Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
April 16, 2008
Maureen M. Marshall, Superintendent
North Middlesex Regional School District
23 Main Street
Townsend, MA 01469
Re: 2007 Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Report
Dear Superintendent Marshall:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Coordinated
Program Review Report (Mid-Cycle Report). We apologize for the delay in the transmission of
this report to the district, which was discovered as having been reviewed and not published to the
district. We are adjusting our procedures to ensure that this does not happen again. Please be
assured that the district is recorded as having corrected the special education and civil rights
criteria as of the date of the district’s submission of the progress report to the Department on
December 15, 2004, thus meeting the requirement of the federal Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education (OSEP) regarding implementation of correction within one year of
identification. This report contains findings based on onsite monitoring conducted to verify the
implementation and effectiveness of corrective action approved or ordered by the Department to
address findings of noncompliance included in the North Middlesex Regional School District
Coordinated Program Review Report issued on March 11, 2004. The Mid-cycle Report also
contains findings based on onsite monitoring of special education compliance criteria that have
been created or substantially changed in response to IDEA 2004.
Another component of the Department’s Mid-cycle Review is the review of your school district
or charter school's self-assessment in the area of English learner education (ELE). (In the
remainder of this letter, please read “district” as meaning “school district or charter school.”) The
purpose of this review is to determine whether your district is implementing the significant
changes in M.G.L. Chapter 71A, governing the education of limited English proficient students,
that were adopted by voters by means of Question 2 in 2002. The Department has reviewed your
district’s ELE self-assessment (documentation and any written analysis of compliance) and, based
solely on that self-assessment, is providing you in this report with findings on your ELE program
and the corresponding corrective action to be implemented. Your district is urged to request
technical assistance in relation to any of these findings or this prescribed corrective action from
me or from staff in the Department’s Office of Language Acquisition and Achievement at 781338-3534. ELE guidance documents are available on the Department’s website at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/ell/.
While the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education found your district to have
1
resolved certain noncompliance issues, the Department’s onsite team identified issues of
noncompliance with four specified ELE criteria.
In all instances where noncompliance has been found, the Department has prescribed corrective
action for the district that must be implemented without delay. You will find these requirements
for corrective action included in the attached report, along with requirements for progress
reporting. Please provide the Department with your written assurance that all of the Department's
requirements for corrective action will be implemented by your district within the timelines
specified. We request that you submit your statement of assurance to me by April 30, 2008.
Your staff's cooperation throughout this Mid-cycle Review is appreciated. Should you like
clarification of any part of our report, please do not hesitate to contact me at (781) 338-3747.
Sincerely,
Joel Krakow, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
cc:
Jeffrey Nellhaus, Acting Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Arnold Silva, Chairperson
Susan Alinovi, District Program Review Follow-up Coordinator
Encl.: Mid-cycle Coordinated Program Review Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY
EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW REPORT
North Middlesex Regional School District
ONSITE MONITORING OF IMPLEMENTATION OF CORRECTIVE ACTION AND OF CERTAIN NEW REQUIREMENTS
Date of Coordinated Program Review (CPR): March 11, 2004
Date of Coordinated Program Review Corrective Action Plan Approval: September 23, 2004
Dates of Corrective Action Plan Progress Reports: December 15, 2004
Dates of this Mid-cycle Review Onsite Visit: May 24, 25, 2007
Date of this Report: April 16, 2008
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN SEVERAL SECTIONS.
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 1 of 11
Criterion
Number/Topic
(Refer to full text
of 2006-2007 CPR
requirements)
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implement
ed and
Effective
Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective

Corrective
Action Not
Implemented
or Not
Effective
or
New Issues
Identified

Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
Special Ed.
Criteria Cited in
CPR Report and
Monitored in
Mid-cycle
SE 4
Reports of
assessment results

Review of
records
Review of records
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
SE 7
Transfer of
parental rights

Review of
records and
documentation
Review of records and
documentation demonstrated
compliance with this
criterion.
SE 9
Timelines for
eligibility
determination

Review of
records
Review of records
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
SE 21
School day and
school year

Review of
documentation
Review of documentation
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 2 of 11
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
(Refer to full text
of 2006-2007 CPR
requirements)
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implement
ed and
Effective
Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective

Corrective
Action Not
Implemented
or Not
Effective
or
New Issues
Identified

Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
requirements
SE 22
IEP
implementation
and availability

Review of
records
Review of records
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
SE 27
Content of Team
meeting notice to
parents

Review of
records
Review of records
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
SE 29
Communications
are in English
and primary
language of the
home

Review of
records and
documentation
Review of records and
documentation demonstrated
the district has a process to
make sure interpreters are
available should the need
arise.
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 3 of 11
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
(Refer to full text
of 2006-2007 CPR
requirements)
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implement
ed and
Effective
Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Corrective Action was
Implemented and has been
Effective

SE 37
Procedures for
approved and
unapproved outof-district
placements

Review of
records and
documentation
Review of records and
documentation demonstrated
compliance with this
criterion.
SE 38
Educational
services in
institutional
settings

Review of
records and
documentation
Review of records and
documentation demonstrated
compliance with this
criterion.
SE 43
Behavioral
intervention

Review of
records
Review of records
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
SE 45
Suspension
procedures

Review of
records and
documentation
Review of records and
documentation demonstrated
compliance with this
criterion.
Corrective
Action Not
Implemented
or Not
Effective
or
New Issues
Identified

Basis of Determination
that Implementation of
Corrective Action was
Incomplete or
Ineffective or
Basis of Finding of New
Noncompliance
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 4 of 11
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented

Review of
records
Review of records
demonstrated that the district
plans for transition activities
for students with disabilities.

