MID-CYCLE REPORT
District: Millis Public Schools
MCR Onsite Dates: 01/08/2013
Program Area: Special Education
Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D.
Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
COORDINATED PROGRAM REVIEW
MID-CYCLE REPORTSE Criterion # 7 - Transfer of parental rights at age of majority and student participation and consent at the age of majority
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Document review, student records and staff interviews indicate that the district routinely provides students and parents notice ofthe transfer of education decision-making rights to the student upon age of majority one year prior to the student reaching age 18. This notice includes that the parent will continue to receive written notices and have access to the student record. The district documents this notification of the transference of educational decision-making rights to the student and family in the Additional Information section of the IEP.
Upon students’ reaching the age of 18, the district immediately secures student consent to continue IEP services or, as appropriate, continues to secure the consent of the guardian.
SE Criterion # 8 - IEP Team composition and attendance
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Review of student records and staff interviews indicate that the district’s IEP Teams are consistently convened with all required members in attendance. When a required Team member cannot participate in an IEP Team meeting, the district secures written parent permission prior to the meeting to excuse the Team member. In addition, the excused required Team member provides a written report in advance for the IEP Team to use in developing or reviewing the IEP. If the parent does not wish to convene the IEP Team meeting without the required member, the district reschedules the meeting. A review of the district’s procedures also demonstrates that the district has a process to excuse Team members whose areas are not being modified or discussed at the Team meeting.
SE Criterion # 17 - Initiation of services at age three and Early Intervention transition procedures
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Documentation, student records and staff interviews indicate that the district has established procedures thatensure effective transition from Early Intervention (EI) programs and other referring sources before the child turns two-and-one-half years old, so that IEP services are provided by the child's third birthday. Specifically, district documentation and staff interviews demonstrate the district’s collaboration with local EI programs to ensure consistent and timely district participation in all areas of early intervention transition, including participation in transition meetings with EI, conducting observations and evaluations no less than 90 days before the child’s third birthday, and including EI staff in the initial IEP meeting.
SE Criterion # 18A - IEP development and content
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Review of student records, documentation, and staff interviews demonstrate that whenever the IEP Team evaluation indicates that a student's disability affects social skills development, or when the student's disability makes him or her vulnerable to bullying, harassment, or teasing, the IEP addresses the skills and proficiencies needed to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing. The discussion is documented under “Additional Information” within the IEP, along with appropriate goals and benchmarks documented in the IEP and service delivery grid.
For students identified with a disability on the autism spectrum, the IEP Team considers and specifically addresses the skills and proficiencies needed to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing. The IEPs state explicitly how the student will receive social and communications skills or self-advocacy skills to address or avoid bullying, harassment and teasing in the sections for Present Levels of Performance, goals and benchmarks, and service delivery grid, as well as under Additional Information.
In all cases where the IEP Team considers and/or addresses the skills and proficiencies students need to avoid and respond to bullying, harassment, or teasing, the district documents this consideration on the Notice of Proposed School District Action (N1),which accompanies the proposed IEP.
SE Criterion # 24 - Notice to parent regarding proposal or refusal to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the child or the provision of FAPE
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
Review of student records indicates that the district consistently sends the Notice of Proposed School District Action (N1) to propose an evaluation within five days of a referral. Records demonstrate that the consent form includes complete information on the reason for the referral, any rejected options considered by the district, the evaluations and tests proposed by the district, additional relevant factors for the evaluation, and the district’s next steps. In addition, records showed that the notice includes the name and phone number of the special education administrator or her designee, so that the parentcan discuss the reasons for the referral and the areas of need with the district.Interviews also demonstrate that the district sends the Parent's Notice of Procedural Safeguardsto parents with every consent form.
SE Criterion # 25 - Parental consent
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
According to staff interviews, the district has not had any requests for revocation of special education services within the past two years. According to document review, the district’s procedures require that the parent revoke consent for special education services in writing. Upon receiving the parent’s written request, the district will immediately send a notice indicating that the student’s special education services will be discontinued within a reasonable period of time and where parents can obtain a copy of procedural safeguards. Document review and staff interviews indicate that these procedures also state that the districtwill not use mediation or request a due process hearing to obtain agreement or a ruling requiring the continuation of services.
SE Criterion # 26 - Parent participation in meetings
Rating:
Implemented
Basis for Findings:
The district provided its special education student roster as required by the Department.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education – Program Quality Assurance Services
Millis Mid-Cycle Report –April 9, 2013 03:50:02 PM
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