DISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA
STATEADVISORYPANELONSPECIALEDUCATION
2014-2015ANNUALREPORT
Findings,AnalysisandRecommendations:AReviewofEducationProgramsandServicesforStudents
withDisabilitiesintheDistrictofColumbia
July21,2015
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THEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIASTATEADVISORYPANELONSPECIALEDUCATION
July21,2015
TheHonorableMurielBowser,MayorTheDistrictofColumbiaJohnA.WilsonBuilding1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NWWashington,DC20004TheHonorablePhilMendelson,ChairCounciloftheDistrictofColumbia1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NWSuite504Washington,DC20004JenniferNiles,DeputyMayorofEducationOfficeoftheDeputyMayorofEducation1350PennsylvaniaAvenue,NWSuite303Washington,DC20004HansuelKang,StateSuperintendentofEducationOfficeoftheStateSuperintendentofEducation(OSSE)810FirstStreet,NE–9thFloorWashington,DC20002JackJacobson,PresidentDistrictofColumbiaStateBoardofEducation4414thStreet,NWSuite723Washington,DC20001
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INTRODUCTIONANDACKNOWLEDGMENTS FROMTHECHAIR
DearMayorBowser,CouncilmemberMendelson,DeputyMayorofEducationNiles,StateSuperintendentofEducationKang,andStateBoardofEducationPresidentJacobson:TheStateAdvisoryPanelonSpecialEducation(SAPPanel)ispleasedtodeliverits2014-2015AnnualReport.TheSAPservesasanadvisorybodytotheMayor,andtheOfficeoftheStateSuperintendentofEducation(OSSE),theDistrict’sStateEducationAgency(SEA),onmatterspertainingtotheeducationofchildrenandyouthwithdisabilitiesservedbypublicandprivateagenciesintheDistrictofColumbia.
ThePanel’sprimaryresponsibilityistoadviseOSSEanditsDivisionofElementary,SecondaryandSpecializedEducation(ESSE)onunmetneedsofstudentswithdisabilities,includingthedevelopmentofevaluations,reports,andcorrectiveactionplansinresponsetofederalmonitoring.Italsoprovidespolicyguidanceandrecommendationsregardingprocedurestocoordinateeducationandrelatedservicesforstudentswithdisabilities,usingitsmembers’personalexpertiseandexperiencesaspresentandpastconsumersorprovidersoftheState’sservices.
Asummaryofouractivities,findingsandrecommendationsareincludedinthisreport.WewishtocommendandthanktheleadershipofOSSEforitsadministrativesupport,aswellasongoingcommunicationandinvolvementwiththePanelastheydevelopedinnovativeorenhancedpolicies,proceduresandprograms.ThiswasanunusualyearwhichincludedmanychangesinOSSE’sleadershipandliaisontothePanel.Inaddition,therewasanoticeabledeclineintheactiveparticipationofanumberofappointedPanelmembers,particularlythosewhoweretorepresenttheimportantchild-servingstateagencies.Whilechangeisalmostalwaysverydisruptivetoanorganizationandsupporters,therewasnochangeinthePanel’scommitmenttoservestudentswitheducationalchallengesandtheirfamilies.
AsChairperson,IwishtothankDarylGorman,theoutgoingDirectorofDCBoardsandCommissions;ourlongservingOSSE-ESSE’sstaffliaison,DesiréeBrown,SpecialProjectsManager,CommunityandParentRelations;aswellaspanelmembers:Ja’SentBrown,JulieCamerata,BetsyClydeCentofanti,RochandaHiligh-Thomas,ElizabethRihani,RebeccaSalon,ShawnUllman,andMollyWhalen,allofwhomwentbeyondthecallofdutytoensurethePanel’ssuccess.Inaddition,weareveryappreciativeoftheattentionandeffortsofournewlyappointedOSSE/SAPContact,SherylHamilton,DirectorofCommunityLearningandSchoolSupport(CLASS)UnitandJustinD.Lawson,AssociateDirectorintheMayor’sOfficeofTalentandAppointments(MOTA)whoisprovidingoutstandingsupporttothePanelaswebeginanewyear.