Review of
records
Review of records
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.

Review of
records
Review of student records
and interviews demonstrated
that re-evaluations are
completed at least every
three years.

Record and
documentation
review
Review of student records
demonstrated that progress
report goals are consistently
appropriate.
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
Special
Education
Criteria
created or
revised in
response to
IDEA-2004
SE 6 ##1 - 3
Determination
of Transition
Services
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance
SE 12
Frequency of
re-evaluation
SE 13
Progress
Reports and
content
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 5 of 11
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
SE 14
Review and
revision of
IEPs
SE 25B
Resolution of
disputes
SE 33
Involvement in
the General
Curriculum
SE 39A
Procedures for
services to
eligible private
school students
whose parents
reside in the
district
(SE 39A does
Criterion
Implemented

Method(s) of
Verification
Basis of Determination that
Criterion was Implemented

Record and
documentation
review
Review of student records
demonstrated that IEPs are
reviewed annually.

Review of
documentation
and staff
interviews
Review of documentation
and staff interviews indicated
that the district follows
procedural requirements
pertaining to the BSEA
process.

Review of
documentation
and staff
interviews
Review of documentation
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.

Review of
documentation
and staff
interviews
Review of documentation
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
Criterion
Determined
to be
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented
or Not Implemented
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 6 of 11
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
SE 39B
Procedures for
services to
eligible
students in
private schools
in the district
whose parents
reside out of
state

Review of
documentation
and staff
interviews
Review of documentation
and staff interviews showed
that although there were no
students in this category, the
district has a process in place
that is compliance with this
criterion.

Review of
documentation
and staff
interviews
Review of documentation
demonstrated compliance
with this criterion.
(SE 39B does
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
SE 46
Procedures for
suspension of
students with
disabilities
more than 10
days
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 7 of 11
North Middlesex Regional School District
English Learner Education (ELE) Requirements
Mid-Cycle Review Findings and Corrective Action Based on the Department’s Review Of Local Self-Assessments
(Please refer to full text of 2006-2007 CPR requirements for ELE and related implementation guidance at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/instrument/chapter71A.doc )
Note: The district is in the initial stages of formalizing its ELE program. The specifics of the regulatory requirements for most of the criteria below
will need to be addressed further in order to solidify the program and provide additional staffing.
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
ELE 1
Annual
Assessment
ELE 2
MCAS
Participation
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting


Document and record reviews and interviews demonstrated that
although the district appropriately conducts a home language survey,
it was not provided in all languages spoken in the home and other
testing was not documented.
ELE 3
Initial
Identification
ELE 4
Waiver
Procedures
Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)
Please submit a copy the district’s home language
survey in languages other than English to the
Department by July 15, 2008.
Not Applicable
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 8 of 11
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

ELE 5
Program
Placement
and Structure

ELE 6
Program Exit
and
Readiness

ELE 7
Parent
Involvement

ELE 8
Declining
Entry to a
Program
ELE 9
Instructional
Grouping
Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)
Not Applicable

North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 9 of 11
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

ELE 10
Parental
Notification

ELE 11
Equal Access
to Academic
Programs
and Services

ELE 12
Equal Access
to
Nonacademic
and
Extracurricular
Programs
ELE 13
Follow-up
Support
ELE 14
Licensure
Requirements
Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
.

 .
Review of documentation and interviews showed that the district is
aware of the requirements of this criterion and is in the process of
meeting licensure requirements. However, it did not provide
documentation of required educator licenses.
Please provide the Department with a description
of the district’s status pertaining to its efforts to
meet ELE licensure requirements, including copies
of teacher licenses and waivers and professional
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 10 of 11
ELE
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Criterion
Determined to be
Implemented
Based on Review
of Local ELE
Self-Assessment

Findings of Noncompliance Based on Department’s
Review of Local ELE Self-Assessment
(Criterion Determined to be Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented)
Required Corrective Action,
Timelines for Implementation,
and Progress Reporting
development activities related to providing SEI, as
needed for students in the district.
Due date: July 15, 2008.
ELE 15
Professional
Development
Requirements
ELE 16
Equitable
Facilities


ELE 17
Program
Evaluation
Interviews and review of documentation showed that the district has
not developed program evaluation procedures.
Please submit a description of the district’s plan to
evaluate its ELE program to the Department by
July 15, 2008.
ELE 18
Records of
LEP
Students(To be
reviewed
during next
CPR visit.)
Review of records showed that the district does not currently maintain
ELE records in accordance with all regulatory requirements.
Please submit a description of the district’s plan to
be in full compliance with LEP records
requirements to the Department by July 15, 2008.
Mid-cycle Report Format 2007.doc
Rev. 1/3/07
North Middlesex Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 16, 2008
Page 11 of 11