HAVERHILL — The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring will conduct a review of Whittier Tech during the week of Nov. 13.
According to Whittier Superintendent Maureen Lynch and Special Education Director Kristine Morrison, the Office of Public School Monitoring visits each district and charter school every three years to monitor compliance with federal and state special education and civil rights regulations.
Areas of review related to special education include student assessments, determination of eligibility, the Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team process, and IEP development and implementation.
Areas of review related to civil rights include bullying, student discipline, physical restraint and equal access to school programs for all students.
During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chair of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews with district staff and administrators and review of student records.
Parent outreach is an important part of the review process, officials said. The chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send an online survey to all parents of students with disabilities receiving IEP services at Whittier Tech. The survey focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a final report.
Parents and other interested individuals may request a telephone interview by contacting Dee Wyatt, Public School Monitoring Chairperson, at dee.wyatt@mass.gov.
After the conclusion of the review, the public will be able to access the report at doe.mass.edu/psm. The report will include information about areas where the district meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas where the district requires assistance to correct or improve practices.
More information about the Public School Tiered Focused Monitoring System is available at doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/default.html.
A Spanish-language translation is available at tinyurl.com/bdhxbfru.
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