DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
P.O.
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 150
August 3, 2007
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division
Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Billy K.
Cannaday, Jr. Superintendent
of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Special
Education General Supervision and Monitoring Activities |
The
purpose of this memorandum is to advise you of several future activities
pertaining to special education programs.
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), section
616, the primary focus of states monitoring activities must be on improving
educational results and functional outcomes for all children with disabilities;
and ensuring that public agencies meet the program requirements under Part B of
the Act, with a particular emphasis on those requirements that are most closely
related to improving educational results for children with disabilities. To that end, states have revised their
general supervision and special education monitoring systems through the federally-required
State Performance Plan (SPP). The SPP evaluates the states efforts to
implement the requirements and purposes of Part B of the IDEA and describes how
the state will improve its implementation of Part B. States are required to submit an annual
performance report to the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP) that provides information on the states progress or
slippage in meeting measurable and rigorous targets established in the SPP.
The
IDEA requires that the OSEP review the SPP and subsequent SPP performance
reports and designate each state as 1) meets requirements; (2) needs
assistance; (3) needs intervention; or (4) needs substantial intervention. The
statute further requires that states, in turn, apply those designations to each
school division. Based upon the
Departments 2007 report (utilizing data from the 2005-2006 school year),
Through
its analysis of Virginias 2005-2006 SPP performance report, the OSEP has requested
that the Department take action to correct all identified noncompliance
reported by school divisions within one year. The status of this corrective
action is to be included in the 2006-2007 report. Therefore, school divisions
that did not meet state targets on designated compliance indicators will be
contacted and asked to provide actions taken or planned to correct
noncompliance. This activity will be coordinated through your director of
special education unless we hear otherwise from you.
In
September 2007, the Department will offer regional informational sessions on
data collection and reporting for the 2007-2008 school year. The sessions will describe some new data
requirements and provide clarification on data collection and reporting. Data
collection instruments will be provided for each indicator that requires local
reporting.
Beginning
this fall, the Department of Educations on-site monitoring of special
education will transition to a targeted assistance model. This model will include on-site focused
monitoring that will involve facilitated discussion on the school divisions
performance against the state SPP indicators; a review of records, interviews,
and observations for the purposes of determining compliance with regulations;
verification of reliable and accurate data reporting; and facilitation on the
development of action plans. School divisions will be required to develop an
action plan when state targets are not met. When noncompliance is determined,
the correction must be made within one year of identification. The Department
will provide ongoing technical assistance to school divisions to meet targets
and to correct noncompliance. In addition to selection based on performance,
the Department may randomly select one or two school divisions from each of the
eight superintendents regions for an on-site focused monitoring
visitation. Additional information about
the selection of school divisions for focused monitoring and targeted
assistance and action plans will be provided at the September 2007 regional
workshops and through other means.
If
you have questions about the Departments revised monitoring system, you may
contact Dr. Sandra E. Ruffin, director of federal program monitoring, at (804)
225-2768 or Sandra.Ruffin@doe.virginia.gov.
Questions about data reporting should be directed to Mr. Paul Raskopf, director
of financial and data services, at (804) 225-2080 or Paul.Raskopf@doe.virginia.gov.
BKCJr/SER/dt