Special Education Compliance Monitoring

1. Special Education Compliance Monitoring Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (EED) Office of Special Education Programs

2. Phases of Compliance Monitoring Review • Pre-Site phase • On-site phase • Post-site phase • Entitlement

3. Pre-Site Phase • District will receive letter in advance from EED with date of visit and request for information • Phone conversation- EED program manager will offer technical assistance • Review/verify information needed before on-site visit (listed in Part X – Section 1 of the Handbook)

4. Information needed to be sent to EED 30 days prior to on-site review-(Excel format) • List of students with name, birth-date, grade, disability category, school, entry/exit dates, whether the student was claimed for intensive funding (4AAC 52.770) • List of special education teachers, administrators, related service providers and interpreters for the deaf which also tells their position and their teacher certification numbers or license. (4AAC.52.770) • Behavioral Data- # of in-school suspensions, out of school suspensions, expulsions, manifestation determination meetings & referrals to law enforcement experienced by the student. • Due Process- any indication of whether the student’s educational program was the subject of a complaint, mediation/due process hearing over the past 5 years

5. Information needed PRIOR to review (cont’d) • A list of schools within your district that includes daily time schedules for each school. • List of private schools, charter schools, correspondence schools, juvenile detention facilities, adult correctional facilities, community transition agencies (for each childhood and secondary transition) in the District. Include addresses and phone numbers

6. Information Needed DURING or PRIOR to the on-site review(Administrative Standards Binder-documents coded by standard-68 standards addressed- Part X Section 6 • District’s policy and procedures manual or a statement that the District has adopted the Alaska Special Education Handbook • District’s Child Find Plan • District’s Surrogate Parent Plan • Documentation regarding student placement options and processes • District’s procedures related to Independent Education Evaluations and a current list of persons and /or agencies from which they may be obtained

7. Information needed Prior to OR During review (Administrative Standards cont’d) • A copy of the District’s LD Criteria • Copies of Interagency Agreements with: • Juvenile corrections facilities and adult correctional facilities • Correspondence schools • Charter Schools • Community mental health providers • Private Schools • Local infant learning programs • Head Start programs • Secondary transition agencies, including vocational rehabilitation

8. Information needed Prior to OR During the on-site review (Administrative Standards cont’d) • Documentation that district is following procedural safeguards • Documentation that district is following appropriate confidentiality procedures • Documentation that district is following appropriate personnel procedures • A list of paraprofessionals who work with students receiving special education services • Discipline procedures and records

9. What occurs during the on-site visit? • Entrance interview • Introductions • Team Leader introduction • Program Manager’s explanations • Review weekly schedule • Student file reviews- Handbook Part X, Section 5, 96 indicators per student file • 15 or more complete files • Other files: • Targeted areas- transition, ESER’s • Any area(s) of “systemic concern” • Files are randomly selected representative sample of all disability areas, age levels, schools, intensive

10. What Occurs During the on-site visit? (cont’d) • School site visits • Observation of students • Verification of Intensive claims • Parent meeting • Staff meeting • Draft Report of findings • Meeting with Special Education Director • Exit interview

11. What are the priority areas of focus? • Student file reviews and administrative standards review which include: • Transition • Prior Written Notice • Related Services • Incarcerated youth • New IEP requirements • Evaluation Summary Eligibility Report • Parental Information- Surveys • Plan of Improvement completed within 6 months

12. Exit Interview • Commendations • Statistical Summaries of Student file reviews and Administrative review • Draft monitoring compliance review results • Draft Plan of Improvements for student files and administrative standards • Draft Entitlement Report

13. Post-Site Phase: Compliance Monitoring Written Report • Within 60 days after on-site visit, the Final report will be sent to district • Commendations • Administrative and student file findings • Plan of Improvement • Entitlement Report

14. What is Due When? • 30 days from Final Report the Entitlement Documentation is due • 60 days from the Final Report the Plan of Improvement projected dates of completion is due • 3-6 months from the visit all of the documentation on the Plan of Improvement is due. All monitoring compliance must be completed within 1 year of the date of monitoring visit.

15. Then What? • Following submission and approval of all documents, EED will send District a “close-out” letter stating all corrective action is complete. ( This must occur prior to 1 year from the date of the monitoring visit.)

16. You’re DONE!!! • Hoorah!