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The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparedness for global competiveness by 

fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Honorable Jeffrey R. Wulfson

Acting Commissioner

Massachusetts Department of 

Elementary and Secondary Education 

75 Pleasant Street

Malden, Massachusetts 02148

Dear Acting Commissioner Wulfson:

The purpose of this letter is to provide you a summary of the results of the differentiated 

monitoring and support (DMS) activities conducted by the United States Department of 

Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) during an on-site visit to the 

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education May 8-10, 20171. In 2016, 

OSEP began engaging in DMS activities with States as part of its Results Driven Accountability 

(RDA) framework. Under RDA, OSEP made a shift from monitoring based solely on 

compliance to monitoring and support focused on both compliance and improving results for 

students with disabilities. OSEP differentiates its approach for each State based on the State’s 

unique strengths, progress, challenges, and needs. 

With the DMS process, OSEP conducts an organizational assessment (OA) of risk factors to 

identify States’ progress in meeting performance standards and complying with the requirements 

of Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its implementing 

regulations, the Education Department General Administrative Regulations and the Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 

Awards. OSEP uses the information from the OA and an Engagement Decision Tree to make 

decisions about how it will engage with States over the course of the federal fiscal year (FFY). 

The FFY 2016 DMS areas were: 1) Results; 2) Compliance; 3) SSIP; 4) Fiscal; and 

5) Correctional Education (FFY 2016 Special Focus Area). 

For FFY 2016, Massachusetts was assigned a “Targeted” level of engagement in the area of 

Compliance due, in part, to the State having 10 or more fully adjudicated hearings with at least 

75 percent of decisions issued within an extended timeline during the reporting periods 2012-

2013 and 2013-2014. Massachusetts reported that one hundred percent of its fully adjudicated 

hearings held in Federal fiscal year 2013 (2013-2014) were conducted within an extended

timeline. As part of its engagement, OSEP is providing targeted monitoring and support to assist 

Massachusetts in improving its dispute resolution system. 

 

1

For FFY 2016, Massachusetts was assigned a “Targeted” Level of Engagement in the area of Compliance; and an 

“Intensive” Level of Engagement in the area of Fiscal. This DMS letter pertains only to the results of the DMS 

engagement activities that were conducted related to the area of Compliance. The results of the DMS engagement 

activity related to the area of Fiscal will be provided under a separate cover. 
The enclosed Monitoring and Support Visit Summary and Next Steps document describes the: 1) 

Background; 2) Purpose of Monitoring Activity; 3) Visit Summary; and 4) Next Steps and 

Required Actions. If OSEP identified findings of noncompliance with the IDEA requirements, 

you will find specific details pertaining to the finding of noncompliance, along with the 

respective citation(s); and the corrective action required to address the identified finding of 

noncompliance. If you have any questions, please contact Dwight R. Thomas II, your OSEP 

State Lead, at 202-245-6238. 

Sincerely,

/s/

Ruth E. Ryder

Acting Director

Office of Special Education Programs 

cc: State Director of Special Education

Enclosure