Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts 02148-4906
Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
November 4, 2009
Michael Quinn, Program Director
Crossroads School for Children
11 Huron Avenue
Natick, MA 01760
Re:
Mid-cycle Review and Verification of previous Program Review Corrective Action Plan
Dear Mr. Quinn:
Enclosed are the Department’s findings regarding your private school program’s recent onsite
Mid-cycle Review. This Mid-cycle Review Report contains the Department's findings regarding
the implementation status and effectiveness of corrective steps taken in response to your previous
Program Review Report issued on August 15, 2007. This report also includes a report on the
status of implementation for new state or federal special education requirements enacted since
your program’s last Program Review.
While the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education found certain noncompliance
issues to be resolved, others were partially corrected, not addressed at all and/or new issues were
identified by the Department’s onsite team. Therefore, the Department is issuing a “Provisional
Approval” status effective from the date of this letter and indicated on your approval certificate.
Your “Provisional Approval” will expire on January 15, 2010. The reasons for the “Provisional
Approval” are clearly indicated on the attached Mid-cycle Review Report.
As the Department previously informed you, in cases where a program fails to fully and
effectively implement a Corrective Action Plan which was proposed by your program and
approved by the Department, the Department must then prepare a Corrective Action Plan for the
program which must be implemented without further delay. You will find these requirements for
corrective action and further progress reporting included in the attached report, together with any
steps that must be taken by the program to fully implement new special education requirements.
Please provide the Department with your written assurance that the Department's requirements
for corrective action will be implemented by your program within the timelines specified. Your
statement of assurance must be submitted to the Department's Onsite Chairperson by November
30, 2009.
Page 1 of 2
Your staff's cooperation throughout these follow-up monitoring activities is appreciated. Should
you require additional clarification of information included in our report, please do not hesitate to
contact the Onsite Team Chairperson at 781-338-3704.
Sincerely,
Kerri Zeldis, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
c:
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Richard Tardiff, President of the Board of Directors
Kevin Hardy, Education Director
Encl.: Mid-cycle Review Report
Provisional Private School Approval Certificate, Expiration Date: January 15, 2010
Page 2 of 2
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
PRIVATE SCHOOL MID-CYCLE REVIEW
Crossroads School for Children
MID-CYCLE REVIEW REPORT
Previous Program Review Corrective Action Plan Submitted on October 1, 2007
Progress Reports Submitted on January 11, 2008
Mid-cycle Onsite Visit Conducted on September 15-16, 2009
Date of this Report November 4, 2009
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented

Method(s)
of Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

Selected Approved Private School Program Mid-cycle Review Criteria
Crossroads School for Children Mid-cycle Review Report
November 4, 2009
Page 1 of 7
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s)
of Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

2.2 Approvals,
Licenses,
Certificates of
Inspection

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

Documentation
Review
Crossroads School for Children
provided current copies of all
licenses, approvals, and
certificates of inspection.
18.04(1);
28.09(2)(b)(5);
28.09(5) (b);
28.09(6) (b, c)
2.3 EEC
Licensure
Crossroads School for Children
is a private day program and
therefore EEC licensure is not
required.
Not
Applicable
102 CMR 3.00
(Residential
Schools only)
8.4 Program
Modifications
and Support
Services for
Limited
English
Proficient
Students
M.G.L. c. 71A;
Title VI

Documentation
Review
Crossroads School for Children
submitted a copy of its written
plan addressing how to serve
Limited English Proficient
(LEP) Students.
Crossroads School for Children Mid-cycle Review Report
November 4, 2009
Page 2 of 7
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s)
of Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

8.5 Current
IEP & Student
Roster

11.3
Educational
Administrator
Qualifications

Documentation
Review
Student Record
Review
28.09(5)(a)
Crossroads School for Children
submitted a roster of publicly
funded Massachusetts students
currently enrolled in the
program containing all of the
requirements under this
criterion.

Documentation
Review
Crossroads School for Children
submitted the name of its
educational administrator, which
meets all of the requirements
under this criterion.

