Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
FY2014
Name of Grant Program: Special Education: Program Improvement
Fund Code: 274
Principal Indicator Focus
All professional development in this application must align with one of the following State performance
Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR) indicators and promote the use of a continuous cycle
of improvement. If you would like to target two Indicators with your proposed professional development
please use the Optional Additional Indicator Focus below to select an optional additional indicator focus.
Indicator 1: Graduation Rates
Indicator 2: Drop-Out Rates
Indicator 3: Assessment
Indicator 4: Suspension and Expulsion
Indicator 5: School-age LRE
Indicator 6: Preschool LRE
Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes
Indicator 8: Parent Involvement
Indicator 9: Disproportionality in Special Education
Indicator 10: Disproportionality in Specific Disability Categories
Indicator 11: Initial Timelines
Indicator 12: Part C to Part B Transition
Indicator 13: Secondary Transition
Indicator 14: Post-School Outcomes
Choose the topic(s) that best aligns with the proposed professional development:
 Academic and/or Social/Emotional supports and interventions
 Assessment
 Career readiness (including but not limited to career awareness, career exploration, and career
immersion)
 College readiness
 Creating positive learning environments – individual, classroom, school-wide, and/or district-wide
 Data-based decision making - individual, classroom, school-wide, and/or district-wide
 Dropout and truancy prevention
 Family engagement activities
 Inclusive education practices, including but not limited to embedding related services within the
classroom
 Literacy
 Partnering with community based organizations, institutions of higher education, and/or state
agencies
 Progress Monitoring
 Student self-advocacy and associated social skills, including but not limited to use of individual
learning plans
 System-wide collaboration within a school district
 Tiered system of supports
 Wrap around services and supports
 Writing effective IEPs
OVERVIEW
A. Choose the Indicator from the drop down menu and a topic or topics from the bullets above that best
aligns with the proposed professional development.
B. Provide:
1. Identify and briefly describe the proposed professional development activity(ies):
2. Identify and briefly describe the how those activity(ies):
 Align with selected topics
 Specifically target students with disabilities
 Promote student outcomes
3. For each activity, provide a proposed timeline, including the number of contact hours and the
name(s) of provider(s):
Note: If you are proposing individualized, rather than school- or district-wide professional
development and have yet to identify a provider(s), please describe the type of provider you will
be seeking and how you will ensure that the selected professional development will be aligned
with the above priority and contribute to district professional development goals.
4. Describe how proposed activities are linked to the selected Indicator
5. The professional role(s) of targeted participants
 District Level Administrators
 Special Education Teachers
 Principals
 Parents
 Teachers
 Paraprofessionals
 Related Service Providers
 Other____________________
C. Data-based Rationale for PD Activities:
1. What data did you analyze that led you to select this Indicator?
 IDEA Part B State Performance Indicator Data
 IDEA Part B Determination Level
 Performance Data
 MCAS Results
 Teacher Surveys
 Conditions for School Effectiveness Data
 School Safety Discipline Report
 Other____________________
2. What conclusion did you draw from your analysis of the above data? Why will the identified
activity(ies) be effective in addressing this Indicator in your district?
D. Provider Qualifications:
1. If you are using an external provider, please indicate which of the following you reviewed to
ensure expertise in identified Indicator/PD goals, good pedagogical practice, the application of
adult learning theory, and multiple opportunities for collaboration among educators. Or, if you
have yet to identify a provider, indicate which of the following you will use to inform your choice:
 Published research
 Journal articles
 Professional papers
 Previous workshops
 Trainings, and/or consultations
 College courses and/or affiliations
 Other____________________
2. If you are using an internal provider, please indicate which of the following you reviewed to
ensure expertise in identified Indicator/PD goals, good pedagogical practice, the application of
adult learning theory, and multiple opportunities for collaboration among educators:
 Experience providing professional development




Professional status/Specialty certification
Years teaching in the topic area identified
Content knowledge and experience in the appropriate field
Other_______________________
E. Outcomes and Evaluation:
1. How will you assess and measure the changes in educator knowledge, skills and/or practices
resulting from the professional development to ensure that it is meeting the targeted goals
relevant to the desired student outcomes?
