Continuous Improvement and Focused Monitoring System (CIFMS)
Stakeholders Present:
Brian Anderson, Vaunce Ashby, Nissan Bar Lev, Sister Patrice Colletti, Cynthia Hirsch, JoAnne Huston, Pete Knotek, Sheri Krause, Carolyn Madsen, Donna Miller, Don Rosin, Jan Serak, Pat Schaumburg, Mary Skadahl, Jeff Spitzer-Resnick, Bonnie Vander Meulen, Joan Wade, and Pat Yahle
Special Education Technical Assistance Providers:
Dr. Sandy Schmitz, Technical Assistance Director, National Center for Special Education Accountability Monitoring (NCSEAM); Dr. Jane Nell Luster, Data Director, NCSEAM; Thomas Delaney, Education Specialist, North Central Regional Resource Center (NCRRC)
Welcome
Stephanie Petska, Director of Special Education, welcomed the stakeholders and thanked them for their collaborative work on the state special education law, which was signed by Governor Doyle on April 5, 2006.
New DPI staff member Eva Kubinski was introduced to the stakeholders. Eva will co-chair the focused monitoring graduation gap workgroup.
Stephanie thanked Donna Miller for her work on the stakeholder task force. Donna is retiring from the Department of Health and Family Services (DHFS). Her place on the stakeholder task force will be filled by Beth Wrobleski, Section Chief of Children Services, DHFS.
Overview of General Supervision
Dr. Sandy Schmitz reminded the stakeholders of the definition of general supervision as defined by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Dr. Schmitz used a puzzle graphic (see slide one of PowerPoint) to illustrate general supervision.
CIFMS Update: Data Systems Verification - Dr. Jane Nell Luster, Data Director, NCSEAM; Teresa Goodier, School Administration Consultant, DPI
- Dr. Luster presented a PowerPoint on "Accountability for What Matters: Measuring Improved Results and Ensuring Program Requirements are Met," http://www.monitoringcenter.lsuhsc.edu/presentations.htm.
- Dr. Luster participated with DPI in a data systems verification pilot onsite in Janesville School District on June 12 and 13, 2006.
- DPI has adapted OSEP's protocol for Data Systems Verification (handout: data verification template).
CIFMS Update: Procedural Compliance - Elliot Weiman, School Administration Consultant, DPI
- A draft of the written Procedures for Special Education Compliance Monitoring was reviewed with the stakeholders. Components of the manual include: Purpose, Overview of Special Education Compliance Monitoring, Policies and Procedures and IEP Team Forms, Implementation Monitoring: The Self-Assessment, Selection of Public Agencies for Self-Assessment, Preparing for the Self-Assessment, Conducting the Self-Assessment, Sampling, Evaluating Compliance, Self-Assessment Results, Corrective Action Plans, Compliance Agreements, Verifying the Self-Assessments, Verifying Public Agency Noncompliance Is Corrected, and Sanctions.
- The written procedures will be posted on the DPI website when finalized.
- DPI will provide training on how to conduct the self-assessment.
- LEAs are required to conduct the self-assessment and report results to DPI once during the cycle of the State Performance Plan. Approximately 88 districts will conduct the self-assessment each year beginning with the 2006-07 school year.
CIFMS Update: Focused Monitoring - Pam Foegen, Education Consultant, DPI; Judy O'Kane, Education Consultant, DPI
- A draft of the written Procedures for Focused Monitoring was reviewed with the stakeholders. Components of the manual include: Introduction: Stakeholder Involvement and Background, Overview of Focused Monitoring Process, District Selection for Focused Monitoring, Pre-onsite Activities, Onsite Activities, Post-Onsite Activities, Technical Assistance, and Sanctions.
- The focused monitoring manual and protocols will be posted on the DPI website when finalized.
Discussion: Monitoring of Districts in Enrollment Groups 5-7
Dr. Sandy Schmitz facilitated a discussion among the stakeholders of how best to monitor districts in enrollment groups 5-7. (PowerPoint Presentation) She reminded the stakeholders that all districts, including small districts, are included within DPI's system of general supervision.
Stakeholder recommendations:
- Conduct an analysis of the impact of small districts on the SPP indicators.
- Adjust the onsite process for smaller districts.
- Include a pre-visit data analysis to determine if the gap in graduation rates or reading achievement is related to a district issue or child specific.
- Consider random selection of small districts for focused monitoring.
There was general agreement among the stakeholders that small districts should be included in focused monitoring.
Update on Collaboration between General and Special Education - Mary Kleusch, Assistant Director, Office of Educational Accountability, DPI
Collaborative efforts are occurring between the Special Education Team and the Office of Educational Accountability (OEA) at the Department of Public Instruction. Mary Kleusch provided an overview of how schools are identified for improvement (handout: AYP primer)
. A Statewide System of Support to Schools Identified for Improvement (SIFI) is under development (handout: Statewide System of Support). The special education initiative, Responsive Education for All Children (REACh) is a part of the Statewide System of Support. REACh will support school communities as they establish and sustain the capacity to make systemic improvement needed to reduce barriers to learning and enable all students to experience success. REACh will also provide a framework for the permissive use of 15% IDEA Early Intervening Services funds and for implementation of the "response to intervention" (RtI) process set forth by IDEA 2004.
Early Intervening Services (EIS), Response to Intervention (RtI), Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) - Paula Volpiansky, Education Consultant, DPI; Kathy Laffin, Education Consultant, DPI; Brian Anderson; and Cynthia Hirsch
An overview of EIS and RtI was presented by Paula Volpiansky and Kathy Laffin (link to handouts: EIS and RtI Provisions and Resources on EIS-RtI). Brian Anderson provided information from a school district's perspective (handout: Implementing RtI – The Long and Short of It)
. Cynthia Hirsch provided a parent's perspective on the topic. The task force is addressing parent concerns. Brian and Cynthia are members of the SLD-RTI-EIS Task Force (handout: membership list).
DPI Model IEP Forms - Brent Odell, School Administration Consultant, DPI
Brent Odell highlighted changes in the model IEP forms (strikeout version). In an effort to reduce paperwork, the forms contain only elements required by state or federal law. The model forms, as currently constituted, will enable districts to be compliant. After IDEA regulations are finalized, the forms will need to be reviewed. Stakeholders requested an opportunity to be involved in the review of the forms following final IDEA regulations and prior to finalizing the model forms.
OSEP Over-arching Questions - Tom Delaney, NCRRC
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) will conduct a Verification Visit in Wisconsin during the week of November 6, 2006 to review: (1) the accuracy of the special education and early intervention data that the State collects and reports each year to OSEP;
(2) the effectiveness of the State's systems for identifying and correcting noncompliance with IDEA requirements; and (3) the Statewide assessment program. In preparation for its visit to the state, OSEP will conduct a conference call with the CIFMS stakeholder group on October 10, 2006, beginning at 10:00 am Central Time and lasting approximately one hour. During the call, OSEP will ask for the stakeholders’ input on the strengths and weaknesses of the state's systems for data collection and reporting, identifying and correcting noncompliance, and statewide assessment.
Tom Delaney presented an overview of the OSEP Verification Visit (PowerPoint Presentation) including the over-arching questions that OSEP will ask during their visit.
Next scheduled stakeholder meetings:
- October 10, 2006 Video-conference call with OSEP (10:00 – 11:00 a.m.); set targets and goals for new indicators in the State Performance Plan (SPP).
- November - Cancelled due to OSEP visit.
- December 4-5, 2006 Finish setting SPP targets and goals
For questions about this information, contact Anita J. Castro (608) 266-1781
Last updated on 2/22/2008 1:21:52 PM
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