MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION MID-CYCLE REPORT NORTH MIDDLESEX REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: March 28 & 29, 2013 Date of this Report: October 1, 2013 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 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: Required Corrective Action and Timelines for Implementation (b) Progress Report Due Date(s) and Required Elements SE 7 Transfer of parental rights and student participation and consent at age of majority PI Document Review Student Record Review Document and record review indicated that one year prior to a student reaching age 18, the district does not consistently inform the student and the parent/guardian of the rights that will transfer from the parent to the student upon the student’s 18th birthday. Record review also demonstrated that the district does not consistently document that the parent Develop a procedure for notifying families and students of the transfer of educational rights to the student at the age of majority based on the ESE’s administrative advisory 2011-1 . Please provide training to IEP Team chairpersons and other key personnel at the high school level on the district’s newly developed age of majority policy. Submit a copy of revised procedures and evidence of staff training, including an agenda and signed attendance sheets (indicating role of staff). Submit the description of the oversight system and identify the person(s) responsible for the oversight, including
and student were informed of the transfer of rights in the IEP or the student record. Additionally, record review indicated that once a student has reached the age of 18, the district does not always obtain consent from the student to continue the student’s special education program. Please develop a tracking and monitoring system and identify the key personnel responsible for oversight of the system and for conducting periodic reviews to ensure the following: 1) parents and students are notified of the transfer of educational decision-making rights one year prior to students reaching the age of 18, 2) IEP Teams document the provision of this notice in the IEP or in the student record thereafter, and 3) students with educational decision-making rights sign their IEPs once they have turned 18. Conduct an internal review of student records. Select a sample of special education students who turned 17 after implementation of all corrective actions. Review the students’ special education records for evidence that 1) families and students were notified one year prior to the student turning 18 and 2) provision of this notification was documented either in the IEP or in the student record. the date of the system’s implementation. This progress report is due November 18, 2013. Submit the results of both student record reviews. Indicate the number of student records reviewed, the number of student records in compliance, for all records not in compliance with this criterion, determine the root of the noncompliance and provide the district’s plan to remedy the non-compliance. This progress report is due 17, 2014.
writing to excuse Team members who are not necessary because their area of the curriculum or services is not being modified or discussed. However, record review also indicated that when a student is involved in a regular education program, a regular education teacher is not always present at Team meetings. In addition, there was no evidence in student records that excused required Team members provide written input into the development of the IEP to the parent and the IEP team prior to the meeting. Review of student records and interviews indicated that there is always a representative of the district present at Team meetings with the authority to commit the resources of the district. before the meeting and 2) excused required Team members must provide written input in advance to the Team and parents for IEP development. Following the revision of these procedures, provide training to IEP Team chairs and relevant staff members on team composition and excusal requirements. Please develop an internal system of periodic review to ensure that 1) a regular education teacher attends IEP meetings for students when the student is involved in a regular education program; 2) a written excusal from the parent is in the student record if a required Team member cannot attend; and 3) the excused Team member provides written input for IEP development. Please identify the person(s) responsible by name and title for this internal monitoring. Conduct an internal review of student records. Select a sample of 10 special education students across all school levels who are involved in general education and Submit the description of the oversight system and identify the person(s) responsible for the oversight, including the date of the system’s implementation. This progress report is due November 18, 2013. Submit the results of both student record reviews. Indicate the number of student records reviewed, the number of student records in compliance, for all records not in compliance with this criterion, determine the root cause(s) of the noncompliance and provide the district’s plan to remedy the
Interviews educationally relevant terms the student's needs, offering explicit means of meeting them. Further, assessment summaries do not state that recommendations would be discussed and made at the Team meeting. SE 6 Determination of transition services Student Record Review Staff Interviews Review of student records and interviews indicated that IEP consistently discuss student transition needs for students 14 years and older. Transition Planning forms are consistently completed for these students and placed in the student’s record with the IEP. Records also revealed that IEP Teams annually review and update the information on the Transition Planning form as appropriate. SE 9 Timeline for determination of eligibility and provision of documentation Student Record Review Staff Interviews Student records and interviews indicated that the district consistently meets the 45 day timeline to determine whether the student is eligible for special education and provides
appropriate. SE 18B Determination of placement; provision of IEP to parent PI Student Record Review Staff Interviews Review of student records and interviews indicated that all IEP placement pages are consistently signed by parents. However, the district does not always provide its signed assurance at the time the proposed IEP is presented to the parent. Record review demonstrated that the date indicating when the parent accepted the IEP preceded the date of the district’s assurance on the IEP. Please develop a protocol to ensure that all proposed IEPs are signed by a district representative before they are mailed to parents. Please develop an internal system of supervisory oversight and periodic reviews to ensure that proposed IEPs are signed by the LEA representative before sent to parents. Please identify the person(s) responsible by name and title for this internal monitoring and ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities. Please conduct a student record review of 15 records for evidence that proposed IEPs are signed before they are sent out. This sample must be drawn from records of students whose IEP development meetings were convened after implementation of all corrective actions. *Please note when conducting internal monitoring that the Submit a copy of the revised protocols. Submit the description of the oversight system and identify the person(s) responsible for the oversight, including the date of the system’s implementation. This progress report is due November 18, 2013. Submit the results of the student record review. Indicate the number of student records reviewed, the number of student records in compliance, for all records not in compliance with