Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
350 Main Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-5023
(781) 338-3700
Telephone:
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
June 4, 2008
Maretta Thomsen, Director
Sabis International Charter School
160 Joan Street
Springfield, Massachusetts 01129
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Ms. Thomsen:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report. This
report contains findings based on onsite monitoring the Department conducted to determine the
effectiveness of corrective action it approved or ordered to address noncompliance identified in
your district’s last Coordinated Program Review Report, dated February 3, 2005. 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.
While the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education found your district to have
resolved certain noncompliance issues, others were partially corrected or not addressed at all, or
the Department’s onsite team identified new issues of noncompliance, including but not limited
to noncompliance with special education criteria added or substantially changed in response to
IDEA 2004. Where the district has failed to implement its Coordinated Program Review
Corrective Action Plan, the Department views these findings to be serious. The Office of Special
Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requires
that all special education noncompliance be corrected as soon as possible, but in no case later
than one year from the time of identification; where the district has failed to implement its CPR
Corrective Action Plan, this one-year period has long since passed.
In all instances where noncompliance has been found, the Department has prescribed corrective
action for the district that must be implemented without delay. (In the case of new findings of
noncompliance, this corrective action must be corrected 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 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 in the report.
You must submit your statement of assurance to me by June 13, 2008.
1
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 413-858-4591
extension 4.
Sincerely,
Nicole Heroux, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
c:
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
N. Anthony Thomas, Chairperson
Jill Yvon, District Program Review Follow-up Coordinator
Mary Street, Charter School Office
Encl.: Mid-cycle Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Sabis International Charter School
Date of Coordinated Program Review (CPR) Final Report: March 23, 2005
Date Coordinated Program Review Corrective Action Approved or Ordered: May 13, 2005
Dates of Corrective Action Plan Progress Reports: January 3, 2006
Dates of this Mid-cycle Review Onsite Visit: April 17, 2008
Date of this Report: June 4, 2008
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS REPORT IS IN SEVERAL SECTIONS.
Special Education Criteria Cited in CPR Report and Monitored in Mid-cycle
Current CPR criteria available by scrolling down to the monitoring instruments at http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

SE 1

Review of
student records,
documents and
interviews
Documentation and record
reviews indicated that the
charter school does
consistently tailor its tests
and evaluations to the
specific areas of
educational needs for its
students.
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 1 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

SE 2
Required and
Optional
Assessments

Review of
student records,
documents and
interviews
The charter school
consistently completes
required and optional
assessments in all areas
related to suspected
disability or disabilities.
SE 7
Age of Majority

Review of
student records,
documents and
interviews
The charter school prior to
the student reaching age
eighteen, informs the
student of his/her right to
make all decisions in
relation to special
education program and
services.
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance

Review of
student records
and interviews
Team members are
consistently in attendance
at the IEP meeting, unless
the parent signs consent
that a member is excused
from the Team meeting.
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 2 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Evaluations are conducted
within appropriate time
frames. Eligibility
determinations are made
within the 45-day time
period. However, parents
do not always leave Team
meetings with required IEP
information. IEPs are not
consistently sent to the
parents within required
time periods.
The charter school must
submit evidence of an
ongoing internal process
or procedure to assure
IEPs are being given to
parents within required
time periods. Results of
this review must be
submitted to the
Department by July 1,
2008.

SE 12
Frequency of
Re-evaluation

Review of
student records,
documents, and
interviews
SE 9
Timelines for
Determination

Review of
student records
and interviews
The charter school
implements reevaluation
procedures every three
years with parent consent
and does implement
reevaluation procedures in
all cases where it is
suspected that a student is
no longer eligible for
special education.
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 3 of 15
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

SE18A
IEP
development
and content

Review of
student records,
documents, and
interviews
The charter school
consistently identifies a
student’s disability/
disabilities and describes
the services that it shall
provide to address the
disability/disabilities on
the IEP. The charter school
provides specially
designed instruction and/or
related services for every
child on an IEP.
SE22
IEP
implementation
and availability

Review of
student records
and interviews
Upon acceptance of the
IEP by the parent, the
charter school provides all
services without delay.
Review of
student records
and interviews
The charter school accepts
any referral for an
evaluation by a parent.
When a student is referred
for an evaluation to
determine eligibility for
special education, the
charter school sends
SE 24
Notice to parent
regarding
proposal or
refusal to
initiate or
change the
identification,
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 4 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

written notice to the child's
parent(s) within 5 school
days of receipt of the
referral, along with the
district’s notice of
procedural safeguards.
evaluation, or
educational
placement of
the child or the
provision of
FAPE
SE 25
Parental
consent

Review of
student records
The charter school obtains
parental consent before
conducting evaluations and
prior to the implementation
of an IEP.
SE 26
Parent
Participation in
IEP Team
Meeting

Student record
review and
interviews
Student record review and
interviews indicated that
parents actively attend and
participate in IEP
meetings. The charter
school has effective
measures in place to ensure
parent attendance at IEP
meetings.
SE 28
Reserved
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 5 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

SE 30
Parent’s Rights

Documentation,
Student record
review and
interviews
The charter school’s notice
of parental rights contains
all the required elements
including the most current
version of the
Massachusetts Parent’s
Rights Brochure.
SE 32
Parent
Advisory
Council