Inordertoensurethatourtimewasusedmostefficiently,thepanelworkedcloselywithOSSE-ESSE,onissuesthattheyidentifiedasneedingthemostattention.WecommendthepositiveforwardprogressthatthestaffofOSSE-ESSEhasmadethisyearin:policyformation,
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implementationofHearingOfficerDeterminations(HODs),EarlyChildhoodTransitionandTransportation.Itisclearthatthesepositiveeffortsarecreatingstabilityinasystemwhichhashadalonghistoryofinstability,andnoncompliance,withtheimplementationoftheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA).
WhiletheJune30,2015,USDepartmentofEducationDeterminationLettertoSuperintendentKangstillindicateda“NeedsInterventionDetermination”fortheState,italsonotedsubstantialprogressinareaswhichhavebeenproblematicsincetheearly1970s.WelookforwardtohelpingtheAgencycontinuetoaddressthecriticalissueswhichneedcorrection.
Moreimportantly,wepledgetomonitorthecontinuedimplementationofsuchpoliciesandpractices,andtoadvocateforimprovedqualityoftheserviceswhicharenowprovided.ItisimportantthatthereiswidespreadinvolvementandcommitmentthroughouttheCity,ifworkofthePanelistobemeaningful.Therefore,itisimperativethatthe2015-2016Panelbuildupontheworkofthisyear,andcontinuetofocusonkeyareaswithinspecialeducationwhichdemandongoingreviewandproblemsolving.Becausetimeconstraintsonparentsandvolunteersaremorepressingthanever,recruitmentanduseofthesevaluablevolunteersmustbedecidedlydifferentfromtheoriginal1970sSAPmodel.
Theappointments,roles,responsibilitiesandconfigurationoffutureSAPsmustbereexamined,sothatthegreatestnumberofconcernedconstituentscanfullyparticipate.MOTAhasalreadybeguntheimportantworkofidentifyingandappointingnewstakeholderswhoarereadytojointheteam.
IthasbeenmypleasuretoserveasChairofthisdynamic,caringgroupofPanelmembers.
RespectfullySubmitted,
SenoraD.Simpson,ChairDistrictofColumbiaStateAdvisoryPanelonSpecialEducation
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TableofContentsI. OVERVIEW 1
II. PURPOSE,FUNCTION,ANDCOMPOSIT IONOF THE STATEADVISORYPANELONSPECIALEDUCATION 2
III. SCHEDULEOFMEETINGS 3
IV. ACTIVITIESANDACCOMPLISHMENTS 4
V. REPORTSANDRECOMMENDATIONS 7
APPENDIXA 8
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I. OVERVIEWThis2014AnnualReportoftheStateAdvisoryPanelonSpecialEducationfortheDistrictofColumbiaisrespectfullysubmittedtotheMayorandCounciloftheDistrictofColumbia.TheIndividualswithDisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA),(Authority)20U.S.C.1412(a)(21)(A))CFR34Part300§300.167,requiresthatthestateestablishandmaintainanadvisorypanelforthepurposeofprovidingpolicyguidancewithrespecttospecialeducationandrelatedservicesforchildrenwithdisabilitiesinthestate.TheStateAdvisoryPanelfortheDistrictofColumbiaisappointedbytheMayorandiscomposedofmembersfromthepublicandprivatesectors–includingparentsofchildrenwithdisabilities,advocates,representativesofstateagenciesandeducators-representingawidevarietyofperspectivesandinterestsrelatedtotheeducationofchildrenwithdisabilities.Throughouttheyear,Panelmembersmeettodiscuss,reviewandanalyzeissuesrelevanttotheeducationofchildrenandyouthwithdisabilitiesintheDistrictofColumbia.ThisreportsummarizestheactivitiesandrecommendationsoftheDistrict’sStateAdvisoryPanelfortheperiodoftimefromJuly1,2014throughJune30,2015.
