Concord Special Education Parent Advisory Committee

(Concord SPED PAC)

Summary of the Concord Carlisle Regional School District School Report (Grades 9-12)

The following table shows a summary of the CPS and CCHS audit findings:

	DOE Rating	CPS	CCHS
	Commendable	1*	6
	Implemented	30	36
	Implementation in Progress	0	0
This webpage focus on these items	Partially Implemented	25	12
	Not Implemented	1*	0

The following is a summary of just Special Education items (12) that were not fully implemented and will require a response from our school district (Corrective Action Plan (CAP)).
Take a look at what requirements are not currently being met in the grades 9 - 12 special education area.
When you click on each of the following you will see the requirement Criterion reviewed and then the DOE's determination about the implementation status. The DOE's response is Italicized. Items that the have been brought to the SPED PAC attention are highlited in red.

Index of Partially Implemented items:The following is a summary of just Special Education items (12) that were not fully implemented and will require a response from our high school.Take a look at what requirements currently being met in the 9- 12 special education area. When you click on each of the following you will see the requirement Criterion reviewed and then the DOE's determination about the implementation status. The DOE's response is Italicized.

Index of Partially Implemented items:
-Evaluation-
When evaluating students for first time or 3 year evaluation, the tests being selected and interpreted are limited to cognitive and achievement testing. Students are not being evaluated in all areas of suspected disability.
SE 1 SE 2	-Assessments are appropriately selected and interpreted for students referred for evaluation. -Required and optional assessments
	Based on interviews and student records, the district tends to use a standard battery approach to assessments which consists mostly of an intelligence quotient test and the Woodcock-Johnson Achievement Test rather than assessments related to the suspected area(s) of disability and individualized to the student. Further, the district does not make provisions for students to be tested in their native language.

Miss using an Extended Evaluation, for trying out a new placement, instead of developing an IEP.
SE 19	-Extended Evaluations If the Team finds a student eligible for special education and finds the evaluation information insufficient to develop a full or partial IEP, the Team, with the parents’ consent, agrees to an extended evaluation period.
	Based upon interviews, the district uses the extended evaluation to consider the appropriateness of placement in the Alternative Program and not specifically for the purpose of gathering additional information to complete the IEP process.

The partially implemented item is not stated in the report but it may be an issue with 2nd half of the question, "the identification of other needed instructional programs" (i.e. 504's).
SE 9	-Eligibility determination: Timelines for evaluation, provision of IEP and/or identification of other needed instructional programs.
	The district is exceeding the timelines in respect to the provision of the IEP to parents.

SE 25	- Parent Consent - Parent must document their consent, for evaluations, services, and placement.
	Based on interviews, the district has sometimes provided services based upon oral consent from the parent rather than obtaining written consent.

-Team-
District representative, who is able to committee financial resources, not always present at TEAM meetings.
SE 8	- Evaluation Team composition
	The district does an exceptionally good job ensuring that all the teachers knowledgeable about the student attend the Team meeting. Interviews indicate that a person who is a representative of the district and has the authority to commit the resources of the district is not always present at Team meetings.

Parents not being provided a written summary at the conclusion of the Team meeting that document the main points and services agreed upon in the TEAM meeting. Parents can invite other indivuials to attend their Team meeting.
SE 18	- IEP development and content; determination of placement; provision of IEP to parent
	The district exceeded the timelines in the provision of the IEP to the parents. Furthermore, the district does not provide parents with any written summary as to the main points agreed upon in the Team meeting. Refer to a previous finding in SE 8 regarding the district’s partial compliance with # 6. That states: "Other individuals can be invited to the Team meeting at the request of the student's parents."

SE 28	- Parent provided the IEP or notice of no eligibility together with notification of procedural safeguards and parents' rights Refer to previous finding SE 18.

SE 27	- Content of Team meeting notice to parents
	Based upon the student record review, in the past not all Team meeting notices included the persons in attendance. The documentation review indicates that the district is now using the new format.

-IEP-
SE 13	- Written progress reports 1) not reflecting the student’s IEP goals or benchmarks 2) not being issued with the same frequency as the report cards(SE 13)
	Based upon the student record review, there existed variability in the documentation of progress reports. Inconsistencies were noted regarding the content of the progress reports not always reflecting the IEP goals and objectives. The district practice has been to use the annual review to count as a progress report instead of the progress report being sent to parents according to the report card cycle.

Paraprofessionals (tutors) are expected to assume the roles of teachers by designing and providing specialized instruction. There is inadequate supervision for the delivery of services by certified special educational teachers.
SE 53	- Use of Paraprofessionals (tutors)
	Based upon interviews, it was indicated, in some cases, that paraprofessionals were not receiving appropriate supervision regarding the delivery of services and the designing of the instruction by appropriately certified special education teachers.

-Regular Education-
Measures taken by regular education (e.g. Child Study, Instructional support, Curriculum Accomodation plan, coordination with special education, home and hospital services and a special education administor.)
SE 50	-Responsibilities of the School Principal and Administrator of Special Education
	The district has developed a pre-referral process and formed a Child Study Team to review a student’s progress and achievement and make recommendations to the classroom teacher regarding accommodations and modifications necessary to support the student in the general curriculum and alternative options regarding programs and services. Based upon interviews, classroom teachers are implementing instructional interventions but there is no indication in the student record review of a consistent approach to the documentation of the staff’s efforts regarding the level of accommodations and/or modifications and the duration of time given for the implementation.

-Assessibility-
MOA.7	- Accessibility of district programs and services for students with limited physical
	There were two areas of concerns noted during the onsite visit. The school does not have one entrance to the main building that is fully accessible to students with limited physical mobility. In addition, the doors inside the breezeway that connect the A and S buildings cannot be opened by students with limited physical mobility when exiting to the main building without assistance.

	Last updated March 1, 2005,v3 By Melody Orfei With thanks to Christine Corr for all her help.
o.mel@verizon.net