COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Charter School or District: Westborough
MCR Onsite Dates: 02/01/2012 - 02/02/2012
Program Area: Special Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
MID-CYCLE REPORT
SE Criterion # 7 - Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and
student participation and consent at the age of majority
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
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 rights will transfer from the
parent/guardian to the student upon the student's 18th birthday.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
The district must review and update their 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.
Additionally, the district must develop an internal oversight and tracking system
to ensure that one year prior to a student reaching age 18, the district informs
the student and parent/guardian of the student's right at age 18 to make all
decisions in relation to special education programs and services.
Conduct an administrative review of student records, for those students who have
reached the age of 17 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.
*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).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
The district will submit the updated procedures and provide evidence of staff
training, which will include a training agenda, attendance sheet (including staff
name and role) and copies of the materials presented. Please submit this to the
Department by June 29, 2012.
Submit the description of the internal oversight and tracking system and identify
the person(s) responsible for the oversight, including the date of the system's
implementation. Submit this information by June 29, 2012.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Westborough Mid-Cycle Report - 04/26/2012
Page 2 of 5
SE Criterion # 7 - Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and
student participation and consent at the age of majority
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 cause for any continued noncompliance and a description of additional
corrective actions taken by the district to address any identified noncompliance.
Please submit this to the Department by December 3, 2012.
SE Criterion # 8 - IEP Team composition and attendance
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and interviews with staff members showed that the
district maintains procedures consistent with the requirements for Team
attendance at each IEP meeting. Team chairs have received training and are
implementing the excusal process that includes parental agreement and a written
report from the absent required Team member.
SE Criterion # 18A - IEP development and content
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of documentation and student records verified that the district has
implemented training and developed procedures regarding the IEP Team’s
obligation to document student needs in the IEP when the evaluation indicates
that the student's disability affects social skills development or makes them
susceptible to bullying, harassment, or teasing. The district’s procedures also
address the requirements that the IEP specifically address the skills needed to
address bullying for students on the autism spectrum.
SE Criterion # 25 - Parental consent
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of district documentation and interviews with staff members
demonstrated that the district has procedures 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.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Westborough Mid-Cycle Report - 04/26/2012
Page 3 of 5
SE Criterion # 26 - Parent participation in meetings
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Student records and staff interviews demonstrated that the district ensures that
one or both parents of a student are notified in writing of any Team meeting early
enough to ensure that they have an opportunity to attend and schedules those
meetings at a mutually agreed upon time and place. Further if neither parent can
attend, the district uses other methods to ensure parent participation, including
individual or conference telephone calls, or video conferencing.
SE Criterion # 29 - Communications are in English and primary language
of home
Rating:
Partially Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and interviews with staff members indicated that
when the district provides oral translation only, it was not consistently
documented in the student record that the district had provided translation in an
alternate manner.
Department Order of Corrective Action:
The district must review and update their procedures related to the
documentation of oral translation of notices to parents who have a home
language other than English. The district must also provide training on the
updated procedures to Team Chairpersons.
Additionally, the district must develop an internal oversight and tracking system
to ensure that when providing oral translation of notices that the district
maintains written documentation that it has provided notice in an alternate
manner.
Subsequent to the completion of all corrective actions, the district must conduct
an administrative review of student records for those students with a home
language other than English and whose parent or guardian requires oral
translation of notice to ensure that the district maintains written documentation
that it has provided such notice in an alternate manner.
* 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).
Required Elements of Progress Reports:
The district will submit copies of the updated procedures related to maintaining
documentation of the provision of oral translation of notices and provide training
to Team Chairpersons on those revised procedures. Evidence of staff training will
include a training agenda, attendance sheet (including staff name and role) and
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Westborough Mid-Cycle Report - 04/26/2012
Page 4 of 5
SE Criterion # 29 - Communications are in English and primary language
of home
copies of the materials presented. Please submit this to the Department by June
29, 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 additional corrective actions to be taken by the district to address any
identified noncompliance. Please submit this to the Department by December 3,
2012.
SE Criterion # 48 - FAPE (Free, appropriate, public education): Equal
opportunity to participate in educational, nonacademic, extracurricular
and ancillary programs, as well as participation in regular education
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
A review of student records and interviews with staff members showed that all
special education students who are also identified as limited English
proficient(LEP), regardless of their placement, have an equal opportunity to
receive English as a Second Language (ESL) services available to non-disabled
LEP students.
SE Criterion # 55 - Special education facilities and classrooms
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Observation of special education facilities at Westborough High School
demonstrated that special education classes are placed throughout the building
maximizing special education student inclusion into the life of the school.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Westborough Mid-Cycle Report - 04/26/2012
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