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
June 12, 2012
Eric Ely, Superintendent
Southbridge School District
41 Elm Street
Southbridge, MA 01550
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Ely:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based
on the onsite visit conducted in your district in January 2012. 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. The
Department is concerned regarding the number of issues identified and subsequently corrected
from the previous CPR, which have reoccurred. Joan Brinckerhoff will contact you shortly to
arrange a meeting regarding the identified non-compliance and to provide technical assistance.
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 June 29, 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 Joan Brinckerhoff at 781338-3734.
Sincerely,
Joan Brinckerhoff, Ph.D., 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
Elizabeth Y. Ahern, Ed.D., Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Michael Meyer, Director of Special Education
John Jovan, School Committee Chairperson
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Southbridge Public Schools
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: January 17 and 18, 2012
Date of this Report: June 12, 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
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
PI
SE 7
Transfer of
parental
rights and
student
participation
and consent
at age of
majority
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
A review of
student records
and interviews
with staff members
indicated that the
district does not
consistently inform
the student and the
parent/guardian
one year prior that
the educational
decision making
The district must revise its procedures for informing
students and parents one year prior to the age of 18 of
the transfer of decision making responsibility to the
student at the age of majority. Once updated the
district must provide training to appropriate staff
members.
See Administrative Advisory SPED 2011-1 on the
Age of Majority at:
www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/11_1.html.
The district must develop an internal oversight and
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 1 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
The district will
submit the
revised
procedures
related to
transfer of
parental rights
and evidence of
staff training,
which will
include a
training agenda,
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
rights will transfer
from the
parent/guardian to
the student upon
the student’s 18th
birthday. Further,
it was evident that
the district
routinely obtains
consent from the
student to continue
the student’s
special education
program, prior to
the student’s 18th
birthday.
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
tracking systems that tracks two groups of students;
the students turning 17 for notice to both the student
and the parent/guardian one year prior to the student
reaching 18 and the students who turn 18 to ensure
student consent to continue services is sought at 18.
Conduct an administrative review of student records,
for those students who have reached the age of
majority subsequent to the district’s implementation
of all corrective action, for evidence of compliance
with notifying the students and parent/guardian of the
transfer of rights one year prior to the student
reaching age 18 and the confirmation of the student’s
consent at age 18 to continue the student’s special
education program.
Please note when conducting internal monitoring
that district must maintain the following
documentation and make it available to the
Department upon request: a) List of the student
names and grade level for the records reviewed; b)
Date of the review; c) Name of person(s) who
conducted the review, their role(s), and
signature(s).
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 2 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
attendance sheet
(including staff
name and role)
and copies of
the materials
presented.
Please submit
this to the
Department by
October 19,
2012.
Submit the
results of the
administrative
review of
student records.
Indicate the
number of
student records
reviewed, the
number found
to be compliant,
an explanation
of the root
cause for any
continued
noncompliance
and a
description of
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
additional
corrective
actions to be
taken by the
district to
address any
identified
noncompliance.
Please submit
this to the
Department by
April 8, 2013.
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and
attendance
PI
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
A review of
student records
and interviews
demonstrated that
when a required
Team member is
unable to attend an
IEP Team meeting,
the district does
not consistently
obtain written
agreement from
the parent to
excuse a required
Team member´s
participation.
The district must develop procedures for ensuring the
participation of a general education teacher at all
school levels, if the student is or may be involved in a
general education program. Once developed, the
district must train the principals at all school levels on
these procedures.
The district must also develop appropriate procedures
for excusing a required Team member from the IEP
Team meeting. These procedures must indicate that
to excuse a required Team member: the parent and
district must agree, in writing, that the attendance of
the Team member is not necessary because the
member’s area of the curriculum or related services is
not being modified or discussed; or the district and
parent agree, in writing, to excuse a required Team
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 3 of 19
The district will
submit a copy
of the revised
procedures and
evidence of
staff training,
which will
include a
training agenda,
attendance sheet
(including name
and role) and
copies of the
materials
presented. Also
please submit
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
Further, a review
of the student
records also
demonstrated that
at all school levels,
the district does
not consistently
have a regular
education teacher
present at the IEP
Team meeting who
is familiar with the
general curriculum
and is able to
discuss an eligible
student’s
appropriate access
to the general
curriculum.
