Massachusetts Department of

Elementary and Secondary Education

75Pleasant Street, Malden, Massachusetts02148-4906 Telephone: (781) 338-3700

TTY: N.E.T. Relay 1-800-439-2370

October 25, 2011

Mr. Christopher Small, Executive Director

Italian Home for Children

Day and Residential Programs

1125 Centre Street

Jamaica Plain, MA02130

Re: Mid-cycle Review and Verification of previous Program Review Corrective Action Plan

Dear Mr. Small:

Enclosed is the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (“Department”) Mid-cycle Report based upon the Mid-cycle review conducted in your private school program in September 2011. This Mid-cycle Review Report contains the Department's findings regarding the implementation status and effectiveness of corrective steps taken in response to your previous Program Review Report issued on April 21, 2009. This report also includes a report on the status of implementation for new state or federal special education requirements enacted since your program’s last Program Review.

While the Department found certain noncompliance issues to be resolved, others were partially corrected, not addressed at all and/or new issues were identified by the Department’s onsite team. Therefore, the Department is issuing a “Provisional Approval” status effective from the date of this letter and indicated on your approval certificate. Your “Provisional Approval” will expire onFebruary 6, 2012. The reasons for the “Provisional Approval” are clearly indicated on the attached Mid-cycle Review Report

As the Department previously informed you, in cases where a program fails to fully and effectively implement a Corrective Action Plan which was proposed by your program and approved by the Department, the Department must then prepare a Corrective Action Plan for the program which must be implemented without further delay. You will find these requirements for corrective action and further progress reporting included in the attached report, together with any steps that must be taken by the program to fully implement new special education requirements. Please provide the Department with your written assurance that the Department's requirements for corrective action will be implemented by your program within the timelines specified. Your statement of assurance must be submitted to the Department's Onsite Chairperson by November 2, 2011.

Please be advised that the attached Department Approval Certificate must be conspicuously posted in a public place within the program as required by 603 CMR 28.09.

Your staff's cooperation throughout these follow-up monitoring activities is appreciated. Should you require additional clarification of information included in our report, please do not hesitate to contact the Onsite Team Chairperson at 781-338-3721.

Sincerely,

Audrey Macmillan, Mid-cycle Review Chairperson

Program Quality Assurance Services

Darlene Lynch, Director

Program Quality Assurance Services

c:Mitchell D. Chester, Ed.D., Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education

Peter Maglia, Chairperson, Board of Directors

Jane Zopatti-Lewis, Local Program Review Coordinator

Encl.:Mid-cycle Review Report

ProvisionalPrivateSchool Approval Certificate, Expiration Date: February 6, 2012

Page 1 of 2

MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF
ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
PRIVATE SCHOOL MID-CYCLE REVIEW

ITALIAN HOME FOR CHILDREN

Day and Residential Programs

MID-CYCLE REVIEW REPORT

Previous Program Review Corrective Action Plan Submitted on May 22, 2009

Progress Reports Submitted on March 1, 2010 & March 30, 2010

Mid-cycleOnsite Visit Conducted on September 20, 2011

Date of this Report October 25, 2011

Criterion
Number
and
Topic / Implementation Status of Requirements
or
Corrective Action Plan Determined
to be
Substantially Implemented
 / Method(s) of
Verification / Comments Regarding Corrective Action Plan Implementation / Corrective Action Plan Determined to be Not Fully Implemented orAdditional Issues Identified
 / Findings Regarding Incomplete Implementation of Approved Corrective Action Plan or Identification of Additional Issues of Noncompliance / Further Corrective Action
Ordered by the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
and Timelines for Implementation and Further Progress Reporting