Optional Additional Indicator Focus
If you have chosen to target two State performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR)
indicators please select one of the following Indicators in addition to the Indicator selected above under
the Principal Indicator Focus. All professional development in this application must align with the selected
indicator.
Indicator 1: Graduation Rates
Indicator 2: Drop-Out Rates
Indicator 3: Assessment
Indicator 4: Suspension and Expulsion
Indicator 5: School-age LRE
Indicator 6: Preschool LRE
Indicator 7: Preschool Outcomes
Indicator 8: Parent Involvement
Indicator 9: Disproportionality in Special Education
Indicator 10: Disproportionality in Specific Disability Categories
Indicator 11: Initial Timelines
Indicator 12: Part C to Part B Transition
Indicator 13: Secondary Transition
Indicator 14: Post-School Outcomes
Choose the topic(s) that best aligns with the proposed professional development:
 Academic and/or Social/Emotional supports and interventions
 Assessment
 Career readiness (including but not limited to career awareness, career exploration, and career
immersion)
 College readiness
 Creating positive learning environments – individual, classroom, school-wide, and/or district-wide
 Data-based decision making - individual, classroom, school-wide, and/or district-wide
 Dropout and truancy prevention
 Family engagement activities
 Inclusive education practices, including but not limited to embedding related services within the
classroom
 Literacy
 Partnering with community based organizations, institutions of higher education, and/or state
agencies
 Progress Monitoring
 Student self-advocacy and associated social skills, including but not limited to use of individual
learning plans
 System-wide collaboration within a school district
 Tiered system of supports
 Wrap around services and supports
 Writing effective IEPs
OVERVIEW
A. Choose the Indicator from the drop down menu and a topic or topics from the bullets above that best
aligns with the proposed professional development.
B. Provide:
1. Identify and briefly describe the proposed professional development activity(ies):
2. Identify and briefly describe the how those activity(ies):
 Align with selected topics
 Specifically target students with disabilities
 Promote student outcomes
3. For each activity, provide a proposed timeline, including the number of contact hours and the
name(s) of provider(s):
Note: If you are proposing individualized, rather than school- or district-wide professional
development and have yet to identify a provider(s), please describe the type of provider you will
be seeking and how you will ensure that the selected professional development will be aligned
with the above priority and contribute to district professional development goals.
4. Describe how proposed activities are linked to the selected Indicator
5. The professional role(s) of targeted participants
 District Level Administrators
 Special Education Teachers
 Principals
 Parents
 Teachers
 Paraprofessionals
 Related Service Providers
 Other____________________
C. Data-based Rationale for PD Activities:
1. What data did you analyze that led you to select this Indicator?
 IDEA Part B State Performance Indicator Data
 IDEA Part B Determination Level
 Performance Data
 MCAS Results
 Teacher Surveys
 Conditions for School Effectiveness Data
 School Safety Discipline Report
 Other____________________
2. What conclusion did you draw from your analysis of the above data? Why will the identified
activity(ies) be effective in addressing this Indicator in your district?
D. Provider Qualifications:
1. If you are using an external provider, please indicate which of the following you reviewed to
ensure expertise in identified Indicator/PD goals, good pedagogical practice, the application of
adult learning theory, and multiple opportunities for collaboration among educators. Or, if you
have yet to identify a provider, indicate which of the following you will use to inform your choice:
 Published research
 Journal articles
 Professional papers
 Previous workshops
 Trainings, and/or consultations
 College courses and/or affiliations

Other____________________
2. If you are using an internal provider, please indicate which of the following you reviewed to
ensure expertise in identified Indicator/PD goals, good pedagogical practice, the application of
adult learning theory, and multiple opportunities for collaboration among educators:
 Experience providing professional development
 Professional status/Specialty certification
 Years teaching in the topic area identified
 Content knowledge and experience in the appropriate field
 Other_______________________
E. Outcomes and Evaluation:
1. How will you assess and measure the changes in educator knowledge, skills and/or practices
resulting from the professional development to ensure that it is meeting the targeted goals
relevant to the desired student outcomes?