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
member’s participation and the excused member
provides written input into the development of the
IEP to the parent and the IEP Team prior to the
meeting. Once developed, the district must train
special education team chairpersons on these
procedures.
The district must develop an internal oversight and
tracking system for ensuring the following: the
required Team members attend the IEP Team
meeting; appropriate excusal procedures are followed
if a required Team member is unable to attend the
IEP Team meeting. The tracking system should
include supervisory oversight and periodic reviews to
ensure ongoing compliance.
Conduct an administrative review of student records
in which an IEP Team meeting was held after the
implementation of the corrective action to ensure that
the district is consistently in compliance with IEP
Team composition and attendance, as well as excusal
procedures.
Please note when conducting internal monitoring
that the district must maintain the following
documentation and make it available to the
Department upon request: a) List of the student
names and grade level for the records reviewed; b)
Date of the review; c) Name of person(s) who
conducted the review, their role(s), and
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 4 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
the description
of the internal
oversight and
tracking system
and identify the
person(s)
responsible for
the oversight,
including the
date for the
system’s
implementation
to the
Department by
October 19,
2012.
Submit the
results of an
administrative
review of
student records.
Indicate the
number of
records
reviewed, the
number found
to be compliant,
an explanation
of the root
Criterion
SE 18A
IEP
development
and content
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
PI
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
Review of student
records and
interviews
indicated that the
district did not
consistently
address all
elements of
student IEPs, such
as the Present
Level of
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
signature(s).
cause for any
continued
noncompliance
and a
description of
additional
corrective
actions to be
taken by the
district to
address any
identified
noncompliance.
Please submit
this to the
Department by
April 8, 2013.
The district must develop procedures to address the
IEPs of students who may be subject to bullying,
harassment or teasing. See the Technical Assistance
Advisory SPED 2011-2: Bullying Prevention and
Intervention:
Submit a copy
of the district’s
procedures to
address the
IEPs of students
with disabilities
who may be
subject to
bullying and
harassment, by
October 19,
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/advisories/11_2ta.htm
l.
Further, the district must also provide training to
appropriate staff on the requirements to address all
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 5 of 19
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
Performance A
and B (PLEP A
and B) and student
goals remained
unchanged from
year to year. For
students identified
with a disability on
the autism
spectrum, or for
those students
whose disability
may make them
vulnerable to
bullying,
harassment, or
teasing, the IEP
Teams did not
consider and
specifically
address the skills
and proficiencies
needed to avoid
and respond to
bullying,
harassment, or
teasing.
elements of the IEP, including updating student goals
and completion of the PLEP A and B portion of the
IEP and training to address the skills and
proficiencies needed to avoid and respond to
bullying, harassment or teasing for students identified
with a disability on the autism spectrum, and for
those students whose disability may make them
vulnerable to such behaviors.
Further a review of
student records
The superintendent must submit a signed statement of
assurance that the district has discontinued the
practice as of December 16, 2011, when the
Department issued its clarifying guidance addressing
the use of Procedures Lite. See:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=6585 .
Conduct an administrative review of IEPs written
after the staff training to ensure that all elements of
the IEPs were completed and that IEP Teams
considered and addressed the skills and proficiencies
for those students with disabilities who may be
subject to bullying, harassment or teasing.
Please note 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 levels for the records reviewed;
b) Date of the review; c) Name of person(s) who
conducted the review, with their role(s) and
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 6 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
2012.
Submit a copy
of the agenda,
signed
attendance sheet
(including the
staff name and
role), and
copies of
materials used
in the training
by October 19,
2012.
Submit the
statement of
assurance
signed by the
superintendent
related to the
Procedures Lite
practice by
October 19,
2012.
Submit the
results of the
administrative
review of
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
and interviews
with staff members
demonstrated that
the district was
implementing a
process called
“Procedures Lite”,
a process where
parents agree to
waive procedural
rights guaranteed
under federal and
state special
education laws, for
one year (or
longer, if agreed to
in subsequent
years).
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
signature(s).
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
student records
and include the
following: the
number of
student records
reviewed; the
number of
records in
compliance; for
those records
not in
compliance,
determine the
root cause(s);
and the specific
corrective
actions taken by
the district to
remedy the noncompliance, by
April 8, 2013.
