Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
June 14, 2011
Dr. Theresa Kane, Superintendent
Ludlow Public School District
63 Chestnut Street
Ludlow, MA 01056
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Kane:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report
based on the Mid-cycle Review conducted in your district on March 31, 2011. 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 June 30, 2011.
Your staff's cooperation throughout this Mid-cycle Review is appreciated. If you have
1
questions about this letter or the enclosed report, please do not hesitate to contact Paula
Twomey at 781-338-3730.
Sincerely,
Paula Twomey, 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
Michael Kelliher, School Committee Chairperson
Christine DeBarge, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Ludlow Public School District
Date of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: March 31, 2011
Date of this Report: June 14, 2011
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 at age
of majority
and student
participation
and consent
at the age of
majority
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
PI
Document
Review
Interviews
Student
Records
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
The district’s practice is
to inform all students and
their parents of the
transfer of parental rights
during the summer when
the students are already
17 years of age, instead
of informing the student
and the parent one year
prior to the student
reaching the age of 18.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Revise the district’s procedures for the transfer
of parental rights requirements to include one
year prior to the student reaching age 18,
informing the student and the parent/guardian
of the rights that will transfer from the
parent/guardian to the student upon the
student’s 18th birthday. Train appropriate staff
on the transfer of parental rights requirements.
See Administrative Advisory SPED 2011-1 on
the Age of Majority
www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/11_1.html.
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 1 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Submit a copy
of the revised
procedures and
evidence of
staff training,
including an
agenda and
signed
attendance
sheets
(indicating role
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
Develop an internal oversight and tracking
system to ensure that the district is informing
students and their parents/guardians one year
prior to the student reaching age 18 of the
rights that will transfer to him or her upon the
student’s 18th birthday.
Develop a report of the results of an internal
review of student records, for those students
who have reached the age of majority
subsequent to the district’s implementation of
corrective action, for evidence of compliance
with notifying the students and
parent/guardian of the transfer of rights one
year prior to the student reaching age 18.
*Please note when conducting internal
monitoring the district must maintain the
following documentation and make it
available to the Department upon request:
a) List of student names and grade levels
for the records reviewed; b) Date of the
review; c) Name of person(s) who
conducted the review, with their role(s) and
signature(s).
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 2 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
of staff), on the
requirements
for the transfer
of parental
rights. Submit
the description
of the internal
oversight and
tracking system
and identify the
person(s)
responsible for
the oversight,
including the
date of the
system’s
implementation.
Submit this
information by
October 31,
2011.
Submit a report
of the results of
an internal
review of
records for
students who
have reached
the age of
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
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
majority
subsequent to
the district’s
implementation
of corrective
actions for
evidence of
appropriate age
of majority
procedures.
Include the
following:
 Number of
records
reviewed;
 Number of
records that
included
notification
to the
student and
parent/
guardian
one year
prior to the
student
reaching
age 18;
 Results of
the root
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 3 of 9
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
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
cause
analysis of
any records
not in
compliance;
 Specific
corrective
actions
taken by the
district to
remedy any
noncompliance.
Submit the
report by
January 31,
2012.
SE 52A
Registration
of
educational
interpreters

Document
Review
Interviews
The district does not
have any students
enrolled at this time who
require the services of an
educational interpreter
for the deaf and hard of
hearing. The district has
procedures in place that
indicate that an employee
acting in this capacity
would be registered with
the Massachusetts
Commission for the Deaf
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 4 of 9
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
and Hard of Hearing, as
required.
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 5 of 9
(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 8
IEP Team
composition and
attendance
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Document
Review
If the student is involved in a
general education program, a
general education teacher of the
student is now in attendance at
the IEP Team meeting at the high
school level.
Interviews
SE 9
Timeline for
determination of
eligibility and
provision of
documentation
to parent

SE 10
End of school
year evaluations

Student
Records
Student
Records
Interviews
Student
Records
Interviews
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
The school district determines
whether the student is eligible for
special education and provides
either a proposed IEP and
proposed placement or a written
explanation of the finding of no
eligibility within 45 school
working days after receipt of the
parent’s written consent to an
initial evaluation or a reevaluation.
If consent is received between 30
and 45 school working days
before the end of the school year,
the school district ensures that a
Team meeting is scheduled so as
to allow for the provision of a
proposed IEP or written notice of
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 6 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
PI
SE 12
Frequency of
re-evaluation
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
the finding that the student is not
eligible no later than 14 days after
the end of the school year.
The school district does not
consistently conduct reevaluations every three years.
Interviews
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
Review the dates of the reevaluations that have been
conducted this past school year and
analyze this data to establish the
root cause(s) for the noncompliance. Based on this root
cause analysis, indicate the specific
corrective actions taken to remedy
the non-compliance.
Develop an internal oversight and
tracking system to ensure that reevaluations are conducted every
three years, unless the parent and
district agree that it is unnecessary.
The tracking system should include
supervisory oversight at the school
level and periodic reviews to ensure
compliance.
Develop a report of the results of an
internal review of student records
from all grades in which a reevaluation was conducted since the
implementation of all of the
district’s corrective actions for
evidence of compliance with reevaluations being conducted every
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 7 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Provide the
outcomes of the
root cause
analysis with the
specific
proposal(s) for
remedying the
non-compliance.
Submit a
description of the
internal oversight
and tracking
system and
identify the
person(s)
responsible for
the oversight,
including the date
of the system’s
implementation,
for ensuring that
re-evaluations are
conducted every
three years.
Submit this
information by
October 31,
2011.
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
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
three years.
*Please note when conducting
internal monitoring the district
must maintain the following
documentation and make it
available to the Department upon
request: a) List of student names
and grade levels for the records
reviewed; b) Date of the review;
c) Name of person(s) who
conducted the review, with their
role(s) and signature(s).
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 8 of 9
Submit a report of
the results of an
internal review of
records in which a
re-evaluation was
conducted since
implementation
of the oversight
and tracking
system for
compliance with
timelines. Include
the following:
 Number of
records
reviewed;
 Number of
records in
which a reevaluation
was
conducted
every three
years;
 Results of the
root cause
analysis of
any records
not in
compliance;
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
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements

Specific
corrective
actions taken
by the district
to remedy any
noncompliance.
Submit the report
by January 31,
2012.
SE 14
Review and
revision of IEPs

SE 18B
Determination
of placement;
provision of IEP
to parent

Student
Records
Interviews
Student
Records
Interviews
At least annually, on or before the
anniversary date of the IEP, a
Team meeting is held to consider
the student’s progress and to
review, revise, or develop a new
IEP or refer the student for a
re-evaluation, as appropriate.
Immediately following the
development of the IEP, the
district provides the parent with
two copies of the proposed IEP
and proposed placement along
with the required notice.
Ludlow Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 14, 2011
Page 9 of 9
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Ludlow Public School District
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