COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
MID-CYCLE REPORT
District: Rockport Public Schools
MCR Onsite Dates: 03/25/2013 - 03/26/2013
Program Area: Special Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
MID-CYCLE REPORT
SE Criterion # 3 - Special requirements for determination of specific learning
disability
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Record review indicated that when the district conducts re-evaluations for students
previously identified as having a specific learning disability (SLD) by the district or
another district, IEP Teams do not always propose SLD as the suspected area of disability
and therefore do not complete the required written eligibility determination and the four
components used to determine eligibility: Historic review and educational assessment
(SLD 1), Area of concern and evaluation method (SLD 2), Exclusionary factors (SLD 3)
and Observation (SLD 4).
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Please ensure that IEP Team chairpersons and other key personnel are trained in the
appropriate development of the four required components and written determination for
documenting a determination of Specific Learning Disability for initial evaluations and reevaluations. Please use the Department’s guidance at
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/iep/sld/default.html as the basis of this training.
Please develop an internal system of periodic review for the completion of all required
components of the SLD eligibility process and identify the person(s) responsible by name
and title for this internal monitoring.
Please conduct a student record review of 15 records for evidence that students identified
as SLD are appropriately re-evaluated using the required documentation process for
determining eligibility. This sample must be drawn from records of students across all
grade levels who were re-evaluated for a determination of SLD, subsequent to the
completion of the school’s corrective actions.
*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) who
conducted the review, their role(s), and their signature(s).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
Submit evidence of staff training, including an agenda, training materials, and signed
attendance sheets, indicating name and role of staff.
Submit a description of the oversight system and identify the person(s) responsible for
monitoring the completion of the SLD components, including the date of the system's
implementation and the staff responsible for the review.
This progress report is due October 21, 2013.
Submit a report of the results of an internal review of records. Include the number of
records reviewed and number of records in compliance. For all records not in compliance
with this criterion, provide corrective actions taken by the district to remedy any noncompliance. This progress report is due February 10, 2014.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/21/2013
02/10/2014
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Rockport Mid-Cycle Report – September 17, 2013 04:22:23 PM
Page 2 of 8
SE Criterion # 4 - Reports of assessment results
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Student record review indicated that assessment reports do not always include the
procedures employed or diagnostic impressions and do not provide details that identify
the student's educational needs or offer explicit means of meeting the needs.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Please ensure that key personnel responsible for administering these assessments are
trained in the appropriate development of assessment reports that include the procedures
employed, the evaluator’s diagnostic impressions, and a description of the student’s
needs in educationally relevant and common terms and the explicit means of meeting
these needs.
Please develop an internal system of periodic review of completed assessment summaries
and identify the person(s) responsible by name and title for this internal monitoring.
Conduct an internal review of student records from a cross-section of the district’s
schools. Please select a sample of 15 records from initial evaluations or re-evaluations
conducted after implementation of all corrective actions for evidence that academic
assessment reports include the procedures employed, the evaluator’s diagnostic
impressions, and a description of the student’s needs in educationally relevant and
common terms and explicit means of meeting these needs.
*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) who conducted the review, their role(s), and their
signature(s).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
Submit evidence of staff training, including an agenda, training materials, and signed
attendance sheets, indicating name and role of staff.
Submit a description of the oversight system and identify the person(s) responsible for
monitoring the completeness of assessment summaries, including the date of the
system's implementation and the staff responsible for the review.
This progress report is due October 21, 2013.
Submit a report of the results of an internal review of records. Include the number of
records reviewed and number of records in compliance. For all records not in compliance
with this criterion, provide corrective actions taken by the district to remedy any noncompliance. This progress report is due February 10, 2014.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/21/2013
02/10/2014
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Rockport Mid-Cycle Report – September 17, 2013 04:22:23 PM
Page 3 of 8
SE Criterion # 7 - Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and student
participation and consent at the age of majority
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Interviews and student record review demonstrated that the district does not notify
parents and students of the transfer of educational decision-making rights one year prior
to students reaching the age of 18.
Student records indicated that the district does consistently obtain consent from the
student to continue the student's special education program once the student has reached
the age of majority.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Develop a procedure for notifying families and students of the transfer of parental rights
to the student at the age of majority based on the ESE’s administrative advisory 2011-1
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/11_1.html.
Please provide training to IEP Team chairpersons and other key personnel on the district’s
newly developed age of majority policy.
Please institute a tracking and monitoring system and identify the key personnel
responsible for oversight of the system and for conducting periodic reviews to ensure that
parents and students are notified of the transfer of educational decision-making rights one
year prior to students reaching the age of 18 by mail or during an IEP Team meeting and
provision of this notification is documented in the student record or in the IEP thereafter.
Conduct an internal review of records for high school students both in- and out-of-district
who turned 17 after implementation of all corrective actions for evidence that 1) families
and students are notified of the transfer of educational decision-making rights one year
prior to the student turning 18, either by mail or during an IEP meeting, and 2)
notification is documented in the student record.
*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).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
Submit evidence of training provided to IEP Team chairpersons and other relevant staff,
including the signed attendance sheet indicating staff name and role, the agenda, and
training materials.
