CIFMS Ad Hoc Task Force Meeting
May 3-4, 2005

Continuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS)

A key principle of an effective continuous improvement and focused monitoring system is input and feedback from a diverse group of stakeholders. Original selection of stakeholder members represented the categories of stakeholder characteristics as outlined by the CIFMS manual from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Stakeholders and their affiliations are as follows:

Stakeholders Present over the two days:

• Brian Anderson, State Superintendent's Council on Special Education,   Special Education Administrator, Appleton School District
• Vaunce Ashby, Assistant Principal/Madison Metropolitan School District
• Nissan Bar-Lev, Director of Special Education,   Wisconsin Council of Administrators of Special Services(WI-CASS)
• Barb Behlen, Regional Service Network/CESAs
• Ken Cole, Executive Director, Wisconsin Association of School Boards
• Sister Patrice Colletti, Disability Rights Advocacy
• Cynthia Hirsch, School Parent Liaison/Quality Education Coalition,  Learning Disabilities Association
• Joanne Huston, Wisconsin Special Education Stakeholders/WEAC
• Phil Knobel, Executive Director, WI-CASS
• Pete Knotek, Special Education Provider, Wisconsin Education Association Council
• Sheri Krause, Wisconsin Association of School Boards
• Julie Lidbury, Department of Corrections
• Pat Luebke, Interim Superintendent and Director of Student Services
• Carolyn Madsen, Special Education Teacher, Green Bay School District
• Donna Miller, Department of Health and Family Services
• Georgette Rodriguez, Milwaukee Public Schools, Parent Information Specialist
• Pat Schaumburg, Director of Special Education, Adams-Friendship Schools
• Jan Serak, Wisconsin Family Assistance Center for Education,  Training and Support, Inc./Autism Society of Wisconsin
• Mary Skadahl, Coordinator, Wisconsin Statewide Parent Education Initiative (WSPEI)
• Jeff Spitzer-Resnick, Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy
• Joan Wade, Administrator, CESA 6
• Pat Yahle, State Superintendent's Council on Special Education,   Director of Special Education, Milwaukee Public Schools

Special Education Technical Assistance Providers:

• Dr. W. Alan Coulter, Project Director,
   National Center for Special Education Accountability and Monitoring (NCSEAM)
• Thomas J. Delaney, Education Specialist,
   North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC)
• Sandy Schmitz, Technical Assistance Director, NCSEAM

DPI Staff Members Present:

• Sandy Berndt, Chair, Reading Achievement Workgroup
• Anita Castro, Chair, Graduation Gap Workgroup
• Teresa Goodier, Chair, Environment Workgroup
• Donna Hart-Tervalon, Chair of Disproportionality Workgroup
• Others: Tony Evers, Carolyn Stanford Taylor, Sheila Ellefson, Stephanie Petska, Pat Bober, Janice Duff, Barb Ebben, Jack Marker, Brent Odell, Elliot Weiman, Patti Williams, and Nancy Fuhrman

Key Points Presented and Discussed:

Outcomes and Agenda

The purpose of this meeting is to provide stakeholders with an update on the development of Wisconsin's Continuous Improvement Focused Monitoring System and to develop a plan for completing the Part B State Performance Plan (SPP) (due on December 2, 2005) and the Annual Performance Report (APR).

Welcome and Overview - Alan Coulter and Sandy Schmitz, NCSEAM

Dr. Coulter provided a overview of the next two days, expectations for the stakeholders, including the importance of the State Performance Plan (SPP) and the Annual Performance Report (APR). He emphasized the necessity of stakeholders setting realistic expectations for the six-year goals and one-year targets for the SPP.

Pilot Updates Donna Hart-Tervalon, Sandy Berndt, Anita Castro, Teresa Goodier, DPI Special Education Team

Donna reviewed the NCSEAM definition for focused monitoring (FM). She highlighted the challenges in developing the new CIFMS system in addition to addressing the statewide training and development issues related to the reauthorization of IDEA which becomes effective July 1, 2005. Progress of the CIFMS included pilot updates for the two indicators selected by the stakeholders for focused monitoring-8th grade reading achievement gap and graduation gap. The environment data verification process and its pilot were also discussed.

Overview of SPP and APR - Alan Coulter and Sandy Schmitz, NCSEAM

This stakeholder meeting will begin the consideration of measurable and rigorous targets for the Wisconsin State Performance Plan. The SPP is a new document for states created by the reauthorization of IDEA 2004. It is to be publicly reported and easily accessible, measurable six year goals (achieved in 2011) are required for each of the 19 indicators on the SPP, and annual targets that are measurable and rigorous for each goal. The SPP will be the first time the nation will see how special education is performing across the 50 states. It will also identify which states meet those targets/goals and which states don 't.

The emphasis of IDEA 2004 is on improving educational results for children with disabilities and is an essential element of our national policy of ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. The purpose of the implemention of IDEA 2004 is to achieve continuously improving results. Everything the stakeholders accomplish during these two days will focus on what Wisconsin hopes to improve and will answer the question--How will Wisconsin know IDEA 2004 is working?

Link to Alan's powerpoint presentation:
http://www.monitoringcenter.lsuhsc.edu/PDF%20PPT/0505WI%20Stakeholders.pdf

Small Group Activities - Alan Coulter and Sandy Schmitz

The stakeholders were then divided into three small groups for discussion and making recommendations regarding:

1. What additional information do you need? (As it relates to the State Performance Plan Goals)
2. If you had to make a decision today, what would be the goal for 2011?
3. What would be a reasonable target for 2006? (In relationship to the annual goal) The first indicator discussed was the Least Restrictive Environment indicator which is actually composed of three indicators. The three small groups reported out to the large group. This process was repeated for three additional indicators: preschool LRE, diploma and dropouts. Large group discussions resulted in recommendations from the stakeholders for targets and goals for these indicators and can be found at:
   SPP Indicators, Goals and Targets

Disproportionality Update - Dan Losen, Donna Hart-Tervalon and Patti Williams

One of the most significant issues currently facing education in the U.S. is the overrepresentation of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students in special education. Donna Hart Tervalon, Patricia Williams, and Daniel Losen, (Senior Legal and Policy Research Associate for The Civil Rights Project at Harvard University) presented information on Wisconsin's initiative to "scale up" its efforts for addressing minority disproportionate representation in special education in the state. The panel discussed how the issue of disproportionate representation is being addressed by the state's Continuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring System and how the (NCSEAM, the National Center for Culturally Responsive Education Systems (NCCREST),and Mr. Losen are working with the state to address disproportionate representation of minority students in special education.

Link to: Disproportionality Powerpoint

Next Steps:

The schedule and topics for upcoming meetings:

July 19-20, 2005
IDEA 2004/State Law
Application for Waiver Update

October 20-21, 2005
State Performance Plan Indicators (19)
IDEA 2004/State Law

December 2, 2005
Due: State Performance Plan with Goals and Targets for the 19 Indicators

February 7-8, 2006
CIFMS Update
IDEA 2004/State Law

For questions about this information, contact Donna A. Hart-Tervalon (608) 267-9160

Last updated on 2/22/2008 1:21:52 PM