The
Department
will also
conduct an
onsite review to
verify
correction of
non-
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 7 of 19
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
compliance.
SE 25
Parental
consent
PI
Document
Review
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Please see SE 2.
Interviews with
staff members and
a review of student
records
demonstrated that
the district has a
process in place to
address when a
parent revokes
consent to special
education services
in writing. No
parents have
revoked consent
for services at this
time.
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 8 of 19
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)
PI
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
A review of student records
and interviews with staff
members demonstrated that
the district does not
consistently complete all of
the components of the
required education
assessments to determine
eligibility for special
education. Specifically, in
some instances, the district
did not always conduct an
assessment of the student's
attention skills, participation,
behaviors, communication
skills, memory, and social
relations with groups, peers,
and adults.
Please complete the missing education
assessments for individual students
identified by the Department in the
Student Record Issues Worksheet and
reconvene the IEP Team for each.
In other instances, the district
did not consistently include a
historical account of the
student’s progress in the
general education curriculum.
The district must provide training to
general education teachers at all
school levels on the requirements
pertaining to gathering information
and completing Educational
Assessments. Please ensure that the
training conducted includes
information on the requirement for
teachers with current knowledge of the
student to assess the student's attention
skills, participation, behaviors,
communication skills, memory, and
social relations with groups, peers,
and adults. The district is advised to
use the Department’s recommended
Educational Assessment forms which
can be found at :
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/28mr/
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 9 of 19
(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
as evidence that IEP
Teams reconvened
to consider the
missing assessment
elements and
whether a new or
amended IEP was
necessary. Please
provide this to the
Department by
October 19, 2012.
Submit a copy of
the agenda, signed
attendance sheet
(including the name
and role), and
copies of materials
used in the training
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
The district must develop an internal
oversight and tracking system to
ensure that all of the components of
the required education assessments are
conducted by the evaluators. The
tracking system should include
supervisory oversight and periodic
reviews to ensure compliance.
Please conduct an administrative
review of student records with initial
and reevaluations conducted
subsequent to the completion of all
corrective actions. The sample should
represent all school levels to ensure
that all components of the required
education assessment have been
completed.
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)
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 10 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
by October 19,
2012.
Please submit the
description of the
internal oversight
and tracking system
and identify the
person(s)
responsible for the
oversight, including
the date for the
system’s
implementation to
the Department by
October 19, 2012.
Submit the results
of the administrative
review. Indicate
the number of
records reviewed,
the number found to
be compliant, an
explanation of the
root cause for any
continued
noncompliance, and
a description of
additional corrective
actions to be taken
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
by the district to
address any
identified
noncompliance by
April 8, 2013.
SE 20
Least
Restrictive
Environment
PI
Student
Records
A review of student records
demonstrated that IEP Nonparticipation Justification
statements at all school levels
do not specifically state why
the student’s removal from
the general education
classroom is considered
critical to the student’s
program or identify when the
student is removed from the
general education classroom
why the student could not be
educated in a less restrictive
environment with the use of
supplementary aides and
services.
Please conduct training for IEP Team
Chairpersons at all school levels
responsible for the development of the
Non-Participation Justification
statements in the IEP.
The district must develop an internal
oversight and tracking system to
ensure that all IEP Non-participation
Justification statements are fully
developed. The tracking system
should include supervisory oversight
and periodic reviews to ensure
compliance.
Conduct an administrative review of a
sample of student records at all school
levels. The records must have IEPs
that were developed after the district’s
implementation of all corrective
actions to ensure that IEP NonParticipation Justification statements
document why removal from the
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 11 of 19
Submit evidence of
training; including
an agenda and
signed attendance
sheets (including
names and roles) to
the Department by
October 19, 2012.
Please submit the
description of the
internal oversight
and tracking system
and identify the
person(s)
responsible for the
oversight, including
the date for the
system’s
implementation to
the Department by
October 19, 2012.
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
general education program is critical
to the student’s success.
Please note that when monitoring
the district must maintain the
following documentation and make
it available to the Department upon
request: a) List of student names
and grade levels 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).
