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
July 26, 2005
James M. Cassin, Superintendent/Director
Greater Lowell Technical High School
250 Pawtuckett Boulevard
Tyngsborough, MA 01879-2199
Re:
Onsite Follow-up Monitoring Report: Coordinated Program Review Corrective Action
Plan Verification and Special Education Mid-cycle Review
Dear Superintendent/Director Cassin:
Enclosed is the Department's Coordinated Program Review Follow-up Monitoring Report
together with findings regarding your district’s Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Review.
This report contains the Department's findings based on the onsite activities conducted in your
school district to verify the implementation status and effectiveness of corrective steps taken in
response to your Coordinated Program Review Report issued on July 11, 2002.
While the Department of Education found certain noncompliance issues to be resolved, others
were partially corrected, not addressed at all and/or new issues were identified by the
Department’s onsite team.
As the Department previously informed you, in cases where a district fails to fully and
effectively implement a Corrective Action Plan, which was proposed by your district and
approved by the Department, the Department must then prepare a Corrective Action Plan for the
district, which must be implemented without further delay. You will find these requirements for
corrective action and further progress reporting included in the attached report together with any
steps that must be taken by the district to fully implement new special education requirements.
Please provide the Department with your written assurance that 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 Department's Onsite Chairperson by
August 12, 2005.
Your staff's cooperation throughout these Follow-up Monitoring activities is appreciated.
Should you require additional clarification of information included in our report, please do not
hesitate to contact the Onsite Team Chairperson at 781-338-3747.
Sincerely,
Joel Krakow, Coordinated Program Review Follow-up Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
John D. Stager, Administrator
Program Quality Assurance Services
cc:
David P. Driscoll, Commissioner of Education
Michael Hayden, School Committee Chairperson
Mary Jo Santoro, District Program Review Follow-up Coordinator
Encl.: Follow-up Monitoring Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
Greater Lowell Technical High School
ONSITE VERIFICATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
AND/OR IDENTIFICATION OF ADDITIONAL FINDINGS REQUIRING CORRECTIVE ACTION
Action Plan Submitted on 9/5/02
Progress Reports Submitted on 12/8/03, 6/29/04
Onsite Visit Conducted on April 11, 2005
Date of this Report July 26, 2005
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation


Special
Education
Requirements
SE 3
Special
requirements

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Review of
student records
and
The Department’s onsite
review of student records and
documents demonstrated that
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
for
determination
of specific
learning
disabilities
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

documents.
the special requirements for
determination of specific
learning disabilities are
implemented.
2
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Review of student records
indicated that the district
does not document its
transition activities for
students at the age of 14
and that goals are not
clearly defined. For
students who are 16,
transition plans for
moving from school to
post-school activities
were not indicated on
IEPs.
Please submit copies of
agendas and sign-in sheets to
the Department by October 15,
2005 demonstrating that
appropriate staff have received
training pertaining to helping
students develop a vision
statement at the age of 14 and
transition activities for students
16 years and older. The
Administrator of Special
Education will check 4-6
sample folders to ensure that
the district includes a clearly
defined vision statement for
each student’s IEP at the age of
14 and transition plans for
students at the age of 16.
Please submit the results of the
record check to the Department
by October 15, 2005.

SE 6
Determination
of transition
services
(Emphasis on
practices in
determining
needed
transition
planning and
services and
consideration of
courses of study
related to
needed
transition)

3
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting

SE 13
Progress
Reports and
content

Review of student records
indicated that progress
reports do not consistently
state what students have
achieved and how their
progress relates to the
benchmarks and IEP
goals.
The Administrator of Special
Education will check 4-6
sample folders to ensure that
progress reports include clearly
defined goals and benchmarks
demonstrating the student’s
progress towards the annual
goals in the IEP. Please submit
the results of the record check
to the Department by October
15, 2005.
SE 15
Outreach by the
School District
(Child Find)