AccordingtotheofficialChildCount,conductedannuallybyeachLEAandcertifiedtoOSSE,therewere12,173studentsreceivingservicesunderIDEA.
Thepurposeofthisreportistoprovidepolicymakers,educators,parents,andthegeneralpublicwithanoverviewofthemajorconcernsandissuesraisedandreviewedbythemembersofthePanelduringthe2014-15termsandtoproviderecommendationsandbenchmarksforfuture,necessaryimprovementinSpecialEducationwhichcanbeusedbysucceedingpanels.
ApublishedcopyofthisreportismadeavailablebytheOfficeoftheStateSuperintendentofEducation(OSSE)andislocatedontheOSSEwebsite:http://osse.dc.gov.
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II. PURPOSE,FUNCTION,ANDCOMPOSITIONOFTHE STATEADVISORYPANELONSPECIALEDUCATIONPurposeandFunctions
AsdetailedintheMayor’sOrder2012-48,effectiveApril5,2012thepurposeoftheDistrictofColumbia’sStateAdvisoryPanelonSpecialEducation(“thePanel”)istoserveasanadvisorybodytotheMayor,theDistrictofColumbiaPublicSchoolsandtheOfficeoftheStateSuperintendentofEducation(OSSE-formerlytheStateEducationOffice)onmatterspertainingtotheeducationofchildrenandyouthwithdisabilitiesservedbypublicandprivateagenciesoftheDistrictofColumbia.
Functionsofthepanelinclude,butarenotlimitedto:advisingonunmetneedsofstudentswithdisabilities,reportingtotheUSDepartmentofEducation,developingcorrectiveactionplans,educationofstudentswithdisabilitiesincarceratedinadultprisons,andcoordinationanddeliveryofspecialeducationandrelatedservices;reviewingandcommentingonproposedlegislation,regulations,andpolicies,aswellastheStatePerformancePlanandAnnualPerformanceReport;andpreparinganannualreportofitsactivitiesandrecommendationsfortheMayor,OSSE,andotherDistrictagencies.
CompositionofthePanel
TheSAPisappointedbytheMayorthroughtheOfficeofBoardsandCommissions.ThePanelconsistsofatleast15votingmembers,themajorityofwhommustbeparentsofchildrenwithdisabilitiesorindividualswithdisabilities.OthermembersoftheSAPincluderepresentativesfromschools,Districtagenciesthatservechildrenandcommunityorganizationsthatdemonstrateaninterestinissuesaffectingspecialeducation.
(SeeAppendixAforacompletelistofPanelistsandtheirareaofrepresentation.)
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III. SCHEDULEOFMEETINGSThePanelisrequiredtoconveneatleastfour(4)meetingseachcalendaryear.Thescheduleofmeetingsfortheschoolyear2014-15wasasfollows:
• November13,2014 10:00-12:00
• March27,2015 10:00-12:00
• May21,2015 10:00-12:00
Inschoolyear2014-15,theSAPdiscussedconcernsregardingwaningparticipationamongpanelmembersandagreedtomovetoaquarterlyschedule,usingvirtualmeetingswhenpossible.BecausetheSpringmeetingwaspostponeduntilMay2015,itbecamedifficulttoaccommodateaSummermeetingpriortotheendoftheschoolyearthatwouldnothaveredundantcontent.Accordingly,theyearendreportwascompletedviaelectroniccommunication.
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IV. ACTIVITIESANDACCOMPLISHMENTS
A.PRIORITIES
ThePanellaunchedits2014-15activitiesandeffortsonThursday,November21,2014,withafocusonprovidinginputontheStatePerformancePlanforSpecialEducationandfortheStateSystemicImprovementPlan,astrategicplanmandatedbytheIndividualswithDisabilitiesAct(IDEA)of2004.
StatePerformancePlan(SPP)
TheDistrictofColumbiaSPPforSpecialEducationspecifiestheprocessthatallLocalEducationAgenciesmustfollowtoidentify,evaluateandserveallchildrenwithdisabilitieswhoareresidentsoftheDistrictofColumbia.InaccordancewithIDEA,theSPPspecifieshowtheDistrictofColumbiawillevaluateitseffortstoimplementtherequirementsandpurposesofIDEAanditsworktoimprovestudentperformance/achievement.Thissix-yearplanrequiresthecompletionandpublicationofannualperformancereportsthatmeasureDC’sprogressinmeetingtargetsestablishedintheSPP.
StateSystemicImprovementPlan(SSIP)
InordertoshiftStates’focusfromoneofsolelycompliancetoresultsforstudentswithdisabilities,theUSDepartmentofEducationchangedsomerequirementsfortheSPP,beginningthisyear.ThischangeismanifestedinanewindicatorintheSPP,indicator17.Indicator17ofthePlanisnowacomprehensive,multi-yearStateSystemicImprovementPlan(SSIP),designedtofocusStatesonimprovingresultsforstudentswithdisabilities.InFederalFiscalYear2014,theSSIPwasinitiatedtopushStatestotakeasystemicapproachtoreformviaafocusononepriorityarea.ThisnewindicatorrevisesthepreviousSPPdesign,whichincludedmultiplesmallimprovementplansforeachseparateindicatorintheSPP.
Afterextensiveconsultationwithstakeholders,includingtheSAP,OSSEconfirmedthatincreasingthegraduationratesofstudentswithdisabilitieswasthemosturgentpriorityforDC.OSSEalsodeterminedthatimprovingoutcomesinthisareawouldbebestachievedthroughalignmentofeffortsandresourcesbetweentheSEA’stargetsundertheElementaryandSecondaryEducationAct(ESEA)andIDEA.
Asaresult,OSSEcreatedthefollowingState-IdentifiedMeasurableResult(SIMR)fortheDCSSIP:
TheDistrictofColumbiawillincreasetherateofgraduationwitharegulardiplomaforallstudentswithdisabilitieswithafocusonstudentswhoattendahighschoolthathasagraduationrateoflessthan50%forstudentswithdisabilities,andisalsoinFocusorPriorityschoolstatusundertheESEAFlexibilitywaiveraccountabilitysystem.
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IntheSSIP,OSSEoutlinesatieredapproachtoreform:implementationofasetof“universal”strategies,orstrategiesthatwillbeappliedcity-wideandavailabletoallhighschools,andasetof“targeted”strategies,orstrategiesspecificallydesignedtomoreintensivelyaddressourmoststrugglinghighschoolsandthestudentsservedbythem.
SSIPUniversalStrategies:
• Establishstate-levelmobilityworkgrouptoaddresstheneedsofhighlymobilestudents
• Supportspecialeducationcommunityofpracticeforpractitionersservingstudentswithdisabilitiesinsecondarygrades
• CreateMasterTeacherCadre(MTC)ofcurrentteacherleaderswhoareidentifiedtoprovidepeer-to-peercoachinginhighschoolclassroomsservingstudentswithdisabilities
• Provideprofessionaldevelopmentinevidence-basedschool-widesupportmodels(PBIS,RTI,UDL)
SSIPTargetedsupport(forSIMRsubpopulationhighschoolsandtheirneighborhoodfeederschools):
• EighthtoNinthGradeOrientationActivities
• PeertoPeerMentoring
• CoordinatedCaseReview(betweenmiddleandhighschoolspecialeducationstafftosupportsmoothentryforstudentswithdisabilities)
• CheckandConnectProgram(orsimilar)
TheSAPlooksforwardtosupportingOSSEwithimplementationoftheSSIPplanbeginninginthe2015-2016schoolyear.
