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
August 31, 2010
Peter Sanchioni, Ph.D., Superintendent
Natick Public Schools
13 East Central Street
Natick, MA 01760
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Sanchioni:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report
based on the Mid-cycle Review conducted in your district in March 2010. In this Midcycle 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 September 17, 2010.
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 Jane
1
Ewing at (781) 338-3741.
Sincerely,
Jane L. Ewing, Ed.D., 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
Dean Paolillo, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Dirk Coburn, School Committee Chairperson, Natick Public Schools
Lauren Gilbert, Local Program Review Coordinator, Natick Public Schools
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
NATICK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: March 29, 2010
Date of this Report: August 31, 2010
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 3
Special
requirements
for the
determination
of specific
learning
disability
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
Student
record
review,
Interview
The district’s high school special
education staff is not using the
required documentation to make a
finding for a specific learning
disability (SLD). In cases where
the discrepancy model is used, the
student’s testing scores do not
show discrepancies among the
subtests. In cases where the
determination is based on the
student’s response to research-
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for
Implementation
Please provide training to Natick
High School special education
staff and team leaders on the
requirements for making a
determination of a specific
learning disability (SLD).
Post training; please conduct a
sample record review of high
school students determined to have
an SLD subsequent to an initial or
Natick Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 31, 2010
Page 1 of 10
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Please provide
evidence of the
high school
special
education staff
training on the
requirements for
making a
determination of
SLD, including
an agenda,
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
based interventions, documentation
from the pre-referral team is not
always attached.
re-evaluations to review the
documentation for findings of
SLD. Select records that represent
both methods of determining
eligibility, including the
discrepancy model and the
research-based response model.
Provide a detailed summary of the
district’s record review, including
the type of evaluation (initial or reevaluation); student’s grade level;
method of determination; and the
results of the review.
signed
attendance
sheets, and the
name and title of
the presenter by
October 11,
2010.
Please note that 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
level for the record review; b)
Date of the review; c) Name of
person(s) who conducted the
review, their roles(s), and their
signature(s)
Natick Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 31, 2010
Page 2 of 10
After the
training has
been completed,
please submit:
1) The number
of student
records
reviewed;
2) The number
of student
records in
compliance;
3) For all
records not in
compliance with
this criterion,
determine the
root cause(s) of
the noncompliance; and
4) The district’s
plan to remedy
the non-
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
compliance by
December 17,
2010.
SE 52A
Registration
of educational
interpreters
Implemented
Document
review,
Interview
The district submitted a Request
for an Interpreter form for
Massachusetts Commission for the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
interpreters as part of their
protocol.
Natick Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 31, 2010
Page 3 of 10
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 4
Reporting
Assessment
results
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
Partially
Implemented
Student
record
review,
Interview
A review of student records
indicated that educational
assessment report summaries do
not always include
recommendations for the students
needs, including explicit means of
meeting those needs.
Please provide training to all special
education staff members who
conduct educational assessments on
the requirements for assessment
summaries.
Post-training, please review a
sample of approximately 12 records
for initial or re-evaluations to
review the educational assessment
reports to ensure summary reports
include the recommendations of the
evaluator. Provide a detailed
summary of the district’s record
review, including the type of
evaluation (initial or re-evaluation);
student’s grade level; and the results
of the review by record.
Please note that when conducting
internal monitoring the district
must maintain the following
documentation and make it
Natick Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 31, 2010
Page 4 of 10
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Please provide
evidence of the
special education
staff training on
the requirements
for educational
assessment
summaries,
including an
agenda, signed
attendance sheets
and the name and
title of the
presenter by
October 11,
2010.
After the training
has been
completed, please
submit:
1) The number of
student records
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
available to the Department upon
request: a) List of student names
and grade level for the record
review; b) Date of the review; c)
Name of person(s) who conducted
the review, their roles(s), and
their signature(s)
SE 9A
Elements of
eligibility
determination
Yes
Interview
The Pupil Personnel Director
confirmed that the district
discontinued the practice of
providing special education
services to students who had been
determined not eligible for
services. This practice was
discontinued immediately
following the district’s 2007
Coordinated Program Review.
SE 29
Communication
in English and
Yes
Document
review,
Student
Documentation demonstrated that
the district developed a process
for staff to request translated
Natick Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 31, 2010
Page 5 of 10
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
reviewed;
2) The number of
student records in
compliance;
3) For all records
not in compliance
with this criterion,
determine the root
cause(s) of the
non-compliance;
and 4) The
district’s plan to
remedy the noncompliance by
December 17,
2010.
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

primary
language of
home
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
record
review,
Interview
documents and oral interpretation
services. Student records
indicated that documents were
translated as requested.
SE 34
Continuum of
alternative
services and
placements
Yes
Student
records,
Interview
The district developed in-district
vocational/occupational
opportunities for its high school
students on IEPs, including a high
school transition program, the
availability of in-district job
coaches, and the purchase of an
apartment building for students to
use for life skills development.
SE 36
IEP
implementation,
accountability,
and financial
responsibility
Yes
Interview
The district implemented a
practice to ensure that all teachers
are aware of the accommodations
on their students’ IEPs. Teachers
are required to review the
accommodations for incoming
students and provide a signature
that demonstrates they have
reviewed the content of the IEP,
particularly for accommodations.
SE 55
Special
education
facilities and
classrooms
Yes
Walkthrough of
facilities
A walk-through of the BennettHemenway Elementary and
Johnson Elementary Schools
demonstrated that all related
service provision is provided in
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
Natick Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 31, 2010
Page 6 of 10
(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
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for Implementation
office spaces or classrooms.
The instructional space for the
LEAP program (Literacy
Extension and Practice Program)
was moved from the small
classroom to a full-sized room in
another part of the Wilson Middle
School.
Natick Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 31, 2010
Page 7 of 10
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
NATICK PUBLIC SCHOOLS
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