The 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
August 13, 2013
Eric Heiser, Charter School Leader
Sturgis Charter Public School
427 Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Mr. Heiser:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Mid-cycle Report based on the onsite
visit conducted in your district in May 2013. 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: staff interviews,
review of student records, examination of documentation, and/or classroom observation.
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 August 26, 2013.
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 Deborah Conover at 781-338-3736.
Sincerely,
Deborah Conover, 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
Ray Sessler, Charter School Board of Trustees President
Susan LaCombe & Patricia Marcel, Local Program Review Coordinators
Encs:
Mid-cycle Report
Mid-cycle Progress Report Form
1
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Sturgis Charter Public School
Date of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: May 29, 2013
Date of this Report: August 13, 2013
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
Document
Review
Interviews
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 charter
school informs the student and
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 parent/guardian
states that all rights accorded to
parents under special education
law will transfer to the 18 year old
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 1 of 9
(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. When the student reaches
18 years of age, the charter school
obtains consent from the student
to continue his or her special
education program.
SE 8
IEP Team
composition and
attendance

Student
Records
Interviews
All required Team members are
present at IEP Team meetings.
Members of the Team attend
Team meetings unless:
 The charter school and
parent 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 charter school and
parent agree, in writing,
to excuse a required Team
member’s participation
and the excused member
provides written input
into the development of
the IEP to the parent and
IEP Team prior to the
meeting.
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 2 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Interviews
SE 18A
IEP
Development and
content
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
IEP Teams consider and
specifically address the skills and
proficiencies needed to avoid and
respond to bullying, harassment,
or teasing when a student is
identified with a disability that
affects social skills development,
when the disability makes the
student vulnerable to bullying,
harassment, or teasing, and when
the student is identified with a
disability on the autism spectrum.
IEPs include goals, objectives,
and services related to areas of
need identified in the Present
Levels of Educational
Performance B: Other
Educational Needs (PLEP B)
section. Age-specific
considerations are also
consistently completed. Service
delivery grids specify the amount
of time for the provision of
services and no longer indicate
“check-in as needed.”
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 3 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Student
Records
Interviews
SE 25
Parental consent
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The charter school obtains written
parental consent prior to
conducting an initial evaluation or
reevaluation. The charter school
consistently conducts the
assessments consented-to by
parents and no longer conducts
assessments for which no consent
was received.
When a parent revokes consent, in
writing, to special education
services, the charter school
provides written notice to the
parent of the charter school’s
proposal to discontinue services
based on the revocation of
consent, as well as information on
how the parent can obtain a copy
of his/her right to procedural
safeguards. The charter school
provides notice within a
reasonable time before it intends
to discontinue services. Charter
school staff were aware that they
may not use mediation or request
a due process hearing to obtain
agreement or a ruling for
continuation of services.
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 4 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
SE 51
Appropriate
special education
teacher licensure
(Commonwealth
Charter Schools
only)
Criterion
Implemented


Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Document
Review
Basis of Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective
Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Special education teachers are
appropriately licensed or are
supervised by a qualified special
educator; the special education
coordinator holds a valid license
in special education and provides
direct supervision to staff.
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 5 of 9
(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 5
Participation in
general State
and districtwide
assessment
programs
SE 13
Progress reports
and content
Criterion
Implemented



Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination about
Criterion
Student
Records
All students at the
charter school,
regardless of disability,
participate in state
mandated testing. IEP
Teams clearly define
how students will
participate in MCAS
testing or whether the
option of an alternate
assessment is
determined necessary.
Student
Records
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
Progress reports are
provided to parents
quarterly, which is as
often as parents are
informed of the
progress of nondisabled students.
Progress reports
consistently include
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 6 of 9
(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
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
written information on
the student’s progress
towards the annual
goals in the IEP.
SE 14
Review and
revision of IEPs
SE 24
Notice to parent
regarding
proposal or
refusal to
initiate or
change the
identification,
evaluation, or
educational
placement of
the child or the
provision of
FAPE

Student
Records
PI
Student
Records
Interviews
IEP goals are
individualized and
updated annually.
The information
included in the
narrative description of
the Notice of Proposed
School District Action
(N1) does not meet all
of the federal content
requirements, as not all
questions on page 2 of
the N1 form are
consistently addressed.
Specifically, the notice
does not always
indicate the evaluation
procedure, test, record
or report used in the
IEP Team's
determination, any
rejected options that
were considered, and
the next steps that are
Provide training to special education
Team chairpersons responsible for
completing the N1 form on responding to
all questions on page 2 of the form.
Develop an internal oversight and
tracking system for ensuring that N1
forms consistently include responses to
all questions on page 2 of the form. The
tracking system should include
supervisory oversight prior to sending the
N1 form to the parent and periodic
reviews to ensure compliance.
Develop a report of the results of an
internal review of student records in
which an N1 form was written, since
implementation of all of the corrective
actions, for evidence of compliance with
responding to all of the questions on page
2 of the form.
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 7 of 9
Submit the training
information,
including the
agenda and sign-in
sheet, by
September 30,
2013.
Submit a
description of the
internal oversight
and tracking
system with
periodic reviews,
along with the
name and role of
the designated
person, by
September 30,
2013.
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
recommended.
*Please note when conducting internal
monitoring, the charter school 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).
SE 47
Procedural

Document
Review
The charter school has
developed appropriate
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 8 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Submit a report of
the results of an
internal review of
records and
include the
following:
 Number of
records
reviewed;
 Number of
records in
compliance;
 For any
records not in
compliance,
determine the
root cause; and
 Specific
corrective
actions taken
by the charter
school to
remedy any
noncompliance.
Submit the report
by December 20,
2013.
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
requirements
applied to
students not yet
determined to
be eligible for
special
education
SE 56
Special
education
programs and
services are
evaluated
Basis of
Determination about
Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
discipline procedures
that are included in the
student handbook and
provided to staff that
address the procedural
requirements applied
to students not yet
determined to be
eligible for special
education.

Document
Review
The charter school
regularly evaluates its
special education
programs and services.
Sturgis Charter Public School Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
August 13, 2013
Page 9 of 9
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
Charter School: Sturgis Charter Public 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