Assessment/Accountability 
Program Quality Assurance Services
Compliance and Monitoring
Approved Private Day and Residential Special Education School Program Review System
Overview
As one part of its Accountability System, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education oversees compliance with education requirements in private day and residential special education schools through the Massachusetts Private Special Education School Program Review System. This program oversight system addresses selected monitoring requirements of 603 CMR 28.09, "Approval of Public and Private Day and Residential Special Education School Programs," and 603 CMR 18.00, "Program and Safety Standards for Approved Public or Private Day and Residential Special Education School Programs." The Program Review System additionally encompasses selected requirements contained in 603 CMR 28.00, "Massachusetts Special Education Regulations", as well as IDEA-97 and M.G.L. c. 71B that are pertinent to Approved Private School Programs.
Private Special Education School Program Review Elements
| Team: | Depending upon the size of a school and the number of programs operated by the school, a 2-5 member Department team will conduct a 2-5 day onsite program review. The Program Review team may also include consultants with expertise in special education and/or approved private schools, Administrators of Special Education from placing public school districts, human service agency providers or representatives, Approved Private School Administrators, staff members and parents. |
| Content: | The Department has selected from the complete set of requirements under Massachusetts Regulations for the Approval of Private Schools certain key compliance criteria that it believes to be most essential in providing programs of high quality for students with special needs in Approved Private Schools. Areas to be reviewed include, but are not limited to: |
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- Maintenance of policies and procedures manuals and handbooks
- Disclosure of information such as notifications of substantial changes within the program and serious incidents
- Coordination and collaboration with school districts including transitioning students from the private school back to their local public school
- Educational staffing requirements such as student/teacher and student/direct care worker ratios
- Education program requirements such as the length of school day and school year, curriculum frameworks, state assessments and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
- Student discipline and behavior management
- Personnel policies, qualifications including teacher licensure, and job descriptions
- Personnel orientation, annual training, supervision and evaluation
- Physical facility requirements
- Instructional materials and equipment
- Requirements for daily care of students
- Leisure and recreational services
- Parent and student involvement
- Health care and medical services
- Transportation safety
- Vocational programs
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| Report: | The report will be based on a review of written documentation regarding the operation of the school's programs, together with information gathered from the following program review methods: |
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- Interview(s) with a member(s) of the Board of Directors
- Interviews of educational, clinical and residential administrative staff;
- Interviews of teaching and related services staff across all ages and grade levels;
- Interviews with staff providing direct care to students (teacher assistants, child care workers);
- Interviews with administrators from placing public school districts and/or human service agency providers
- Interviews with parents, including Parent Advisory Group representatives, and with members of the public (upon request);
- Student Record Reviews. A random sampling of student records will be selected by the Department. Student records will be examined first by the school's staff and then verified by the onsite team using standard Department student record review procedures in order to make determinations regarding the implementation of procedural and programmatic requirements;
- Classroom and Facilities Observation: A sample of instructional classrooms and school facilities used in the delivery of programs and services to students will be visited to determine general levels of compliance with program requirements; and
- Personnel Records Review
An Executive Summary and detailed findings for each program area describe determinations of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education about the implementation status of each requirement (criterion) reviewed.
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| Response: | The findings in the Final Report note those criteria the implementation of which the team found to be commendable or substantially implemented. For certain criteria that are found to be "implemented," the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reserves the right to comment and/or make recommendations for changes that will lead to improved services for students as intended by the statutes or regulations. Where criteria are found not to be fully implemented, the private school is required to propose corrective actions to bring those areas into compliance with the respective statutes or regulations. A school is required to incorporate the required corrective activities into its updated Application for Approval as required by 603 C.M.R. Section 18.09. Additionally, a school is encouraged to incorporate any required corrective action as approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education into its internal school improvement plans, including the school's professional development plans. |
The Private School Program Review system enables all publicly funded and approved private schools to be recognized for their achievements and successful and innovative programs for disabled students. This period of program review also provides an opportunity to identify areas where change is required to improve upon services to students. The Department believes that this program review process is a positive experience and that the Final Report is seen as a helpful planning document for the continuing development of high quality programs and services in publicly funded private school programs.
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Schedule
  | 6-Year Cycle |
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  | Approved Private Special Education School Program Review Procedures |
| Summary of Changes to the 2007 - 2008 Criteria Used for Massachusetts Public or Private Day or Residential Special Education School Programs |
| Private School Program Review Reports |
| Mid-cycle Review Reports |
last updated: March 21, 2008
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