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
May 6, 2010
Barbara Dunham, Superintendent
Sharon Public Schools
1 School Street
Sharon, MA. 02067
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Dunham:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report
based on the Mid-cycle Review conducted in your district in April 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.
We are pleased to tell you that the Department has found your district to be in compliance
with all of the criteria monitored in your district during the Mid-cycle Review. The
findings of the Department are included in the enclosed report. You and your entire staff
are to be congratulated for your success in implementing the requirements included in
these criteria.
The Department will notify you of your district's next regularly scheduled Coordinated
Program Review (CPR) several months before it is to occur. At this time we anticipate
that this CPR will occur sometime during the 2012-2013 school year unless the
Department determines that there is some reason to schedule this visit earlier.
1
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 Thomas
Taylor at (781) 338-3726.
Sincerely,
Thomas Taylor, 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
Glenn Allen, School Committee Chairperson
Steven Kaplan, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Sharon Public Schools
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: April 14, 2010
Date of this Report: May 6, 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
Student
Record
Review
&
Interview
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The student record review
confirmed that the student record
of students identified as having a
Specific Learning Disability
(SLD) contain documentation
signed by all IEP Team members
indicating whether a student has a
specific learning disability.
Sharon Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 6, 2010
Page 1 of 4
(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
School personnel use a SLD
document checklist to ensure
compliance.
Interview indicated that the
district conducted extensive
training on the identification of
students with a specific learning
disability and the development of
strategies to address the needs of
students with specific learning
disabilities.
SE 52A
Registration
of educational
interpreters

Documentation
The Department received
documentation from the
Massachusetts Commission for the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing that the
educational interpreter is
registered with the commission
and is licensed.
Sharon Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 6, 2010
Page 2 of 4
(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

SE 4
Reports of
assessment results

SE 18A
IEP content and
development

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
Student Record
Review
&
Interview
The record review and an
interview with the Special
Education Administrator
determined that the
educational needs of
students are clearly defined
and specific
recommendations are made
in evaluations for use by the
IEP Team in the
development of a student’s
IEP.
Student Record
Review
&
Interview
The record review
determined that the IEP
annual goals are measurable
and student progress reports
indicated that student
success in achieving his or
her IEP goals. The
interview with the Special
Education Administrator
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
Sharon Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 6, 2010
Page 3 of 4
(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
confirmed the district’s
corrective action to achieve
compliance with this
criterion.
SE 55 Special
education
facilities/classroom

Observation
The reviewer did not
identify any signs that
would stigmatize special
education students at the
East Elementary and
Cottage Schools.
Sharon Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
May 6, 2010
Page 4 of 4
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements