Massachusetts Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts02148-4096 Telephone: (781) 338-3700
TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370
January 6, 2012
Dr. Nicholas Young, Superintendent
Hadley Public School District
125 Russell Street
Hadley, MA 01035
Re: Mid-cycle Report
Dear Superintendent Young:
Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Mid-cycle Report based on the onsite visit conducted in your district on December 8, 2011. During the Mid-cycle 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 2014-2015 school year unless the Department determines that there is some reason to schedule this visit earlier.
Your 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 D. Beth Lopez at 781 338-6703 or 413 314-6703 or .
Sincerely,
D. Beth Lopez, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson
Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, Director
Program Quality Assurance Services
cc:Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Jean Jonker, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Robie Grant, School Committee Chairperson
Kathleen Boyden, Local Program Review Coordinator
Encs:Mid-cycle Report
MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATIONMID-CYCLE REPORT
HadleyPublicSchool District
Dates of the Mid-cycle Review Onsite: December 8, 2011
Date of this Report: January 6, 2012
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:
(a)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 / / Student Record
Review
Document Review
Interview / The district’s written procedures, staff interview, and student record review demonstrate that the district is implementing the requirement to provide notice at least one year prior to the student’s 18th birthday and to document that it has informed the student and the parent/guardian of the rights that will transfer from the parent to the student on the advent of the student‘s 18th birthday.
SE 8
IEP Team composition and attendance / / Student Record
Review
Document Review
Interview / The district makes efforts to ensure that each IEP meeting is fully staffed with the necessary representatives. The district has a procedure in place and a form that is used when required members of an IEP Team are unable to attend the Team meeting. Parents agree in writing to excuse a required Team member’s participation, and the Team member is required to provide written input into the development of the IEP.
SE 18A
IEP Development and content / / Student Record
Review
Document Review
Interview / Student IEPs and notices to parents, along with the district’s procedural manual, demonstrate that the district makes an effort to ensure that the needs of all students on IEPs are considered with regard to social skills and response to bullying or hazing. Students identified with needs on the autism spectrum or those students for whom social skills and bullying may be an issue are provided with social skills training to allow them to cope with, and respond to bullying. Additionally, the district has implemented a commendable practice of ensuring that every student with an IEP is offered and provided with an adult who is responsible for being that student’s go-to person in the event that the student feels uncomfortable or threatened.
SE 25
Parental consent / / Student Record
Review
Document Review
Interview / The district obtains parental consent prior to the evaluation of students.
Upon receipt of a parent’s request to discontinue services, the district immediately provides written notice of the district’s proposal to discontinue services to the parent and immediately discontinues all special education services consistent with federal regulation. The district has not had a parent revoke consent in writing, but staff are aware of the obligation to promptly provide written notice of the proposal to discontinue services based on the revocation, and information to the parent about how the parent may obtain a copy of the right to procedural safe guards.
Additional 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:
(a) Required Corrective Action and Timelines for Implementation / (b) Progress Report Due Date(s) and Required
Elements
SE 22
IEP implementation and availability / / Student Record
Review
Document Review
Interview / The district has developed and implemented procedures to ensure that all teachers at all levels are aware of their responsibilities under the IEP and have access to the information, i.e., goals and accommodations, including accommodations for negative behaviors that are included on the IEP’s of students they teach.
Further, the district has updated their procedures and their teacher handbook section on the requirements of discipline for special education studentsand has provided training regarding those requirements to responsible staff.
SE 24
Notice to Parent regarding proposal or refusal / / Student Record
Review
Document Review
Interview / The district provides the Notice of Proposed School District Action (N1) which addresses all the federally required questions.
SE 46
Procedures for the suspension of students with disabilities / / Student Record
Review
Document Review
Interview / The district has procedures in place and has trained responsible personnel on the requirements involved in providing procedural safeguards to students with disabilities when suspensions exceed 10 days or a pattern has developed for suspensions exceeding 10 cumulative days representing a change in placement.
SE 55
Special education facilities and classrooms / / Observation
Interview / An onsite review of the classroom that had been previously shared by both special education students and English language learners and was not given the same priority in the allocation of instructional space indicates that instructional spaces have been rearranged to maximize the inclusion of such students in the life of the school and are at least equal in all physical respects to the average standards of general education facilities.