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Date: 1/24/2023
GRANBY — The Granby School district will be visited by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in February for two days of onsite monitoring as part of the state agency’s Tiered Focus Monitoring onsite visits.
Director of Pupil Services Meghan Schepart joined the School Committee during their Jan. 17 meeting to break down the ongoing process and what the district can expect when the schools are monitored. DESE comes in twice with onsite monitoring over the course of a six-year cycle that uses state standards to determine if a school district is in compliance with special education law and civil rights laws and regulations that impact student outcomes.
DESE helps to provide technical assistance to help districts understand and comply with regulations as well as develop supports and resources for students. The Tiered Focused Monitoring Review is something each school has every three years to monitor their compliance, switching off from federal and state special education to civil rights regulations every three years. This portion of the six-year cycle is focused on the district’s special education practices.
The special education review includes student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process and IEP development and implementation.
According to Schepart, the district took time during last school year to perform a self-assessment that DESE would review. DESE will conduct their on-site visits on the first and second day of February and will be reviewing the school buildings and student records as well as interviews with Schepart,
Superintendent Stephen Sullivan, principals and special education teachers before reviewing all the information collected.
DESE will then report back to the district with a compliance rating that ranges from commendable, to implemented, partially implemented and not implemented. The final report will include actions for the district to implement in response to the ratings.
Schepart said through conversations with a DESE representative this process is not supposed to serve as time to catch wrongdoers off guard, but it is a normal process to review a school and their efforts to comply with federal and state laws.
“It’s supposed to help the district improve where they are,” Schepart said. She also noted that in conversations with the DESE representative she was told “there is always things to improve upon.”
Sullivan seconded Schepart’s comments and said it is not the intention of the review system to catch anyone off guard but to find improvement where needed.
“In the past it has possibly felt like a ‘gotcha’ because of the sheer volume districts had to produce. Now it does feel more supportive and while there might be some findings or corrective action, DESE has been working with us throughout and giving us feedback on things,” Sullivan said. “If there is a finding, it’s not, ‘oh we’re gonna get slapped on the wrist’ or get in trouble for it. It’s an opportunity for us to correct it and better align our policies or procedures, whatever that might have to be.”
The full report is expected to be released in April according to Schepart.