13, 2008
Page 4 of 5
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
SE 39B
Procedures for
services to
eligible
students in
private schools
in the district
whose parents
reside out of
state
(SE 39B does
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
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

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
Documentation, student
records, and interviews
indicated that the district has
appropriate procedures in
place to provide services to
eligible students enrolled in
private schools at private
expense whose parents reside
out of state.

Documentation/
Record review/
Interview
The district has appropriate
procedures in place for the
suspension of students with
disabilities for more than 10
days.
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Granby Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 13, 2008
Page 5 of 5
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting