LoriApril 26, 2016 at 8:07 AM
The last Coordinated Program Review conducted by the DESE was in 2014. Based on the findings, LPS did not fully implement many legal requirements. Hopefully, LPS has taken the appropriate corrective actions since then. The following are some of the findings regarding Special Education:
•SE 51 Appropriate special education teacher licensure
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Document review demonstrated that the district currently has 18 unlicensed special education teachers.
•SE 14 Review and revision of IEPs
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews indicated that annual IEP meetings to review, revise, or develop a new IEP or refer the student for a re-evaluation are not consistently convened on or before the anniversary date of the IEP.
•SE 18B Determination of placement; provision of IEP to parent
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews demonstrated that, following the annual development of IEPs, the district does not consistently provide a Team meeting summary or immediately propose an IEP or placement to parents. According to student records, proposed IEPs and placements were consistently sent to parents three weeks or more after the annual Team meeting was conducted.
•SE 24 Notice to parent regarding proposal or refusal to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student or the provision of FAPE
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of pre-school and elementary school student records indicated that the district does not always send written notice proposing an evaluation to the student's parent(s) within five school days of receiving a referral request to determine eligibility for special education.
•SE 34 Continuum of alternative services and placements
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of student records, facilities review, and interviews indicated that the district is operating an unapproved day program for middle school students with severe multiple disabilities. The T.E.A.M.S. program is located in Lynn Vocational High School, where students have no access to grade-level or non-disabled peers. The district has not applied for or received approval from the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for this day program.
•SE 40 Instructional grouping requirements for students aged five and older
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Classroom observations, document review, and interviews indicated that at Lynn English and Lynn Vocational High Schools, all “resource classes,” which are instructional groupings of only students with disabilities, in English Language Arts, math and science exceed the required class size of eight students or less per certified special educator. At the Callahan Elementary School, the developmentally delayed program’s instructional group includes one-to-one aides in its ratio of staff to students; however, document review and staff interviews demonstrated that when these students and their aides leave the classroom for inclusion or related services, the number of students to staff exceeds the required instructional group size.
•SE 48 Equal opportunity to participate in educational, nonacademic, extracurricular and ancillary programs, as well as participation in regular education
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Interviews indicated that eligible middle school students in the T.E.A.M.S. program located in Lynn Vocational High School do not have access to art or music.
•SE 56 Special education programs and services are evaluated
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Document review and interviews indicated that the district has not regularly evaluated its special education programs and services.
•SE 51 Appropriate special education teacher licensure
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Document review demonstrated that the district currently has 18 unlicensed special education teachers.
•SE 14 Review and revision of IEPs
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews indicated that annual IEP meetings to review, revise, or develop a new IEP or refer the student for a re-evaluation are not consistently convened on or before the anniversary date of the IEP.
•SE 18B Determination of placement; provision of IEP to parent
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of student records and staff interviews demonstrated that, following the annual development of IEPs, the district does not consistently provide a Team meeting summary or immediately propose an IEP or placement to parents. According to student records, proposed IEPs and placements were consistently sent to parents three weeks or more after the annual Team meeting was conducted.
•SE 24 Notice to parent regarding proposal or refusal to initiate or change the identification, evaluation, or educational placement of the student or the provision of FAPE
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of pre-school and elementary school student records indicated that the district does not always send written notice proposing an evaluation to the student's parent(s) within five school days of receiving a referral request to determine eligibility for special education.
•SE 34 Continuum of alternative services and placements
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
A review of student records, facilities review, and interviews indicated that the district is operating an unapproved day program for middle school students with severe multiple disabilities. The T.E.A.M.S. program is located in Lynn Vocational High School, where students have no access to grade-level or non-disabled peers. The district has not applied for or received approval from the
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for this day program.
•SE 40 Instructional grouping requirements for students aged five and older
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Classroom observations, document review, and interviews indicated that at Lynn English and Lynn Vocational High Schools, all “resource classes,” which are instructional groupings of only students with disabilities, in English Language Arts, math and science exceed the required class size of eight students or less per certified special educator. At the Callahan Elementary School, the developmentally delayed program’s instructional group includes one-to-one aides in its ratio of staff to students; however, document review and staff interviews demonstrated that when these students and their aides leave the classroom for inclusion or related services, the number of students to staff exceeds the required instructional group size.
•SE 48 Equal opportunity to participate in educational, nonacademic, extracurricular and ancillary programs, as well as participation in regular education
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Interviews indicated that eligible middle school students in the T.E.A.M.S. program located in Lynn Vocational High School do not have access to art or music.
•SE 56 Special education programs and services are evaluated
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Findings:
Document review and interviews indicated that the district has not regularly evaluated its special education programs and services.
