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
January 26, 2012
Anthony Pierantozzi, Superintendent
Somerville Public Schools
42 Cross Street
Somerville, MA 02145
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Pierantozzi:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based
on the onsite visit conducted in your district in December 2011. During the Mid-Cycle 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: interviews, review of student records,
examination of documentation, and classroom observation(s).
The Department determined that one or more of the criteria monitored in your district was
“Partially Implemented” or “Not Implemented.” In all instances where noncompliance was
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 February 13, 2012.
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 Nicole Edgett at 781338-3723.
Sincerely,
Nicole Edgett, 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
Paul Bockelman, School Committee Chairperson
Deborah Connell, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Somerville Public Schools
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: December 22, 2012
Date of this Report: January 26, 2012
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 7
Transfer of
parental
rights and
student
participation
and consent
at age of
majority
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student Records

Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
A review of student records
verified that one year prior to a
student’s 18th birthday, the
district informs both the student
and the parents of the rights that
will transfer upon the students
18th birthday. Additionally,
records verified that the district
has procedures in place to
document consent obtained
from the student to continue the
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 1 of 12
(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
student’s special education
program.
Student Records
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and
attendance
Documentation

Student Records

SE 18A
IEP
development
and content
Documentation
A review of documentation and
student records indicated the
required members of the IEP
Team attend unless the parent
and the district agree in writing
to excuse that member. As a
result, the excused required IEP
Team member provides written
input prior to the IEP Team
meeting.
A review of documentation and
student records verified that the
district has implemented
training and developed
procedures regarding the IEP
Team’s obligation to document
when the student’s disability
affects social skills
development or makes the
student susceptible to bullying,
harassment, or teasing.
Additionally, student records
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 2 of 12
(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
verified that for students on the
autism spectrum, the district has
developed consistent
procedures to document the IEP
Team’s consideration of the
specific skills and proficiencies
needed to avoid and respond to
bullying, harassment or teasing.
Documentation
Interviews
SE 25
Parental
consent

A review of documentation
verified that when a parent
revokes consent for special
education, the district provides
the parent notification that all
special education services will
be discontinued.
Additionally, 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.
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 3 of 12
(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
SE 2
Required and
Optional
Assessments
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
Partially
Implemented
Student
Records
A review of student
records at the high school
and middle school level
indicated that the district
does not always complete
all the required and
optional assessments
consented to by the
parent. In some instances,
the district did not gather
assessment data from
teachers with current
knowledge regarding the
student's specific abilities
in relation to the learning
standards of the
Massachusetts
Curriculum Frameworks
and the district
curriculum.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Please complete the missing
assessments for individual students
identified by the Department in the
Student Record Issues Worksheet.
Please review the current internal
tracking system at the middle and high
school levels to ensure that all of the
assessments consented to by the parent
are completed. The tracking system
should include supervisory oversight
and periodic reviews to ensure
compliance.
Please ensure that the middle and high
school level general education, and
where appropriate special education
teachers, are trained on the completion
of the components of the Educational
Assessment.
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 4 of 12
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
Provide copies of
the Notice of the
School District
Proposal to Act, and
a Meeting Invitation
for each individual
student as evidence
that IEP Teams
reconvened to
consider the missing
evaluation elements
and whether a new
or amended IEP was
necessary. This
progress report is
due by April 20,
2012.
Provide a
description of the
internal tracking
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
Additionally, the district
does not always conduct
an assessment of the
student's attention skills,
participation, behaviors,
communication skills,
memory, and social
relations with groups,
peers, and adults.
In other instances, the
district did not always
include a historical
account of the student’s
progress in the general
education curriculum.
Finally, the district did
not always complete the
observation of the student
in the classroom or the
student’s natural
environment when a
parent consents to an
observation as part of the
student’s evaluation.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The district is advised to use the
Department’s recommended
Educational Assessment forms which
can be found at
www.doe.mass.edu/sped/28mr/ and
contains all required elements.
In addition to the Educational
Assessment training, please conduct
training for middle and high school
special education staff to ensure that
when the district proposes an
observation as part of the evaluation,
the results of that observation must be
documented and included as part of the
evaluation information for
consideration by the IEP Team.
Subsequent to the completion of all
corrective actions, conduct an internal
review of student records at the high
school and middle school level
comprised of initial and reevaluations
to ensure that all assessments proposed
as part of the district’s evaluation are
completed. Please ensure that the
sample of selected records examine
activities that occurred after the district
completed its corrective action
activities.
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 5 of 12
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
system and indicate
the person(s)
responsible for it by
April 20, 2012.
Provide the training
agenda, signed
attendance sheets
indicating the
title/role of the staff
attending as well as
the name and title of
the presenter by
April 20, 2012.
Please submit the
report of the results
of the internal
review of records.
Please include the
number of records
reviewed and the
number of student
records in
compliance. For all
records not in
compliance, please
determine the root
causes(s) of the
noncompliance and
submit the district’s
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
*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)
This applies to all criteria requiring
internal monitoring as part of the
corrective action(s).
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
plan to remedy the
noncompliance.
This progress
report is due
October 5, 2012.
SE 14
Annual
Reviews
Partially
Implemented
Student
Records
A review of student
records at the high school
level indicated that the
district does not always
convene an IEP Team
meeting on or before the
anniversary date of the
IEP to review, revise or
develop a new IEP or
refer the student for a
reevaluation as
appropriate.
Please conduct an analysis of the
internal tracking system in place at the
high school level to ensure that the IEP
Team convenes on or before the
anniversary date of the IEP. In doing
so, please identify the root cause of the
noncompliance identified in the student
records and identify to the Department
the adjustments to the internal tracking
system or district procedures. Please
conduct training for IEP Team
chairperson on any adjustments or
revisions made to the internal tracking
system or procedures to ensure timely
annual reviews.
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 6 of 12
Please provide a
description of the
analysis conducted
of the internal
tracking system,
include the results
of the district’s
analysis and the
adjustments and/or
revisions made to
the system or
procedures. Please
identify any
person(s)
responsible for the
oversight to ensure
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
Subsequent to the completion of all
corrective actions, please conduct an
internal review of student records at
the high school level to ensure that the
IEP Team has convened on or before
the annual anniversary date of the IEP
to conduct the annual review. The
student record sample should be drawn
from those students who had annual
reviews conducted after all corrective
actions were implemented.
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
that the district
convenes an IEP
annual review
meeting.
Additionally, please
submit evidence
such as agendas and
sign-in sheets from
any staff training
held regarding the
changes to the
procedures. This
progress report is
due April 20, 2012.
Please submit the
report of the results
of the internal
review of records.
Please include the
number of records
reviewed and the
number of student
records in
compliance. For all
records not in
compliance, please
determine the root
causes(s) of the
noncompliance and
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 7 of 12
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
submit the district’s
plan to remedy the
noncompliance.
This progress report
is due October 5,
2012.
SE 45
Procedures
for
Suspension

