Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4096
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
June 11, 2013
John Tuffy, Superintendent
Halifax Public School District
250 Pembroke Street
Kingston, MA 02364
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Tuffy:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based on the
onsite visit conducted in your district in March 2013. 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 2015-2016 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 Coretta McCarter at 781-338-3733.
Sincerely,
Coretta McCarter, 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
Vani Rastogi-Kelly, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Lisa Gilbert, School Committee Chairperson
Mary Kelley, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs:
Mid-cycle Report
1
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Halifax Public School District
Date of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: March 27, 2013
Date of this Report: June 11, 2013
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN TWO SECTIONS.
Required Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
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
Transfer of
parental
rights and
student
participation
and consent
at age of
majority
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
This criterion is not applicable as
the Halifax Public School District
serves students in kindergarten
through grade six only.
Halifax Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 11, 2013
Page 1 of 6
(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
Student
Records
All required members of the Team
are present at IEP Team meetings,
including the parents. Members of
the Team attend IEP Team
meetings unless:
 The district and the parent
agree, in writing, that the
attendance of the Team
member is not necessary
because the member’s area
of the curriculum or related
services is not being
modified or discussed; or
 The district and parent
agree, in writing, to excuse
a required Team member’s
participation and the
excused member provides
written input into the
development of the IEP to
the parent and IEP Team
prior to the meeting.
Interviews
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and
attendance
SE 18A
IEP
development
and content

Student
Records
Interviews
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
IEP Teams consider and
specifically address the skills and
proficiencies needed to avoid and
respond to bullying, harassment, or
Halifax Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 11, 2013
Page 2 of 6
(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
Student
Records
teasing when a student is identified
with a disability that affects social
skills development, when the
disability makes him or her
vulnerable to bullying, harassment,
or teasing, or when the student is
identified with a disability on the
autism spectrum.
If the parent revokes his or her
consent to the student’s special
education services in writing, the
district acts promptly to provide
written notice to the parent of the
district’s proposal to discontinue
services based on the revocation of
consent and also provides
information on how the parent can
obtain a copy of the procedural
safeguards. The notice is provided
a reasonable time before the district
intends to discontinue services.
Interviews
SE 25
Parental
consent
Document
Review
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Halifax Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 11, 2013
Page 3 of 6
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Additional Special Education Criteria Monitored in this Mid-cycle Review
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 3
Special
requirements
for
determination
of specific
learning
disability
SE 5
Participation
in general
State and
district-wide
assessment
programs
SE 13
Progress
Reports and
content
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation

Student
Records

Student
Records

Student
Records
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
When a student is suspected of
having a specific learning
disability, IEP Teams use the
Specific Learning DisabilityEligibility Process/Forms and also
provide a written determination as
to whether or not the student has a
specific learning disability.
The district’s IEP Teams
designate how each student will
participate in state and districtwide assessments.
Through progress reporting, the
district informs parents of the
student’s progress towards
reaching the goals set in the IEP at
least as often as parents are
informed of the progress of nondisabled students.
Halifax Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 11, 2013
Page 4 of 6
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
SE 24
Notice to
parent
regarding
proposal or
refusal to
initiate or
change the
identification,
evaluation, or
educational
placement of
the child or
the provision
of FAPE
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The Notice of Proposed School
District Action (N1) provided to
parents meets all of the content
requirements of federal law, as the
following elements on page 2 of
the N1 form are addressed:
 A description of the action
proposed by the district;
 An explanation of why the
district is proposing to act;
 A description of any other
options that the district
considered and why those
options were rejected;
 A description of each
evaluation procedure, test,
record, or report used as a
basis for the proposed
action;
 A description of other
factors that were relevant
to the school district’s
decision;
 Description of next steps,
if recommended.
Halifax Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 11, 2013
Page 5 of 6
(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
Records
Interviews
SE 26
Parent
participation
in meetings
Document
Review
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The district notifies the parent(s)
in writing of any Team meeting
early enough to ensure that they
have the opportunity to attend. If
neither parent can attend, the
district uses other methods to
ensure parent participation, such
as through individual or
conference telephone calls and
video conferencing. In cases
where the district, after reasonable
efforts, is unable to obtain parents’
participation in IEP Team meeting
discussions and decisions, the
district conducts the Team
meeting and documents its
attempts to facilitate the parents’
participation.
Halifax Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 11, 2013
Page 6 of 6
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements