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
July 8, 2011
Shirley Alvira, Superintendent
Westfield Public Schools
22 Ashley Street
Westfield, MA 01085
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Alvira:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report
based on the onsite visit conducted in your district in April 2011. 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.
We are pleased to tell you that the Department has found your district to be in compliance
with all of the criteria monitored in your district during the Mid-cycle Review. The
findings of the Department are included in the enclosed report. You and your entire staff
are to be congratulated for your success in implementing the requirements included in
these criteria.
The Department will notify you of your district's next regularly scheduled Coordinated
Program Review (CPR) several months before it is to occur. At this time we anticipate
that this CPR will occur sometime during the 2013-2014 school year unless the
Department determines that there is some reason to schedule this visit earlier.
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 Nancy
Hicks at 781-338-3714.
Sincerely,
Nancy Hicks, 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
Mayor Daniel Knapik, School Committee Chairperson
Joseph Dupelle, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs: Mid-cycle Report
2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
MID-CYCLE REPORT
Westfield Public School District
Date of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: April 13, 2011
Date of this Report: July 8, 2011
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 at age
of majority
and student
participation
and consent
at the 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.
Upon reaching the age of 18, the
district implements procedures
to obtain consent from the
Westfield Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 1 of 7
(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 to continue the student’s
special education program.
SE 52A
Registration
of
educational
interpreters

Document
Review
Interview
The district currently does not
have any students enrolled who
require the services of an
educational interpreter for the
deaf and hard of hearing. The
district has procedures in place
that indicate that a person acting
in this capacity would be
registered with the
Massachusetts Commission for
the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
Westfield Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 2 of 7
(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
Criterion
Implemented

SE 8
IEP Team
composition
and attendance

SE 12
Frequency of
reevaluation

Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
Student
Records
Required Team members
are consistently present at
IEP Team meetings at the
high school. When a
required Team member is
not in attendance, the
parent’s consent to the
excusal is in writing and
the absent member
submits in writing any
input he or she has related
to the development of the
IEP.
The district implements reevaluation procedures
where it is suspected that a
student is no longer
eligible for special
education. A full
reevaluation is completed
Interview
Student
Records
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
Westfield Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 3 of 7
(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
every three years unless
the parent and district
agree it is not necessary.
SE 29
Communications are in
English and
primary
language of the
home
SE 37
Procedures for
approved and
unapproved
out-of-district
placements
SE 40
Instructional
grouping
requirements
for students
aged five and
older

Student
Records
The district provides IEPs
and related documents,
including progress reports,
in English and the primary
language of the home.

Student
Records

Document
Review
Monitoring plans and
evidence of monitoring of
students in out-of-district
placements are
documented in the student
records.
Special education classes
do not exceed instructional
grouping requirements for
students age five and
older.
Interview
Westfield Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 4 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
SE 41
Age span
requirements
SE 48
FAPE
Equal
opportunity to
participate in
educational,
nonacademic,
extracurricular
and ancillary
programs, as
well as
participation in
Criterion
Implemented



Criterion
Partially
Implemented
(PI) or Not
Implemented
(NI)
Method(s) of
Investigation
Basis of Determination
about Criterion
Document
Review
The ages of the youngest
and oldest child differ by
more than 48 months in the
Interview
Essential Life Skills Program
at the Juniper Park
Elementary School. The
Document
Review
Interview
If Partially Implemented or Not
Implemented:
(a) Required Corrective Action
and Timelines for
Implementation
district has been granted
an age-span waiver for this
class. All other special
education instructional
groupings are within the
appropriate age span
requirements.
Students in the Essential
Life Skills program at
Westfield Vocational
Technical High School
participate in the
exploratory programs, as
do the students in general
education. Students with
disabilities have access to
all shops and are
participating in a variety
of vocational/ technical
Westfield Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 5 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements
Criterion
regular
education
SE 51
Appropriate
special
education
teacher
licensure
SE 52
Appropriate
certifications/
licenses or
other
credentials -related service
providers
SE 55
Special
education
facilities and
classrooms
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
education programs at the
school.
Teachers providing special
education are
appropriately licensed.
Interview

Document
Review
Interview

Classroom
Observations
Related service providers
are appropriately certified,
licensed, board-registered
or otherwise approved to
provide such services.
All spaces where special
education or related
services are provided at
the Juniper Park
Elementary School are at
least equal in all physical
respects to the average
standards of the general
education classrooms.
Westfield Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 6 of 7
(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
The Moseley Elementary
School has been closed
since the Coordinated
Program Review.
Westfield Public School District Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report
July 8, 2011
Page 7 of 7
(b) Progress
Report Due
Date(s) and
Required
Elements