Documentation
Review
Crossroads School for Children
submitted a current teaching
staff roster indicating the name,
title, role of each teacher in the
program, grade level being
taught, subject area being
taught, and copies of ELAR
activity sheets for each teacher.
28.09(5)(a);
28.09(7)(a);
603 CMR
44.00
11.4 Teachers
(Special
Education
Teachers and
Regular
Education
Teachers)
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Crossroads School for Children Mid-cycle Review Report
November 4, 2009
Page 3 of 7
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s)
of Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

18.05(11)(f);
28.09(5)(a);
28.09(7)(b, c);
34 CFR
300.321
11.5 Related
Services Staff

Documentation
Review
Crossroads School for Children
submitted a current staff roster
for all related service providers
that includes the provider’s
name, title, role in the program,
and a copy of the provider’s
license issued by the
Massachusetts State Board of
Registration.

Documentation
Review
Crossroads School for Children
submitted a current master staff
roster for all staff and a copy of
the last approved ESE Program
Budget from 2004.
28.09(7)(d)
11.6 Master
Staff Roster
28.09(7)
Crossroads School for Children Mid-cycle Review Report
November 4, 2009
Page 4 of 7
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s)
of Verification

Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting

Identified Areas of Non-Compliance During the 2007 Program Review or Other Areas of Concern
8.8 IEP –
Progress
Reports
Documentation
Review
Student Record
Review

Student record review
indicates that while
progress report
information sent to parents
includes written
information on the
student’s progress for each
benchmark; it does not
clearly indicate the
student’s progress toward
reaching the annual goals.
In addition, student record
review revealed that
progress toward meeting
the annual goals was not
individualized for each
student and according to
his or her IEP.
Crossroads School for Children Mid-cycle Review Report
November 4, 2009
Page 5 of 7
Crossroads School for Children
must conduct training for all
staff responsible for writing
progress reports regarding
written information on the
student’s progress toward the
annual goals in the IEP. Please
submit the agenda, sign-in
sheets, and all training
materials to the Department by
December 15, 2009.
In addition, Crossroads School
for Children must submit a
sample of five (5) progress
reports reflecting the
information on the student’s
progress toward the annual
goals in the IEP to the
Department by December 15,
2009.
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s)
of Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

11.9
Organizational
Structure

Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting
Crossroads School for
Children submitted a
block schedule for every
classroom and every
period indicating the
initials of student with
corresponding dates of
birth. However,
documentation review
revealed that the following
six (6) instructional
groupings exceed the 48
month age span and no
waiver by the Department
was requested: (1) Project
Adventure 1; (2) Sensory
Motor Group; (3) Monday
Swimming; (4) Room 5,
MR, MC, and DV APE;
(5) Room 1 and 3 APE;
and (6) Room 5, AF, and
DV Music Group.
Crossroads School for Children
must submit revised block
schedules for every classroom
and every period indicating the
initials of students with
corresponding dates of birth not
to exceed the 48 month age
span or submit an age span
waiver where appropriate to the
Department by December 15,
2009.


Documentation
Review
10.2 Age
Range
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified
Documentation
Review
Crossroads School for Children
submitted an organizational
chart that reflects all of the
Crossroads School for Children Mid-cycle Review Report
November 4, 2009
Page 6 of 7
Criterion
Number
and
Topic
Implementation Status of
Requirements
or
Corrective
Action Plan
Determined to
be Substantially
Implemented
Method(s)
of Verification
Comments Regarding
Corrective Action Plan
Implementation

Corrective
Action Plan
Determined
to be Not
Fully
Implemented or
Additional
Issues
Identified

approved positions within the
school.
Crossroads School for Children Mid-cycle Review Report
November 4, 2009
Page 7 of 7
Findings Regarding
Incomplete
Implementation of
Approved Corrective
Action Plan or
Identification of
Additional Issues of
Noncompliance
Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
and Timelines for
Implementation and Further
Progress Reporting