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
April 27, 2012
Christopher Farmer, Superintendent
Triton Regional School District
112 Elm Street
Byfield, MA 01922
Re: Mid-Cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Farmer:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report
based on the onsite visit conducted in your district in February 2012. During the MidCycle Review the Department monitored selected special education criteria to determine
your district’s compliance with special education laws and regulations. The review
consisted of information gathered from one or more of the following activities: 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 May 14, 2012.
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 Lynn A.
Summerill at 781-338-3735.
Sincerely,
Lynn A. Summerill, 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
Mayor David Maher, School Committee Chair
David Magee, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
Mid Cycle Progress Report Form
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Triton Regional Public School District
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: February 8, 2012
Date of this Report: April 27, 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
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interviews
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action and
Timelines for Implementation
The district
consistently
informs students
and parents of the
transfer of parental
rights one year
prior to the student
reaching the age of
majority.
Notices explicitly
state that all rights
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 1 of 13
(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
accorded to parents
under special
education law will
transfer to the 18
year old.
Upon reaching 18,
the district
procures consent
from students to
continue their
special education
program.
Student
Record
Review
SE 8
IEP Team
Composition
and
Attendance

Document
Review
Staff
Interviews
In those
circumstances
when a required
IEP Team member
could not attend
the meeting,
written excusals
documenting that
the parent agreed
that attendance of
the absent IEP
Team member was
not necessary are
kept in the student
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 2 of 13
(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
The district must conduct training for special
education personnel acting as IEP Team chairpersons
on how to document that the IEP Team considered
and addressed the skills and proficiencies needed to
avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or
teasing. Please refer to:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/bullying/considerationsbully.html for guidance.
Please submit
evidence of staff
training,
including an
agenda and
signed
attendance
sheets with the
names of the
staff members
and their roles.
records. Required
IEP Team
members, who are
excused from the
meeting, provide
written input into
the development of
the IEP to the
parent and other
IEP Team
members prior to
the meeting.
SE 18A
IEP
Development
and Content
PI
Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Staff
Interviews
IEP Teams do not
consider and
specifically
address the skills
and proficiencies
needed to avoid
and respond to
bullying,
harassment, or
teasing for students
identified with
social, emotional
or behavioral
disabilities or
students on the
autism spectrum.
Please develop an internal monitoring system that
includes supervisory oversight and periodic reviews
to ensure compliance.
The district will conduct an internal review of student
records from IEP Team meetings that occurred after
the district’s implementation of all corrective actions
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 3 of 13
Please submit
the description
of the oversight
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
to ensure that IEP Teams consider and address, as
appropriate, the skills and proficiencies needed to
avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or
teasing.
*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).
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
system and
identify the
person(s)
responsible for
the oversight
and the
frequency of the
district’s
monitoring.
Please submit
the above
progress reports
by September
19, 2012.
Please submit
the results of an
internal review
of records and
report:
 The number
of records
reviewed
from each
school;
 The number
of records
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 4 of 13
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


in
compliance;
For any
records not
in
compliance
with this
criterion,
provide the
results of a
root cause
analysis of
the noncompliance;
and
Specific
corrective
actions
taken by the
district to
remedy any
noncompliance.
The results of
the record
review must
received by
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 5 of 13
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
December 6,
2012.
PI
Student
Record
Review
Document
Review
Interviews
SE 25
Parental
Consent
The district
procures parental
consent prior to the
evaluation of
students.
The district does
not have
procedures for
when parents
revoke consent for
IEP services. The
district’s current
practice when
receiving a request
to discontinue
services is to retain
the student’s
services, require
parents consent to
an evaluation,
conduct
evaluations and
determine
eligibility prior to
dismissing a
The district must discontinue its current practice and
revise its procedures demonstrating that it promptly
provides written notice of the district’s proposal to
discontinue services to the parent.
The district must provide the notice a reasonable time
before the district intends to discontinue the services
so that the parent has time to consider the impact of
their revocation of consent. The district must also
provide information on how the parent may obtain a
copy of procedural safeguards consistent with federal
regulation.
Please conduct training for all IEP Team chairs and
principals, on these revised procedures.
Please develop a system that includes supervisory
oversight and periodic reviews to ensure compliance
with the requirements for when a parent revokes
consent.
The district will conduct an internal review of student
records for those records where parents revoked
consent after the district implemented all corrective
actions, and report the results.
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 6 of 13
Please provide
the revised
procedures and
evidence of the
training,
including an
agenda and
signed
attendance sheet
with the names
of the staff
members and
their roles.
Please submit
the description
of the oversight
system and
identify the
person(s)
responsible for
the oversight.
Please submit
the above
documentation
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 from
services.
by September
19, 2012.
*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).
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 7 of 13
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Please submit a
report of the
results of an
internal review
of records and
report:
 The number
of parents
who
revoked
consent;
 The number
of records
that are in
compliance;
 For all
records not
in
compliance
with this
criterion,
provide the
results of a
root cause
analysis 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