Review of documentation
indicated that the district
does not provide notice to
parents describing the
process for referring a
student for Special
Education.
Please submit a copy of the
district’s memo to parents
pertaining to the Special
Education referral process to
the Department by October
15, 2005.
4
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting

SE 18A
IEP
development
and content

Review of student records
indicated that IEP goals
are not consistently stated
as annual or are
measurable.
Please submit copies of
agendas and sign-in sheets to
the Department by October 15,
2005 demonstrating that
appropriate staff has received
training pertaining to the
development of IEP goals and
objectives. The Administrator
of Special Education will
check 4-6 sample folders to
ensure that IEP goals are both
annual and measurable. Please
also submit the results of the
record check to the Department
by October 15, 2005.
SE 18B
Determination
of placement;
immediate
provision of

Review of records
indicated that reevaluations are not
consistently completed
within 45 days of parental
By October 15, 2005, please
submit copies of
documentation maintained by
the district that records the
dates of all re-evaluation Team
5
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting

IEP to parent
consent.
6
meetings held during the spring
and in September of 2005
demonstrating that the district
is meeting the regulatory
timelines for conducting a reevaluation.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
SE 20
Least restrictive
program
selected
SE 22
IEP
implementation
and availability
(Emphasis on
provision of
IEP services
without delay;
provision of the
IEP at the
beginning of the
school year;
and, alternative
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation


Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

Record
reviews and
interviews of
special
education
administrative
staff
Review of student records
and interviews with special
education administrators
indicated that students are
placed in the least restrictive
environment.
Review of
records,
document
review and
interviews
with special
education
administrators
Review of student records,
district documents and
interviews, indicated that
IEPs are implemented
immediately after parental
consent and that the district
has an IEP in effect for each
eligible student at the
beginning of the school year.
7
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

methods of
service delivery
where there is a
lack of space
and/or
personnel))
8
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation


SE 26
Parent
participation in
meetings
(Emphasis on
district’s
attempts to
ensure parent
participation at
IEP Team
meetings)
SE 28
Parent provided
the IEP or
notice of no
eligibility
together with
notification of
procedural
safeguards and
Method(s) of
Verification

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

Review of
records and
document
review
Review of student records
indicated that the district
ensures parents are active
participants in the Team
process.
Review of
records and
document
review
Review of student records
indicated that parents are
consistently provided the IEP
or notice of no eligibility
along with notification of
procedural safeguards and
parents’ rights.
9
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

parents' rights
10
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
SE 29
Communications are in
English and
primary
language of
home
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation


Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting

Review of
records and
document
review
Documentation and record
review indicated the district
regularly provides
communications in English,
Khmer, Portuguese and
Spanish.
SE 32
Parent advisory
council for
special
education

Review of documentation
did not indicate how the
school committee
consulted with the Special
education parent advisory
council.
Please submit copies of school
committee meeting agendas
and minutes pertaining to
consultation with the PAC to
the Department by October
15, 2005.
SE 50
Responsibilities
of the School
Principal and
Administrator

Review of documentation
indicated that the district
is using outdated
terminology in its
description of special
Please submit a copy of the
district’s revised description of
special education services
available to limited English
proficient students to the
11
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting

of Special
Education
education services
available to limitedEnglish proficient
students.
12
Department by October 15,
2005.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
(Refer to full
text of
requirements
in 2004-2005
Special
Education
Information
Package)
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation



Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Review of documentation
and interviews with the
special education
administrators indicated
that the district has not
documented that it is
providing all required
training to all staff.
Please submit copies of
agendas and sign-in sheets for
professional development
regarding special education for
all staff to the Department by
October 15, 2005.

SE 54
Professional
development
regarding
special
education
SE 56
Special
education
programs and
services are
evaluated
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Review of
documentation
review and
interviews
with special
education
administrators
The district’s next evaluation
report is scheduled for June
2005. Please submit a copy
of the evaluation report to the
Department by October 15,
2005.
Rev. 9/10/04
13