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
July 8, 2011
Dr. Frank Llamas, Superintendent
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School
1050 Westminster Street
Fitchburg, Massachusetts 01420
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Dr. Llamas:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle
Report based on the onsite visit conducted in your district on April 7, 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: interviews, review of student records,
examination of documentation, and classroom observation(s).
The Department determined that one or more of the criteria monitored in your
district was “Partially Implemented” or “Not Implemented.” In all instances
where noncompliance was 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 July 25, 2011.
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 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
Elizabeth Young Ahern, Ed.D., Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance
Services
Diane Swenson, School Committee Chairperson
Victoria Zarozinski, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School District
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: April 7, 2011
Date of this Report: July 8, 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
Interviews
Student
Records
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
A review of student
records and staff
interviews demonstrated
that one year prior to a
student reaching age 18,
the district does not
consistently inform the
student and parent of
his/her right at age 18 to
make all decisions in
relation to special
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The district must review and update their
procedures related to the transfer of parental
rights at the age of majority. The district must
also provide training on the updated
procedures to appropriate staff members.
Please see Administrative Advisory SPED
2011-1
www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/11_1.html.
Additionally, the district must develop an
internal oversight and tracking system to
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 1 of 6
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
The district will
submit the
updated
procedures and
evidence of
staff training,
which will
include but not
be limited to a
training agenda,
attendance
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
education programs and
services.
Also, upon reaching age
18, the school district has
not consistently
implemented procedures
to ensure obtaining
consent from the student
to continue the student’s
special education
program.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
ensure that one year prior to a student reaching
age 18, the district informs the student and
parent of his/her right at age 18 to make all
decisions in relation to special education
programs and services and upon reaching age
18, the school district implements procedures
to ensure obtaining consent from the student to
continue the student’s special education
program.
Subsequent to the completion of the corrective
action, the district must conduct internal
monitoring of student records. The student
records selected should be students who turned
17 and 18 years old after the implementation
of the corrective action to ensure that the
revised procedures related to the transfer of
parental rights and the age of majority are
followed.
*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).
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
sheet and
copies of the
materials
presented.
Please submit
this to the
Department on
or before
October 31,
2011.
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 the
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 2 of 6
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
results of an
administrative
review of
student records.
Indicate the
number of
records
reviewed, the
number found
to be compliant,
an explanation
of the root
cause for any
continued
noncompliance
and a
description of
additional
corrective
actions taken by
the district to
address any
identified
noncompliance.
Please submit
this to the
Department on
or before
February 17,
2012.
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 3 of 6
Criterion
SE 52A
Registration
of
educational
interpreters
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Document
Review
Interviews
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The district has provided
evidence its current
educational interpreter is
registered with the
Massachusetts
Commission for the Deaf
and Hard of Hearing, as
required.
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 4 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
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
SE 3
Special
requirements
for
determination
of specific
learning
disability

Student
Records
A review of student records
demonstrated that when a
student is suspected of
having a specific learning
disability, the Team creates
a written determination,
signed by all members as to
whether or not he/she has a
specific learning disability.
SE 21
School day and
school year
requirements

Interviews
A review of student records
and staff member
interviews indicated that
the IEP Team routinely
considers the need for an
educational program that is
less than or more than the
regular school day or
school year.
SE 48
Equal
opportunity to
participate in
educational,

Student
Records
Document
Review
Interviews
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
Interviews and a review of
district documentation
demonstrated that special
education students have the
opportunities, are
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
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
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
scheduled and receive
credit for the continuum of
electives, physical
education and health
courses available in the
general curriculum.
nonacademic,
extracurricular
and ancillary
programs, as
well as
participation in
regular
education
SE 51
Appropriate
special
education
teacher
licensure
Basis of Determination
about Criterion

Document
Review
A review of district
documentation
demonstrated that all
special education teaching
staff members are
appropriately licensed.
Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 6 of 6
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical 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