B. STATEADVISORYPANELGOALS
Inrecentyears,Districteffortshavefocusedondevelopingastrongaccountabilitysystemwiththecapacitytostoreandmanagetimely,accurateandaccessibledatatoinformcompliance-basedanalyses.Accordingly,compliancerateshavesignificantlyimprovedintheDistrictofColumbia.InSY2014-15,OSSEsoughttorewritestategoalstoalignwitharesultsdriventheoryofactionandsoughtinputfromtheSAPtoensureinputfromcriticalstakeholderswasaddressed.
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Inaddition,thePanelidentifiedtheissueofwaningPanelparticipationasanongoingchallengetotheworkofthecommittee.Accordingly,thePaneladdressedthefollowinginSY2014-15:
1. StatePerformancePlan(SPP)2. StateSystemicImprovementPlan(SSIP)3. RoleandMembershipoftheSAP
C. PANELACTIVITIES
The Panel:
• SupportedOSSE’sdevelopmentoftheSSIP,asoutlinedabove.
• ReceivedregularupdatesfromDr.AmyMaisterra,AssistantSuperintendent,ESSE.
• ReceivedadvancenoticeandprovidedinputregardingOSSE’sproposedrevisionstoTitle5-E,Chapter30oftheDistrictofColumbiaMunicipalRegulations(DCMR).
• Reviewedand approvedthe SAP 2013-2014 AnnualReport.
• PartneredwithOSSEtocreateawarenessofinformationsharingactivitiesinthelocalcommunityincludingSSIPdevelopment,roll-outoftheDistrict’snewonlineassessments,requirementsrelatedtosecondarytransitioncompliance,student-ledIEPs,andtheannualspecialeducationservicedeliveryparentsurvey.
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V. REPORTSANDRECOMMENDATIONSAscompellingissuessuchastransportation,timelyissuanceofIndividualizedEducationPlans,andappropriateserviceprovisionwereeffectivelyaddressed,manypanelmemberswerenolongeractivelyengaged.Inthe2015-2016year,SAPmemberswillbeworkingwithOSSEtoimplementtheSSIPandwillberecruitingadditionalSAPmembers,withaspecialfocusonfamiliesandyouth/adultswithdisabilitieswhohavesuccessfullytransitionedfromschooltoadultlife.TheSAPwillalsolookatestablishingparentcabinetsineachwardisapossibility
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APPENDIXAMembersofthePanelconsistofrepresentativesfrombothpublicandprivatesectorswhobyvirtueoftheirposition,interestandtrainingcancontributetotheeducationofchildrenwithdisabilities.Amajority(51%)ofthemembersofthePanelmustbeindividualswithdisabilitiesorparentsofchildrenwithdisabilities.
AppointedPanel Members:
SenoraSimpson--Chair/Parent
Acquaviva,Kim--Parent
Brown, Ja’Sent--OSSE-HomelessEducationStateCoordinator
Camerata,Julie --CommunityOrganization
Clyde Centofanti,Betsy--Parent
Ernst,Kimberly --Parent
Fitzgerald,Timothy --Childand FamilyServicesAgency
Hiligh-Thomas,Rochanda--Parent
Kent,Martha--Parent
LeConte,Pamela--InstitutionofHigherEducation
Morilus-Black,Marie--DCDepartmentofBehavioralHealth
Morse,Elisabeth--DCDepartmentofYouthRehabilitationServices
Munter,Tony --ParentQuinn, John--Parent
Reid-Witt,Karla--Parent
Rihani, Elizabeth--Parent
Rodgers,Yvette –Parent
Salon,Rebecca--DCDepartmentonDisabilityServices
Sauls,Claudia --Parent
Settle,Kaitlin--Teacher-DCPublicSchoolsUllman, Shawn--UniversityLegalServicesWhalen, Molly–Parent
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