Submit the description of the internal oversight and tracking system, identifying the
person(s) responsible for the oversight.
This progress report is due October 21, 2013.
Submit the results of the review of student records. Indicate the number of student
records reviewed, the number of student records in compliance, for all records not in
compliance with this criterion, determine the root cause(s) of the noncompliance and
provide the school’s plan to remedy the non-compliance. This progress report is due
February 10, 2014.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Rockport Mid-Cycle Report – September 17, 2013 04:22:23 PM
Page 4 of 8
SE Criterion # 7 - Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and student
participation and consent at the age of majority
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/21/2013
02/10/2014
SE Criterion # 8 - IEP Team composition and attendance
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Review of student records and interviews with staff members demonstrated that required
Team members consistently attend IEP meetings. When a required Team member is
absent from the meeting, the district secures the parent’s agreement in writing to excuse
the Team member before the meeting. The required excused Team member provides
written input in advance of the meeting to the parent and IEP Team for development of
the IEP.
Staff interviews indicated that the district and parent agree in writing when excusing
Team members who are not necessary because their area of the curriculum or services is
not being modified or discussed.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Rockport Mid-Cycle Report – September 17, 2013 04:22:23 PM
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SE Criterion # 14 - Review and revision of IEPs
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Record review and staff interviews indicated that IEP Teams do not consistently convene
annual IEP meetings on or before the anniversary date of IEPs, so that Teams can review
the students’ progress and revise or develop a new IEP or refer the student for a reevaluation. Record review and staff interviews also indicated that IEP Teams use the
amendment process to extend the current IEP’s one-year date.
Please note that the requirement for annual reviews does not run parallel with reevaluations.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
Conduct an analysis of student records for students with annual IEP review meetings
between September 2012 and April 2013 to determine why IEP Teams do not consistently
convene annual IEP meetings on or before the anniversary date of IEPs. Based on the
results of the analysis, provide the district’s determination of the root cause(s) of the
non-compliance, the steps the district proposes to take to correct the root causes, and a
timeline for the implementation of those corrections.
Conduct an internal review of student records from a cross-section of the district’s
schools. Please select a sample of 15 student records drawn from students whose annual
meetings were held after implementation of all corrective actions for evidence that annual
reviews were convened on or before the one-year anniversary of IEPs.
*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).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
Submit the results of the analysis conducted of the records for students with annual IEP
review meetings between September 2012 and April 2013. Include the number of records
reviewed and the number of records in compliance. Include a description of the root
cause(s) of any noncompliance; a description of the steps the district will take to correct
the root cause(s); and the district’s proposed timeline for implementation of corrective
actions by
October 21, 2013.
Submit the results of the second review of student records. Indicate the number of
student records reviewed, the number of student records in compliance, for all records
not in compliance with this criterion, determine the root cause(s) of the noncompliance
and provide the school’s plan to remedy the non-compliance. This progress report is due
February 10, 2014.
Progress Report Due Date(s):
10/21/2013
02/10/2014
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Rockport Mid-Cycle Report – September 17, 2013 04:22:23 PM
Page 6 of 8
SE Criterion # 18A - IEP development and content
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Student record and document review demonstrated that the district’s IEP Teams routinely
discuss whether bullying, harassment, or teasing is an issue for students whose disability
made him or her vulnerable to bullying, harassment, or teasing or for students whose
evaluations indicate a disability that affects social skills development. Record review
demonstrated that when these students need support, the school develops and
documents appropriate IEP goals and services to address the skills and proficiencies
needed to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing.
Student record and document review also demonstrated that for students identified with a
disability on the autism spectrum, the district’s IEP Teams specifically address the
students’ social skills and communication challenges with peers and staff. For these
students, IEP Teams develop and document appropriate IEP goals and services to address
the skills and proficiencies needed to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or
teasing.
Student record review demonstrated that IEP Teams appropriately document student
needs on the Present Levels of Educational Performance B section of the IEP, and service
delivery grids indicate service frequency and duration for students placed out-of-district.
SE Criterion # 25 - Parental consent
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Document review and staff interviews indicated that when parents revoke consent for
special education services in writing, the district will act promptly to provide notice to
discontinue services within a reasonable timeframe and attach a copy of the parent’s
procedural safeguards.
Interviews verified that the district will not use mediation or request a due process
hearing to obtain agreement or a ruling requiring the continuation of services, consistent
with federal regulation.
The district did not have any current records for revocation of consent at the time of the
mid-cycle review.
SE Criterion # 26 - Parent participation in meetings
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
The district submitted the roster of special needs students as required by the Department.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Rockport Mid-Cycle Report – September 17, 2013 04:22:23 PM
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SE Criterion # 29 - Communications are in English and primary language of home
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Student record review and staff interviews indicated that translators are provided at IEP
Team meetings for parents who require interpretation. Student records and staff
interviews also indicated that the district translates all special education documents, such
as IEPs, progress reports, consent forms, Team invitations and other notices, for parents
whose primary language is not English. Staff interviews indicated that there is a
consistent process for translating special education documentation for low incidence
languages, either orally or in written form. When oral translations are provided, this
provision is documented in the student record.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Rockport Mid-Cycle Report – September 17, 2013 04:22:23 PM
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