SE 22
IEP
Implement
-ation
Interviews with staff
members and a review of
student records indicated that
the district did not
consistently have a consented
to IEP in effect at the
beginning of the school year
which resulted in instances
where the district provided
IEP services prior to
The district must conduct a record
review from September 2011 to
December 2011 related to parental
consent of IEPs at all school levels
and establish the root cause(s) for the
non-compliance related to unsigned
IEPs and the provision of services
prior to receiving consent. Based on
this root cause analysis, in a detailed
narrative format, the district will
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 12 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
Submit the results
of the administrative
review. Indicate
the number of
records reviewed,
the number found to
be compliant, an
explanation of the
root cause for any
continued
noncompliance, and
a description of
additional corrective
actions to be taken
by the district to
address any
identified
noncompliance by
April 8, 2013.
Provide a detailed
description of the
outcome(s) of the
root cause analysis
along with a
description of the
corrective actions
taken and associated
timelines by
October 19, 2012.
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
receiving written parental
consent to the IEP.
indicate the specific corrective actions
taken to remedy the non-compliance.
Student records also showed
that in some instances that the
district delayed
implementation of the IEP
due to lack of personnel and
failed to immediately inform
parents in writing of the
delayed services, reasons for
delay, actions that the district
was taking to address the lack
of space or personnel and
offer alternative methods to
meet the goals on the
accepted IEP.
Further, the district must revise their
procedures when there is a delay in
service related to lack of personnel.
Specifically, the district must develop
a process to immediately inform
parents in writing of the delayed
services, reasons for delay, actions
that the district is taking to address the
lack of space or personnel and offer
alternative methods to meet the goals
on the accepted IEP. Once developed,
the district must train IEP Team
Chairpersons on these procedures.
Upon completion of the analysis, the
district must also develop an internal
oversight and tracking system to
ensure that the district has a consented
to IEP in place for each student at the
beginning of the school year, that
services are not provided prior to
receipt of parental consent and in
instances when there is a lack of
personnel resulting in a delay of
service, parents are immediately
informed in writing. The tracking
system should include supervisory
oversight and periodic reviews to
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 13 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
The district will
submit a copy of the
revised procedures
and evidence of
staff training, which
will include a
training agenda,
attendance sheet
(including staff
name and role) and
copies of the
materials presented.
Also please submit
the description of
the internal
oversight and
tracking system and
identify the
person(s)
responsible for the
oversight, including
the date for the
system’s
implementation to
the Department by
October 19, 2012.
Submit the results
of the administrative
review. Indicate
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
ensure compliance.
Conduct an administrative review of a
sample of student records at all levels.
Please ensure that the sample of
records selected examine events that
occurred subsequent to the completion
of all of the district's corrective
actions.
Please note when conducting
administrative monitoring, that the
district must maintain the following
documentation and make it
available to the Department upon
request: a) List of the student
names and grade level for the
records reviewed; b) Date of the
review; c) Name of person(s) who
conducted the review, their role(s),
and signature(s).
SE 24
Notice

Student
Records
The district meets the content
requirements of federal law
for the written Notice of
Proposed School District
Action (N1) as all questions
on page 2 of the N1 form are
consistently addressed.
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 14 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
the number of
records reviewed,
the number found to
be compliant, an
explanation of the
root cause for any
continued
noncompliance, and
a description of
additional corrective
actions to be taken
by the district to
address any
identified
noncompliance by
April 8, 2013.
Criterion
SE 26
Parent
Participation
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
PI
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
A review of student records
and interviews with staff
members indicated that the
district is making numerous
attempts to involve parents in
decision-making meetings
and to ensure parents have
opportunities to attend and
participate in meetings;
however, the district is not
consistently documenting
these efforts in the student
records.
Please reinforce with IEP Team
Chairpersons at all school levels the
importance of documenting the
multiple efforts made to ensure parent
participation in Team meetings.
Please develop a monitoring system
that includes supervisory oversight
and periodic reviews to ensure that
attempts to involve parents in decision
making meetings are documented in
the student record.
Once all corrective action steps are
implemented, please conduct an
internal administrative review of
student records at all levels to ensure
that multiple attempts to engage
parents are documented in the student
record.
