75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4096 Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
January 28, 2011
Mary Jo Santoro, Superintendent
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
250 Pawtucket Blvd
Tyngsborough, MA 01879
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Santoro :
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 February 14, 2011.
1

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.
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
David C. Laferriere, School Committee Chairperson
Jill Davis, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report form
2

Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: December 3, 2010
Date of this Report: January 28, 2011
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN TWO SECTIONS.
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
Implemented

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Partially
Implemented
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for
Implementation
Interviews
Student Records
Documentation
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
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 28, 2011
Page 1 of 5
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
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
The district will submit the updated procedures related to transfer of parental rights and evidence of staff training, which will include but not be limited to a

Criterion Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about Criterion consent at age 17.
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 28, 2011
Page 2 of 5
If Partially Implemented or Not
(a)
Implemented:
Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for
Implementation of majority and provide training to appropriate staff on these requirements.
Further the district must conduct internal monitoring of student records to insure that students approaching the age of majority are informed of their rights and that procedures for obtaining consent are initiated once the student has reached age 18.

Please note when conducting internal monitoring that the 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 ).
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements training agenda, attendance sheet and copies of the materials presented. Please submit this to the
Department on or before April 15,
2011.
Submit the results of an administrative review of those records for students who have reached the age of majority subsequent to staff training to ensure that students were informed of their rights prior to turning 18 and that consent is not made prior to turning 18.
Indicate the number of records

Criterion
SE 52A
Registration of educational interpreters
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)

Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about Criterion
Documentation
Interviews
Student Records
The district has a deaf or hard of hearing student who requires educational interpreting. The district does currently employ a staff member who is registered with Massachusetts
Commission for the Deaf and
Hard of Hearing.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements reviewed, the number found to be compliant, an explanation of the root cause for any continued noncompliance and a description of additional corrective actions to be taken by the district to address any identified noncompliance.
Please submit this to the Department on or before
September 15,
2011.
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 28, 2011
Page 3 of 5

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
Documentation
Student Records
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Review of records showed that written education histories are evident and are used for the assessment of suspected disability.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for
Implementation
SE 4
Assessment
Results
SE 20
Least Restrictive
Program
 Student Records
Documentation
Observation
Review of records showed that assessments contain educational findings and recommendations
pertinent to the student’s educational and social needs.
Review of records show that at
Greater Lowell Tech, students in the TOP program, consistent with the district's entrance and exit policies and LRE, are individually reviewed for consideration in the first year
“Exploratory” program.
The students in the TOP program participate in other vocational and academic programs.
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 28, 2011
Page 4 of 5
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements

Criterion
SE 48
Equal
Participation
SE 21
School Day and
Year
SE 24
Notice to Parent
Criterion
Implemented



Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Interviews
Student Records
Documentation
Documentation
Student Records
Interviews
 Interviews
Documentation
Student Records
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Review of records and staff interviews show that at Team meetings the individual need for extended year services is considered
Review of records showed that the Notice of Proposed School
District Action (N1) contains specific district actions and the reasons for those actions based on the needs of the individual student.
Review of records show that at
Greater Lowell Tech, students in the TOP program, consistent with the district's entrance and exit policies and LRE, are individually reviewed for consideration in the first year
“Exploratory” program.
The students in the TOP program participate in other vocational and academic programs.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 28, 2011
Page 5 of 5

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Greater Lowell Regional Vocational Technical High School
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
Rev. 6/30/08