SPR&I: Changes, New Measures/Targets, and Lessons Learned from Focused Monitoring Visits

David Guardino, SPR&I Coordinator

Fall 2009 COSA Conference

Today's Objectives Overview of changes to SPR&I system Review new targets and changed

measures from SPP/APR Discuss process of and findings from

focused monitoring visits Get feedback on areas still under

refinement within SPR&I

Changes to the SPR&I database and process Multiple years of content

Remember to use school year drop down menu Some B4 CAPs still require follow up from last year

PCR (file review) Made several small revisions to form and data entry

process based on what we learned from last year Improved lock in screen questions to show/hide standards Removed/added standards Enhanced guidance and clarified required corrective action

Final Determinations Available as separate report with supporting

documents

New Targets and Changed Measures from SPP/APR

B1-2Due to changing calculations and reporting

requirements, no thresholds will be applied this year

B4 New measure: >3 students suspended/expelled for greater than

10 days; and >2.0 risk ratio (sped. vs. gen. ed.)

New Targets and Measures from SPP/APR continued

B5 69.5% of children (or more) with IEPs are included in

the regular class at least 80% of the day while ensuring a continuum of placement options is offered to students with disabilities, based on individual need.

10.9% of children (or less) with IEPs are included in the

regular less than 40% of the day while ensuring a continuum of placement options is offered to students with disabilities, based on individual need.

2.1% of children (or less) with IEPs are served in public or private separate schools, residential placements, or homebound and hospital placements; while ensuring a continuum of placement options is offered to students with disabilities, based on individual need.

Findings from Focused Monitoring Visits During 08-09

Monitoring Priority Areas Purpose District selection Pre-site Activities On-site Activities Outcomes

Monitoring Priority Areas Provision of a free appropriate public education

(FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE) State exercise of general supervision, including

child find, effective monitoring, the use of resolution meetings, mediation, and a system of transition services as defined in §300.43 and in 20 U.S.C. 1437(a)(9)

Disproportionate representation of racial and ethnic groups in special education and related services, to the extent the representation is the result of inappropriate identification

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Purposes of Focused Monitoring

Determining what factors are contributing to a district's low level of performance in a specific priority area;

Identifying what barriers may be impeding the district’s progress in improving performance or compliance;

Identifying improvement strategies and problem solvingwith the district.

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Purpose of Verification Verification of the effectiveness of

the systems needed to implement IDEA

Focus areas: Procedural Compliance Review

(Self Assessment) - past corrections and current reporting

Data Collection – Accurate and Timely submissions

Final Determination status - NA II status

District Selection Based on determination status (NAII) Combined focused monitoring and

verification into one visit with focus on TA (reasons districts were NAII)

Will continue to focus on determination status and all relevant data when selecting districts (e.g., compliance and performance indicators, legal findings, trend data)

Pre-site Activities Call Special Education Director Send official notification to Superintendent and

Director of upcoming visit Send agenda and preparation guide for the visit

to Director ODE and district staff review critical elements of

SPR&I and prepare pre-site packet Review 3 years (05-06, 06-07, 07-08) of PCR reports,

corrective action and correction documentation Review performance report data Review any legal issues over the last 3 years Review previous determinations data

On-site Activities Listen

District staff describe context and unique characteristics of the district and SPED process

Analyze Systems Analyze the components of the district’s compliance and

data systems Determine whether they are reasonably designed to

ensure compliance and improve performance with IDEA requirements

Provide Technical Assistance on performance indicators Verify PCR data

Review files from current and previous reviews Discuss findings with district staff Provide Technical Assistance on compliance issues

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On-site Activities continued

Debrief ODE summarizes the information the

district has provided during the visit and presents it back to the district for clarification

Address any questions from the district, collect any additional data, and note any outstanding documentation or information needed from the district.

Post-visit Follow up ODE staff sent TA report to district that

included recommendations on performance indicators and compliance review systems discussed during visit

ODE provided resources and documents to support improvement

ODE collected any documentation needed to address noncompliance identified during visit

Discussion/Feedback on areas of refinement within SPR&I PCR review

FormData entryNonsystemic versus systemic noncompliance

and corrective actions Improvement planning

Reporting versus planningFormat