the noncompliance;
and
Specific
corrective
actions
taken by the
district to
remedy any
noncompliance.
The record
review
results are
due by
December
6, 2012.
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 8 of 13
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 13
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)

Progress
Reports and
Content
SE 20
Least
Restrictive
Program
Selected
PI
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
Student
Record
Review
Parents receive
progress reports on
their child’s
progress towards
meeting IEP goals
with the same
frequency as nondisabled students
receive progress
reports.
Student
Record
Review
IEP
Nonparticipation
Justification
statements at the
elementary and high
school level are
comprehensive and
contain all required
information.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
Please conduct training for middle
school special education personnel
responsible for the development of
the IEP on writing NonParticipation Justification
statements.
Please develop a monitoring
system that includes supervisory
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 9 of 13
(b) Progress Report Due
Date(s) and Required
Elements
Submit evidence of training;
including an agenda and signed
attendance sheets with the names
of the staff members and their
roles.
Please submit the description of
the oversight system and identify
the person(s) responsible for the
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
At the middle school
level, IEP Nonparticipation
Justification
statements 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.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
oversight and periodic reviews to
ensure compliance.
Conduct an internal review of
student records at the middle
school. Review a sample of IEPs
that were developed after the
district’s implementation of all
corrective actions to ensure that
IEP Non-Participation Justification
statements document why removal
from the 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).
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 10 of 13
(b) Progress Report Due
Date(s) and Required
Elements
oversight.
Please submit the above
progress reports by September
19, 2012.
Please submit the 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 non-compliance; and
 The specific corrective
actions taken by the district
to remedy any noncompliance
The results of the record
review are due by
December 6, 2012.
Criterion
SE 32
Criterion
Implemented


Parent
Advisory
Council for
Special
Education
SE 33
SE 34
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
Document
Review
The parent advisory
council for special
education met six
times during the
2010-2011 school
year and has three
meetings scheduled
for the spring of
2011-2012 school
year including a
parent’s rights
information session.
Interviews

Student
Record
Review
The district
consistently
documents a
student’s
participation in the
general curriculum
on the IEP Present
Levels of
Educational
Performance A form
(PLEP A).

Student
Record
The district fully
implements IEP
Involvement
in the
general
curriculum
Continuum
of
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 11 of 13
(b) Progress Report Due
Date(s) and Required
Elements
Criterion
Criterion
Implemented

Alternative
Services and
Placements
SE 53
Use of
Paraprofessionals
Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Review
Interviews

Document
Review
Interviews
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
services identified
on the IEP service
delivery grids of
students. The
district eliminated
the Alternative
Community
Education program
and the Career
Awareness
programs.
The Alternative
Community
Education and the
Career Awareness
special education
programs are no
longer in existence.
Paraprofessionals
are consistently
under the
supervision of an
appropriately
licensed
professional.
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 12 of 13
(b) Progress Report Due
Date(s) and Required
Elements
Criterion
SE 55
Special
Education
Facilities and
Classrooms
Criterion
Implemented

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of
Determination
about Criterion
Facility
Observation
The district
discontinued its
substantially
separate Alternative
Community
Education and
Career Awareness
programs. Students
from these programs
are now integrated
in general education
classes.
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
Triton Regional School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
April 27, 2012
Page 13 of 13
(b) Progress Report Due
Date(s) and Required
Elements
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REVIEW
School District: Triton Regional School District
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 Midcycle 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