Selected Approved Private School Program Mid-cycle Review Criteria

2.2 Approvals, Licenses, Certificates of Inspection

18.04(1); 28.09(2)(b)(5); 28.09(5)(b); 28.09(6)(b, c) /  / Documentation
Observation / Italian Home has all current approvals, licenses and certificates of inspection as required.
2.3 EEC Licensure
102 CMR 3.00
(Residential programs only) /  / Documentation
Observation / Italian Home has a current license issued by the Department of Early Education and Care as required.
8.5 Current IEP & Student Roster
28.09(5)(a) / Documentation
Student Record Review /  / A review of student records revealed that IEP’s did not contain all required pages, including the Administrative Data Sheet, Attendance Sheet and/or Placement Page as required. In addition, not all IEP’s were consented to by the parent/guardian and evidence of documentation of efforts and/or steps taken to obtain signed IEP’s from the public school district was not sufficient. / By January 3nd, 2012and again by April 2nd, 2012,Italian Home must submit to the Department:
  • Acurrent IEP and Student Roster (updated for each Progress Report submission);
  • Evidence of efforts and/or steps taken to obtain signed IEP’s from the public school district for those students who do not have a current, signed IEP;
  • A sample (20% of currently enrolled students) of 2011-2012 school year IEPs.

11.3 Educational Administrator Qualifications
28.09(5)(a); 28.09(7)(a);
603 CMR 44.00 /  / Documentation / Italian Home has designated an Educational Administrator who is appropriately qualified to serve in this position.

11.4 Teachers

(Special Education Teachers and Regular Education Teachers)
18.05(11)(f); 28.09(5)(a); 28.09(7)(b, c); 34 CFR 300.321 /  / Documentation
Staff Record Review / Italian Home submitted a current Teacher Roster and copies of each Teacher’s license or approved waiver that shows all teachers are licensed in the appropriate grade level and subject area in which they teach.

11.5 Related Services Staff

28.09(7)(d) /  / Documentation
Staff Record Review / Italian Home submitted a current Related Services Roster and license and/or Massachusetts State Board of Registration license that shows all Related Services Staff are appropriately certified,licensed or registered in their professional areas as required. / .
11.6 Master Staff Roster
28.09(7) /  / Documentation
Staff Record Review
Interview / Italian Home submitted a current Master Staff Roster that includes all required elements for each position and corresponds to the last approved Program Budget as required.
19 Anti-Hazing
M.G.L. c. 269, §§ 17 through 19 / Not Applicable / Not Applicable / Italian Home does not serve secondary age students so this criterion is not applicable.
20 Bullying Prevention and Intervention
M.G.L. c. 71, s. 37H, as amended by Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010. M.G.L. c. 71, s. 37O(e)(1) & (2). M.G.L. c. 71, s. 370(d) /  / Documentation
Interview / Italian Home submitted a description of how it amended their student admission materials/handbook to contain an age-appropriate summary of their Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan; a description of how it was distributed; and a description of the professional development plan developed by the program for all staff for the 2010-2011 school year.
Identified Areas of Non-Compliancefrom the Previous Program Review or Other Areas of Concern
4.4 Advance Notice of Proposed Program/
Facility Change
28.09(5)(c) / Documentation
Interview / At the time of the 2009 Program Review, Italian Home was not consistently submitting Form 1 notifications as required by the Department. /  / During the September 2011 Mid-cycle Review the Department identified continued inconsistencies in the Italian Home’s filing of Form 1 notifications, specifically for a 10% or more decrease in student enrollment. / By January 3nd, 2012, Italian Home must submit to the Department a Form 1 notification regarding a decrease in student enrollment.
4.5 Immediate Notification
18.03(10); 18.05(7); 28.09(12)(a,b) /  / Student Record Review
Interview / At the time of the 2009 Program Review, Italian Home was not submitting all required Incident Reports (Form 2’s) as required.
A review of student records and an interview conducted during the September 2011 Mid-cycle Reviewindicates the Italian Home is now submitting Form 2’s as required.
11.1 Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual
18.05(11); 18.05(11)(c)(1); 28.09(7); 28.09(11)(a);
M.G.L. c. 71, § 38R; ESE Advisory on CORI revised 5/7/07 /  / Documentation
Staff Record Review / At the time of the 2009 Program Review, Italian Home had written personnel policies and procedures that included protocols for CORI checks on all employees and volunteers;a review of personnel records, however, indicated that not all staff were re-checked after three years as required.
A review of staff records conducted during the September 2011 Mid-cycle Review indicatesstaff CORI’s are now re-checked within every three years as required.
12.2 In-Services Training Plan and Calendar
28.09(7)(f); 28.09(9)(b); 28.09(10);
18.03(3); 18.05(9)(e)(1); 18.05(10); 18.05(11)(h)
Title VI: 42 U.S.C. 2000d; 34 CFR 100.3; EEOA: 20 U.S.C. 1703(f); Title IX: 20 U.S.C. 1681; 34 CFR 106.31-106.42; M.G.L. c. 76, § 5; 603 CMR 26.00, esp. 26.07(2, 3) /  / Documentation
Staff Record Review / At the time of the 2009 Program Review interviews with teaching and residential staff indicated that not all staff who administered medication to students on field trips were fully trained to administer medication.
A review of documentation and staff record reviews conducted during the September 2011 Mid-cycle Review shows teaching and residential staff who administer medication to students on field trips are now fully trained to administer medication as required.
13.2 Description of Physical Facility
18.04; 28.09(8) / Observations /  / A tour of the residence conducted during the September 2011 Mid-cycle Review indicated that the overall condition of the residential facilities were found to be extremely untidy, disorganized and in need of basic care and maintenance. / By January 3nd, 2012 Italian Home must submit to the Department a detailed Facilities Plan outlining the steps to be taken to address the concerns regarding the cleanliness, disorganization and overall disrepair of the residential facilities.
By April 2nd, 2012, Italian Home must submit to the Department an updated Facilities Plan indicating progress made on identified areas of needed attention.
15.5 Parent Consent and Required Notification
18.05(5)(c); 18.05(8); 18.05(9)(f)(1); 18.05 (9)(j); M.G.L. c. 71, § 32A / Documentation
Student Record Review / At the time of the 2009 Program Review a review of student records and interviews indicated not all annual consents for residential students were obtained and filed in the student record. /  / A review of student records conducted during the September 2011 Mid-cycle Review indicates not all required consents are current and signed by the parent/guardian as required. / By January 3nd, 2012, and again by April 2nd, 2012,Ivy Street must submit a log that reflects obtained signatures/attempts to obtain signatures for EACH required consent listed under this criteria.
Annual:
  • Emergency Medical Treatment
  • Restraints
  • Medication Administration (when applicable)
When applicable:
  • Research
  • Experimentation
  • Fundraising
  • Publicity
  • Observation

