75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4096 Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
January 6, 2012
Dr. Nicholas Young, Superintendent
Hadley Public School District
125 Russell Street
Hadley, MA 01035
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Young:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based on the onsite visit conducted in your district on December 8, 2011. During the 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.
We are pleased to tell you that the Department has found your district to be in compliance with all of the criteria monitored in your district during the Mid-cycle Review. 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 the requirements included in these criteria.
The Department will notify you of your district's next regularly scheduled Coordinated Program Review
(CPR) several months before it is to occur. At this time we anticipate that this CPR will occur sometime during the 2014-2015 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. If you have questions about this letter or the enclosed report, please do not hesitate to contact D. Beth Lopez at 781 338-6703 or 413
314-6703 or dlopez@doe.mass.edu
.
Sincerely,
D. Beth Lopez, 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
Robie Grant, School Committee Chairperson
Kathleen Boyden, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Hadley Public School District
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: December 8, 2011
Date of this Report: January 6, 2012
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN TWO SECTIONS.
Criterion Criterion
Implemented

SE 7
Transfer of parental rights and student participation and consent at age of majority

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interview
The district’s written procedures, staff interview, and student record review demonstrate that the district is implementing the requirement to provide notice at least one year prior to the student’s 18 th birthday and to document that it has informed the student and the parent/guardian of the rights that will transfer from the parent to the
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 1 of 8
If Partially
Implemented or Not
Implemented:
Required
Corrective Action and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements

Criterion
SE 8
IEP Team composition and attendance
SE 18A
IEP
Development and content
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation


Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interview
Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interview
Basis of Determination about
Criterion student on the advent of the student‘s 18 th birthday.
The district makes efforts to ensure that each IEP meeting is fully staffed with the necessary representatives. The district has a procedure in place and a form that is used when required members of an IEP Team are unable to attend the Team meeting. Parents agree in writing to excuse a required Team member’s participation, and the
Team member is required to provide written input into the development of the IEP.
Student IEPs and notices to parents, along with the district’s procedural manual, demonstrate that the district makes an effort to ensure that the needs of all students on IEPs are considered with regard to social skills and response to bullying or hazing.
Students identified with needs on
If Partially
Implemented or Not
Implemented:
Required
Corrective Action and Timelines for
Implementation
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 2 of 8
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements

Criterion
SE 25
Parental consent
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interview the autism spectrum or those students for whom social skills and bullying may be an issue are provided with social skills training to allow them to cope with, and respond to bullying. Additionally, the district has implemented a commendable practice of ensuring that every student with an IEP is offered and provided with an adult who is responsible for being that student’s go-to person in the event that the student feels uncomfortable or threatened.
The district obtains parental consent prior to the evaluation of students.
Upon receipt of a parent’s request to discontinue services, the district immediately provides written notice of the district’s proposal to discontinue services to the parent and immediately discontinues all special education services consistent with federal regulation.
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 3 of 8
If Partially
Implemented or Not
Implemented:
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
The district has not had a parent revoke consent in writing, but staff are aware of the obligation to promptly provide written notice of the proposal to discontinue services based on the revocation, and information to the parent about how the parent may obtain a copy of the right to procedural safe guards.
If Partially
Implemented or Not
Implemented:
Required
Corrective Action and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 4 of 8

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
 Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interview
The district has developed and implemented procedures to ensure that all teachers at all levels are aware of their responsibilities under the IEP and have access to the information, i.e., goals and accommodations, including accommodations for negative behaviors that are included on
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 5 of 8
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements

Criterion
Criterion
Implemented



Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interview
Student
Record
Basis of
Determination about Criterion the IEP’s of students they teach.
Further, the district has updated their procedures and their teacher handbook section on the requirements of discipline for special education students and has provided training regarding those requirements to responsible staff.
The district provides the Notice of
Proposed School
District Action (N1) which addresses all the federally required questions.
The district has procedures in place
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 6 of 8

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
Review
Document
Review
Interview
Observation
Interview and has trained responsible personnel on the requirements involved in providing procedural safeguards to students with disabilities when suspensions exceed
10 days or a pattern has developed for suspensions exceeding 10 cumulative days representing a change in placement.
An onsite review of the classroom that had been previously shared by both special education students and English language learners and was not given the same priority in the allocation of
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 7 of 8
(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 instructional space indicates that instructional spaces have been rearranged to maximize the inclusion of such students in the life of the school and are at least equal in all physical respects to the average standards of general education facilities.
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and Timelines for
Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Hadley Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 6, 2012
Page 8 of 8