Documentation
and interviews
The charter school has
established a Parent
Advisory Council on
special education and has
conducted at least one
workshop on the rights of
students and their parents
under state and federal
special education laws.
SE 34
Continuum of
Services

Documentation,
Student record
review and
interviews
The charter school
provides or arranges for
the provision of each of the
elements of the IEPs of
students in need of special
education from the ages of
five through twenty-one,
ensuring that a continuum
of services and alternative
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 6 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

placements is available to
meet the needs of all
students with disabilities.
SE 43
Behavioral
Interventions

Documentation,
Student record
review and
interviews
The charter school
considers the student’s
behavior including positive
behavioral interventions
and the possible need for a
functional behavioral
assessment.
SE 44
Recording
Suspensions

Documentation,
Student record
review and
interviews
The charter school has a
procedure to record the
number and duration of
suspensions from any part
of the student’s program
prescribed by the IEP.
SE 45
Suspension
Procedures

Documentation
and interviews
The charter school has a
procedure for suspending a
special education student
up to ten days and after ten
days a policy to ensure the
student will be provided a
free and appropriate public
education.
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 7 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

SE 50
Administrator
of Special
Education

Documentation
and interviews
The charter school has
appointed a person to be its
Administrator of Special
Education. This individual
is appropriately licensed.
SE 51
Licensure

Documentation
and interviews
The charter school has
appropriately licensed
special education teachers.
Teachers who have not
passed the MTEL will not
be rehired in September.
SE 54
Professional
Development

Documentation
and interviews
The charter school
considers the needs of all
staff in developing training
opportunities for
professional and
paraprofessional staff and
provides a variety of
offerings.
SE 56
Evaluation of
Programs and
Services

Documentation
and interviews
The charter school has
developed and completed
an evaluation of the special
education program.
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 8 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Special Education Criteria Created or Revised in Response to IDEA-2004
Current CPR criteria available by scrolling down to the monitoring instruments at http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
Number and
Topic
Criterion
Implemented
Method(s) of
Verification

Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Implemented
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented or
Not Implemented

SE 3
Special
requirements
for
determination
of specific
learning
disability

Review of
student records,
interviews and
documents
The charter school is
utilizing all required
specific learning disability
(SLD) forms. All Team
members sign that they are
in agreement or indicate if
they are in disagreement
with the Team’s
determination of SLD.
SE 6 ##1 - 3
Determination
of Transition
Services

Review of
student records,
interviews and
documents
The charter school
consistently initiates
transition services for a
student that is 14 years of
age, so that the Team can
consider the student’s
future goals and documents
the transition services in
his/her Individualized
Education Program. (IEP).
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 9 of 15
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
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented or
Not Implemented

SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance

Review of
student records,
documents and
interviews
The charter school ensures
that all required Team
members attend Team
meetings. The district
documents parent excusals
of Team members not in
attendance.
SE 13
Progress
Reports and
content

Review of
student records
and interviews
Progress reports address
progress towards specific
goals within the IEP at all
levels. The charter school
provides summaries of
academic achievement /
functional performance for
students who have
graduated or exceeded the
age of eligibility.
SE 14
Review and
revision of IEPs

Review of
student records
and interviews
The Team meets annually
to consider progress and to
review, revise or develop a
new IEP as appropriate.
The charter school is
issuing amendments
consistent with state and
federal requirements.
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 10 of 15
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
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented or
Not Implemented

SE 25B
Resolution
of disputes

Review of
student records
The charter school
consistently notifies BSEA
within five days after
receiving notice that
parents have requested a
hearing and initiates
resolution sessions.
SE 33
Involvement in
the General
Curriculum

Review of
student records
and interviews
The charter school staff
understands the rights of
students with disabilities to
fully participate in the
general curriculum.
SE 39A
Procedures for
services to
eligible private
school students
whose parents
reside in the
district
Not
Applicable
(SE 39A does
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 11 of 15
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
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented or
Not Implemented

See SE 39A above.
SE 39B
Procedures for
services to
eligible students
in private
schools in the
district whose
parents reside
out of state
(SE 39B does
not apply to
charter schools
or vocational
schools)
SE 46
Procedures for
suspension of
students with
disabilities
more than 10
days

Interviews and
documents
The charter school has
clearly defined procedures
for conducting
manifestation
determinations and placing
students in interim
alternative educational
settings. These procedures
are implemented
consistently. In addition,
the district conducts
functional behavioral
assessments and provides
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 12 of 15
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
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
or Not
Implemented
Basis of Determination
that Criterion was
Partially Implemented or
Not Implemented

behavioral interventions
and services when needed.
SE 52
Appropriate
certifications/
licenses or other
credentials –
related service
providers

Review of
documents
This criterion is approved.
(to be reviewed
only with respect
to providers of
interpreting
services)
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 13 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Criteria from Other Regulated Programs Monitored During this Mid-cycle Review
Current CPR criteria available by scrolling down to the monitoring instruments at http://www.doe.mass.edu/pqa/review/cpr/default.html
Criterion
Number/Topic
Approved
Corrective
Action
Implemented
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

ELE 11

Interviews, and
documentation
review
The district has policies
and procedures in place to
ensure that LEP students
participate fully with their
English-speaking peers and
the district provides access
to the full range of
academic and nonacademic programming.
Sabis International Charter School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 4, 2008
Page 14 of 15
Required Corrective
Action, Timelines for
Implementation, and
Progress Reporting
Requirements