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 29, 2010 Jeffrey Marsden, Superintendent Wrentham Public Schools 120 Taunton Street Wrentham, MA 02093 Re: Mid-cycle Report Dear Superintendent Marsden: Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based on the Mid-cycle Review conducted in your district in April 2010. In this 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: 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 2012-2013 school year unless the Department determines that there is some reason to schedule this visit earlier. 1 You 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 Thomas Taylor at 781-338-3726. Sincerely, Thomas Taylor, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson Program Quality Assurance Services Darlene A. Lynch, Director Program Quality Assurance Services cc: Encs: Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Dean Paolillo, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services Kimberly Carr, School Committee Chairperson Karen McNamara, Local Program Review Coordinator Mid-Cycle Report 2 MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION MID-CYCLE REPORT Wrentham Public Schools Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: April 16, 2010 Date of this Report: April 29, 2010 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 3 Criterion Implemented Method(s) of Investigation Basis of Determination about Criterion Student Record Review & Documentation The Wrentham Public Schools (WPS) provided staff training on procedures for determining specific learning disabilities. The student records included a written determination signed by all IEP Team members. Student Record Review The district provided a staff training on classroom and MCAS Special requirements for the determination of specific learning disability SE 5 Participation in State Criterion Partially Implemented (PI) or Not Implemented (NI) Wrentham Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report April 29, 2010 Page 1 of 4 If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented: (a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for Implementation (b) Progress Report Due Date(s) and Required Elements Criterion Criterion Implemented Criterion Partially Implemented (PI) or Not Implemented (NI) Method(s) of Investigation & Interview and district-wide Assessment programs SE 18B Determination of placement; provision of IEP to the parent Student Record Review, Documentation & Interview SE 24 Notice to parents regarding proposal or refusal to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational Student Record Review Basis of Determination about Criterion accommodations. All classroom teachers are provided an Individual Education Program (IEP) checklist. Also, there was a Parent Advisory Council training on this topic. Student records verified the participation of students with disabilities in mandatory testing and the nature of the accommodations provided to students. The district provided staff training on the determination of placement. Records reviewed verified parental consent of placement forms for all IEPs. WPS uses an IEP checklist to monitor that the determination of placement is completed by the IEP Team. Student record review indicated that key questions on the notices are specifically addressed by school staff. Notices were contained in the student records. Wrentham Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report April 29, 2010 Page 2 of 4 If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented: (a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for Implementation (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 placement of the student; provision of FAPE SE 37 Procedures for approved and unapproved out-ofdistrict placements SE 52A Registration of educational interpreters Student Record Review & Interview Out-of-district student record review indicated that student records contained monitoring plans. The Special Education Administrator acts as the Out-ofDistrict Coordinator and stated that she is in attendance at all IEP Team meetings. Documentation, Record Review & Interview The district does not have any deaf or hard of hearing students within a district program at this time (the record review noted it does have such students placed in approved out- of -district programs). However, the district has procedures to ensure the provision of registered educational interpreters. Wrentham Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report April 29, 2010 Page 3 of 4 If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented: (a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for Implementation (b) Progress Report Due Date(s) and Required Elements Criterion SE 55 Special education facilities/classrooms Criterion Implemented Criterion Partially Implemented (PI) or Not Implemented (NI) Method(s) of Investigation Observation & Interview Basis of Determination about Criterion The district provided a tour of the Delaney School and other special education classrooms complex. The onsite team determined that the location of classrooms allow special education students to be fully integrated into the life of the school. All classrooms were located among regular education classrooms. Wrentham Public Schools Coordinated Program Review Mid-cycle Report April 29, 2010 Page 4 of 4 If Partially Implemented or Not Implemented: (a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for Implementation (b) Progress Report Due Date(s) and Required Elements