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
February 8, 2012
Luis G. Lopes, Superintendent
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School
250 Foundry Street
South Easton, MA 02375
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Lopes:
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.
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 24, 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 Susan Nichols at 781338-3722.
Sincerely,
Susan Nichols, 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
Vani Rastogi-Kelly, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Mark Linde, School Committee Chairperson
Dominick Pistone, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School
Date of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: January 11, 2012
Date of this Report: February 8, 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
Interview
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
One year prior to the student reaching
age 18, the district informs the student
and the parent/guardian of the rights
that will transfer from the
parent/guardian to the student upon the
student’s 18th birthday. The
notification provided to both the
student and the parent/guardian states
that all rights accorded to parents
under special education law will
transfer to the 18 year old student.
Upon reaching the age of 18, the
district is consistently implementing
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 1 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
PI
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Interview
SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
procedures to obtain consent from the
student to continue the student’s
special education program. The district
is providing the IEP and the Notice of
Proposed School District Action (N1)
to the student in all instances when the
student has reached the age of majority
and has decision-making authority.
Not all required Team members are
consistently present at the IEP Team
meeting, including the student’s
general education teacher (if the
student is involved in a general
education program) and the special
education teacher/special education
provider. When a required member of
the Team does not attend the IEP Team
meeting, the district is not following
appropriate procedures to excuse the
required Team member. In addition,
not all of the student records reviewed
contained a Special Education Team
Meeting Attendance Sheet (N3A) for
the IEP Team Meeting.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Develop procedures for ensuring the
participation of the student’s general
education teacher, if the student is
involved in a general education program,
and special education teacher or, if
appropriate, special education provider
of the student. In these procedures
indicate the requirement to include the
Special Education Team Meeting
Attendance Sheet (N3A) in the student
record. 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:
1. 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
2. The district and parent agree, in
writing, to excuse a required
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 2 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Submit a copy of
the procedures
and evidence of
staff training,
including an
agenda and
signed
attendance
sheets
(indicating role
of staff). Submit
a description of
the oversight and
tracking system
and identify the
person(s)
responsible for
the oversight.
Submit this
information by
April 9, 2012.
Submit a report
of the results of
an internal
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
Team 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.
Train appropriate staff on these
procedures.
Develop an internal oversight and
tracking system for ensuring the
following:
1) The required Team members
attend the IEP Team meeting;
2) Appropriate excusal procedures
are followed if a required Team
member is unable to attend the
IEP Team meeting; and
3) The Attendance Sheet, signed
by all members at the meeting,
is in the student record.
The tracking system should include
supervisory oversight and periodic
reviews to ensure ongoing compliance.
Develop a report of the results of an
internal review of student records in
which Team meetings were held since
implementation of all of the district’s
corrective actions for evidence of
compliance with IEP Team composition
and attendance, excusal procedures, and
inclusion of the Team Meeting
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 3 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
review of
records and
include the
following:
 Number of
records
reviewed;
 Number of
records in
which a
general
education
teacher,
special
education
teacher/
special
education
provider
attended the
Team
meeting, as
appropriate;
 Number of
records in
which
appropriate
excusal
procedures
were
followed
when a
required
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
Attendance Sheet.
*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
signature(s).
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 4 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Team
member did
not attend the
IEP Team
meeting;
 Number of
records that
included a
completed
Special
Education
Team
Meeting
Attendance
Sheet (N3A);
 Results of
the root
cause
analysis of
any records
not in
compliance;
 Specific
actions taken
by the
district to
remedy any
noncompliance.
Submit this
report by June
20, 2012.
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented


SE 18A
IEP
development
and content
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Interview