Italian Home for ChildrenMid-cycle Review Report

October 25, 2011

Page 1 of 13

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
ITALIAN HOME FOR CHILDREN
Day Program
a PRIVATE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM operated pursuant to
603 CMR 18.00 and 28.09
1125 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, MA02130

Program Rate Based on: 33Students

Approved Enrollment: 33Students
Day Program / Residential Program
Summer Program / 10 month program / 11 month program / 12 month program
APPROVED STUDENT:LICENSED EDUCATOR RATIO:8:1
APPROVED STUDENT:LICENSED EDUCATOR:AIDE RATIO:12:1:2
APPROVAL STATUS
PROVISIONAL
Expires on: February 6, 2012
The current approval is a result of a Mid-cycle Reviewconducted in the 2011-2012school year and the next review is scheduled for the 2014-2015 school year.
audrey macmillan, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, Program Quality Assurance Services
nina m. marchese, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, DIRECTOR, Program Quality Assurance Services
Date issued: 10/25/11
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
ITALIAN HOME FOR CHILDREN
Residential Program
a PRIVATE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM operated pursuant to
603 CMR 18.00 and 28.09
1125 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, MA02130

Program Rate Based on: 11 Students

Approved Enrollment: 11Students
Day Program / Residential Program
Summer Program / 10 month program / 11 month program / 12 month program
APPROVED STUDENT:LICENSED EDUCATOR RATIO:8:1
APPROVED STUDENT:LICENSED EDUCATOR:AIDE RATIO:12:1:2
APPROVAL STATUS
PROVISIONAL
Expires on: February 6, 2012
The current approval is a result of a Mid-cycle Reviewconducted in the 2011-2012school year and the next review is scheduled for the 2014-2015 school year.
AUDREY MACMILLAN, EDUCATIONAL SPECIALIST, Program Quality Assurance Services
NINA M. MARCHESE, Supervisor, Program Quality Assurance Services
Darlene A. Lynch, DIRECTOR, Program Quality Assurance Services
Date issued:
10/25/11