Please note that when monitoring
the district must maintain the
following documentation and make
it available to the Department upon
request: a) List of student names
and grade levels for the record
review; b) Date of the review; c)
Name of person(s) who conducted
the review, their roles(s), and their
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 15 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
Submit evidence
that IEP
Chairpersons at all
school levels have
been informed of
the importance of
documenting efforts
to ensure parent
participation.
Evidence may
include
memorandums,
electronic
correspondence or
meeting agendas.
Please submit this to
the Department by
October 19, 2012.
Please submit the
description of the
oversight system
and identify the
person(s)
responsible for the
oversight to the
Department by
October 19, 2012.
Please submit the
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
signature(s).
SE 29
Communication
in English
and

Student
Records
Staff
Interviews
Interviews and a review of
student records demonstrated
that communication with
parents is consistently
provided in the primary
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 16 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
results of an internal
review of student
records and report:
the number of
records reviewed at
the middle school;
the number of
records that are in
compliance; for any
records not in
compliance with
this criterion,
provide the results
of a root cause
analysis of the noncompliance; and the
specific corrective
actions taken by the
district to remedy
any noncompliance. Please
submit this to the
Department by
April 8, 2013.
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Primary
Language
SE 32
Parent
Advisory
Council
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
language of the home, when
the primary language is other
than English. Interviews
indicated that the district has
implemented a clear process
for requesting translation of
special education documents
or translation services for
families whose primary
language is other than
English.
NI
Staff
Interviews
Document
Review
Interviews and a review of
district documentation
demonstrated that the district
does not currently have a
Parent Advisory Council
(PAC) in place. Specifically,
documentation indicated that
the last PAC meeting was
convened on September 14,
2010, the PAC bylaws drafted
in 2009 have not been
adopted and the district has
not conducted, in cooperation
with the parent advisory
council, at least one workshop
annually within the district on
the rights of students and
their parents and guardians
The district must establish and
maintain a parent advisory council for
special education (PAC) with
established by-laws regarding officers
and operational procedures. The
PAC’s duties should include but are
not limited to: advising the district on
matters that pertain to the education
and safety of students with
disabilities; meeting regularly with
school officials to participate in the
planning, development, and evaluation
of the district’s special education
program.
Once the PAC has been established
the district must also, in cooperation
with the PAC, offer at least one
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 17 of 19
Provide a narrative
description and
supporting
documentation of
the district’s efforts
to establish a PAC.
Documentation of
these efforts may
include parent
surveys, meeting
flyers and electronic
outreach such as
web site
postings/email.
Please be sure to
also include a copy
of the PAC adopted
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
under the state and federal
special education laws.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
workshop annually within the district
on the rights of students and their
parents and guardians under the state
and federal special education laws.
Please see
http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/pac/ad
visory.html for additional guidance.
SE 33
PI
Student
Records
Please see SE 8.
PI
Student
Records
A review of student records
and interviews with staff
members demonstrated that
the district has a practice in
place where, in some
instances the Team develops
a “Temporary Service Plan”
to provide some related
services on a trial and/or
temporary basis outside the
IEP process and without
procedural rights guaranteed
under federal and state special
education laws.
Involvement in
General
Education
Curriculum
SE 49
Related
Services
Staff
Interviews
The district must immediately
discontinue the practice of using
“Temporary Service Plans” for
provision of related services to special
education students.
Please reconvene the IEP Teams to
consider the incorporation of the
services from the temporary service
plan into the IEPs of the individual
students identified by the Department
in the Student Record Issues
Worksheet.
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 18 of 19
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
by-laws, evidence
of PAC meetings
and the names of the
elected officers.
Please submit by
October 19, 2012.
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
reconsider the
appropriate related
services for each
identified student
and whether a new
or amended IEP was
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
necessary. This
progress report is
due by June 29,
2012.
Submit the
statement of
assurance signed by
the superintendent
related to
discontinuing the
use of Temporary
Service Plans by
June 29, 2012.
SE 55
Special
Education
Facilities

Observations conducted on
January 17, 2012 at the West
Street School indicated that
special needs students and
students with limited English
proficiency are given the
same priority as students in
general education programs in
the allocation of instructional
and other space in order to
minimize the separation or
stigmatization of eligible
students.
Southbridge Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
June 12, 2012
Page 19 of 19
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Southbridge 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