ADMINISTRATIVE

In May 1995 the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP) conducted an on-site monitoring review
of the Virginia Department of Education.  Following this visit, a
Final Compliance Monitoring Report was developed by OSEP.  An
outline of OSEP's findings was disseminated to all school
divisions via Superintendents' Memorandum No. 162, Informational,
dated December 1, 1995.  In this memo, it was suggested that all
divisions review their special education policies, procedures and
practices to determine if there were any compliance problems.  

In response to the monitoring report, the Department has
developed a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) to address deficiencies
noted in the final report.  Previous Corrective Action efforts
tended to be prescriptive and assumed that all school divisions
had the same problems.  The Department, with the agreement and
cooperation of OSEP, is trying to move toward a more proactive
and positively oriented corrective action process.  As part of
this new approach, the Department has developed a Needs
Assessment document which school divisions will complete.  The
general instructions included as part of the document will give
more detail on what must be accomplished.  It is the Department's
intention to use the results of this Needs Assessment to help
school divisions identify problems, request assistance, and
validate existing effective practices in the four targeted areas.

Meetings will be held with superintendents and with local special
education directors at regularly scheduled regional meetings to
provide specific information on the Needs Assessment document and
process.


The Needs Assessment summary should be returned to Mr. H. Douglas
Cox, Director, Office of Special Education and Student Services,
P.O. Box 2120, Richmond, VA, 23218-2120 no later than October 1,
1996.
  
If you have any questions concerning this matter, please call Mr.
Cox at 804-225-2402.

WCBjr/pjr

Attachments: Hard copy of this memo and its attachment will be 
             mailed to the superintendent's office.