Student
Records
Interview
SE 25
Parental
consent
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
IEP Teams consider and address the
skills and proficiencies needed to avoid
and respond to bullying, harassment, or
teasing for students identified with a
disability that affects social skills
development or when the student’s
disability makes him or her vulnerable
to bullying, harassment or teasing, as
well as for students identified with a
disability on the autism spectrum.
When a parent revokes consent, in
writing, to special education services,
the district provides written notice to
the parent of its proposal to
discontinue services based on the
revocation of consent, and also
provides information on how the
parent can obtain a copy of his/her
right to procedural safeguards. The
district provides notice a reasonable
time before it intends to discontinue
services. Staff are aware that they may
not use mediation or request a due
process hearing to obtain agreement or
a ruling for continuation of services.
The district is documenting multiple
attempts using a variety of methods to
involve parents when they are not
present at IEP Team meetings.
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 5 of 11
(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
PI
Student
Records
Interview
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
An educational assessment by a
representative of the school
district, including a history of
the student´s educational
progress in the general
curriculum, is not always
completed.
Complete the missing consented-to
educational assessments for those
individual students identified by the
Department. Reconvene the IEP Teams to
review the results of the assessments and
to determine whether the individual
student's current IEP is appropriate.
Review the student records in which an
evaluation was conducted this past school
year and analyze the information
pertaining to the educational assessments,
in particular identify which staff members
are responsible for completing educational
assessments and the frequency of this noncompliance. Based on the analysis,
indicate the specific corrective actions to
be taken to remedy the non-compliance.
Develop an internal oversight and tracking
system to ensure that educational
assessments are appropriately completed
by a representative of the school district
for all initial evaluations and reevaluations. The tracking system should
include supervisory oversight and periodic
reviews to ensure compliance.
Develop a report of the results of an
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 6 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
Submit copies of the
educational
assessments
completed for the
individual students
identified by the
Department, as well as
copies of the Team
Meeting Invitation
(N3) and Team
Meeting Attendance
Sheet (N3A) as
evidence that IEP
Teams reconvened to
review the assessment
results.
Describe the outcomes
of the district’s root
cause analysis with
the specific corrective
actions taken to
remedy the noncompliance and
associated timelines.
Submit a description
of the internal
oversight and tracking
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
internal review of student records in
which an evaluation was conducted since
implementation of all of the district's
corrective actions for evidence of
compliance with completing educational
assessments.
* 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 levels for
the records reviewed; b) Date of the
review; c) Name of person(s) who
conducted the review, their role(s), and
signature(s).
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 7 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
system, and identify
the person(s)
responsible for
oversight.
Submit the
information indicated
above by April 9,
2012.
Submit a report of the
results of an internal
review of student
records and include
the following:
 Number of
records reviewed;
 Number of
records in which
an educational
assessment was
completed;
 Results of the root
cause analysis of
any records not in
compliance; and
 Specific
corrective actions
taken by the
district to remedy
any noncompliance.
Submit this report by
June 20, 2012.
Criterion
SE 4
Reports of
assessment
results
SE 13
Progress reports
and content
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)

PI
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
Student
Records
Assessment summaries contain
information regarding the
student’s needs and offer
explicit means of meeting those
needs.
Student
Records
Not all progress reports include
information on the student’s
progress towards reaching the
annual goals in the IEP.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Train special education staff and related
service providers on writing progress
reports that address the annual goals of the
IEP.
Develop an internal oversight and tracking
system to ensure that all special education
progress reports include written
information on the student’s progress
towards the annual goals in the IEP.
Develop a report of the results of an
internal review of students records in
which progress reports were written since
implementation of all of the district’s
corrective actions for evidence of
compliance with progress report content.
*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
levels for the records reviewed; b) Date
of the review; c) Name of person(s) who
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 8 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
Submit an agenda,
signed attendance
sheets, and materials
used for the training
conducted on writing
progress reports that
address the annual
goals of the IEP.
Submit the description
of the internal
oversight and tracking
system. Submit this
information by April
9, 2012.
Submit a report of the
results of an internal
review of records and
include the following:
 Number of records
reviewed;
 Number of records
in which progress
reports address the
annual goals of the
IEP;
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
conducted the review, their role(s), and
signature(s).
SE 18B
Determination of
placement;
provision of IEP
to parent

Student
Records
IEP placement consent forms
are signed by the parent and
indicate the parent’s choice
with regard to placement.
SE 22
IEP
implementation
and availability

Student
Records
IEPs are implemented after
receiving written consent from
the parent.
SE 24
Notice to parent
regarding
proposal or
refusal to initiate
or change the
identification,
evaluation, or
educational
placement of the

Interview
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.
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 9 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
 Results of the root
cause analysis of
any records not in
compliance;
 Specific actions
taken by the district
to remedy any
noncompliance.
Submit this report by
June 20, 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
student or the
provision of
FAPE
SE 26
Parent
participation in
meetings

SE 29
Communications
are in English
and primary
language of home

SE 32
Parent advisory
council for
special education

Student
Records
Interview
Student
Records
Interview
Interview
Document
Review
The district is documenting
multiple attempts using a
variety of methods to involve
parents when they are not
present at IEP Team meetings.
The district is translating all
IEP and special education
documents if the primary
language of the home is other
than English.
The duties of the parent
advisory council for special
education (SEPAC) include
advising the district on matters
that pertain to the education and
safety of students with
disabilities and participating in
the planning, development and
evaluation of the district’s
special education programs.
The district has created a
SEPAC page on its website that
addresses all of this information
and includes a schedule of
meetings, workshops and
resources.
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 10 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
Criterion
SE 47
Procedural
requirements
applied to
students not yet
determined to be
eligible for
special education
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
NI
Document
Review
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The Southeastern Regional
School District 2011-2012
Student Handbook does not
include the procedural
requirements that apply to
students not yet determined to
be eligible for special
education.
Develop an amendment for the 2011-2012
student handbook that includes the
procedural requirements applied to
students not yet determined to be eligible
for special education. Also develop a
system for disseminating this information
to staff, students and parents/guardians.
Train principals and appropriate staff on
the procedural requirements.
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
February 8, 2012
Page 11 of 11
(b) Progress
Report Due Date(s)
and Required
Elements
Submit a copy of the
amendment and
indicate how this
information is being
disseminated to staff,
students and parents/
guardians. Also
submit evidence of
training, including an
agenda and signed
attendance sheets
(indicating role of
staff). Submit this
information by April
9, 2012.
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical High School
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