Reminder, Strategic Plan Goals and MNCIMP Goals
11/2/2009

TO:            All Special Education Staff & Building Administrators
FROM:       Cecelia Dodge, Director of Special Education

This is a quick note to acknowledge that I am aware that your jobs are extremely tough right now and to thank you for all you do for children and youth with disabilities.  It may seem that there is no rhyme or reason to the changes that are occurring in the district this year.  In actuality, we are guided by the District’s strategic plan and this year’s highlighted goal of increasing the number of students with disabilities who score proficient on MCA IIs by 10 percentage points.  The strategic plan goes through 2011 and has specific action steps under the goal of improving special education services.  Additionally, the special education department follows the self-monitoring process that is outlined by MDE.  This process, called MN Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (MNCIMP) requires the district to identify areas of non-compliance and set goals to address these.  I am sharing these Strategic Plan Action Steps and MNCIMP Goals so that you are better informed on what we are striving for together. 


STATEGIC PLAN STATEGY E:  IMPROVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

E1:  Define and implement a consistent district-wide referral process to assure appropriate identification of students with disabilities, especially in disability areas where there is disproportionate over-identification and under-identification of specific student groups.

E2:  Identify and address district targets for lowering the number of students indentified for special education services during the transition from elementary to middle school.

E3:  Provide professional development for regular education teachers and special educati8on teachers in strategies for pre-referral interventions and how to collect data on interventions.
E4:  Implement a collaborative model of services, which includes Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) with a continuum of services provided to meet the needs of students.

E5:  Integrate curriculum and instruction using a collaborative teaching model to increase special education student participation in general education.

E6:  Provide professional development for general and special education teachers so that they may provide the necessary accommodations in the general education classrooms to accommodate special education student needs through the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process.

E7:  Review current caseloads for special education teachers and seek solutions where caseloads are excessively high.

E8:  Embed National Standards for Secondary Education and Transition for all special education students in secondary curriculum and Eight-Year Plans.


CURRENT ACTION PLAN GOALS

• Improve Early Childhood Outcome Data Compliance to 100%
• Increase overall percentage students with disabilities scoring proficient on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment II in reading, writing and math.
• Increase the percent of families participating in Part C who report that early intervention services have helped their family.
• Increase special education four year graduation rate through improved transition planning and instruction.
• Increase due process compliance regarding referrals and other compliance areas from 80% to 100%.
• Identification of barriers and challenges to service students (6-21) in the Least Restrictive Environment.
• Increase due process compliance regarding pre-referrals, referrals and time lines for evaluations and IEPs from 90% to 100%
• Increase due process compliance regarding EBD criteria and eligibility from 90% to 100%.
• Increase due process compliance regarding IEP team members and goal statements from 80% to 100%.
• Increase percent of families participating in Part C who report increased rates for Part C Indicator 4 Family Outcomes areas of early intervention services have helped their family, understand their rights , and staff effectively communicate their children’s needs.
• Will increase special education four-year graduation rate and decrease the four-year dropout rate through improved transition planning and instruction.
• Improve Early Childhood Outcome Data on timely evaluation compliance to 100%.
• Improve District compliance on Part C #8, transition planning, to the State’s target of 100%.
• Increase the number of students served in Federal Setting I by 5%.
• Decrease dismissal and suspension rates for students with disabilities.