Interviews
Documentation
At the time of the
Department’s onsite visit,
interviews of
administrators indicated
that there were no
instances in which
students exceeded 10
cumulative or consecutive
days of suspension. Thus,
there was not a sample of
records to examine for
students who exceeded 10
days of suspension.
A review of
documentation verified
that the district does have
procedures and has done
training for building
administrators on the need
to provide sufficient
services for a student to
continue to receive a free
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 8 of 12
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
and appropriate public
education (FAPE) in the
event that a student with a
disability is suspended
beyond 10 consecutive or
cumulative days.
SE 46
Procedures
for
Suspension
exceeding
ten days

Documentation
Interviews
A review of
documentation indicates
that the district has
provided training to staff
regarding the obligations
to ensure that students
with disabilities who have
been suspended for more
than 10 consecutive or
cumulative days receive
appropriate services.
Moreover, documentation
verified that the district
developed systemic
procedures for tracking
the number of
suspensions students with
disabilities receive
throughout the district.
At the time of the
Department’s onsite visit,
interviews of
administrators indicated
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 9 of 12
(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
that there were no
instances in which
students exceeded 10
cumulative or consecutive
days of suspension and
subsequently required
services.
Interviews verified that
the district’s IEP Teams
practice is to recommend
a change in placement for
students who are nonresponsive to behavioral
interventions and would
be subject to disciplinary
action so that students are
not subject to further
removals from school.
Additionally,
documentation and staff
interviews verified that
the district’s current
policy is to convene an
IEP Team meeting to
determine if the student’s
disciplinary action(s) was
caused by or had a direct
and substantial
relationship to their
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 10 of 12
(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
disability upon the
student’s eighth
cumulative or consecutive
day of suspension.
Finally, interviews
verified that the district
takes a proactive
approach to the
development and
maintenance of behavioral
programs and
interventions as part of a
district wide effort to
reduce the number of
suspensions and keep
students in school.
SE 48

Documentation
A review of
documentation verified
that the students enrolled
in the high school level
Life Skills program have
access to and receive full
credit for vocational
programming.

Observation
The Department
conducted an onsite visit
to Healey, Winter Hill
and Kennedy Elementary
FAPE
SE 55
Facilities
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 11 of 12
(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
Schools on December 9,
2010. The visits verified
that all special education
classrooms and related
service provider spaces
have had signs removed
that could potentially
stigmatize disabled
students.
Somerville Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
January 26, 2012
Page 12 of 12
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Somerville 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