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- Special Education Data


For more information on state performance in this area, please see the Massachusetts State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report.

Indicator 1 - Graduation Rate

Indicator 1 data reported in the State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) are lagged one year (e.g., for the FFY 2022 SPP/APR, the data come from the 2021-2022 school year). The federally required data source for Indicator 1 captures students in special education at the start of the reporting period (e.g., for the FFY 2022 SPP/APR, this would be students receiving special education services at the start of the 2021-22 school year reporting period) who exited high school with one of following categories: (a) graduated with a regular high school diploma; (b) received a certificate; (c) reached maximum age; or (d) dropped out.
 

Special Education data are suppressed for enrollment counts fewer than 6.



Indicator 2 - Dropout Rate

Indicator 2 data reported in the SPP/APR reflect a one-year data lag in reporting (e.g., for the FFY 2022 SPP/APR, the data come from the 2021-2022 school year). The federally required data source for Indicator 2 captures students in special education at the start of the reporting period (e.g., for the FFY 2022 SPP/APR, this would be students receiving special education services at the start of the 2021-22 school year reporting period) who exited high school with one of following categories: (a) graduated with a regular high school diploma; (b) received a certificate; (c) reached maximum age; or (d) dropped out.
 

Special Education data are suppressed for enrollment counts fewer than 6.



Indicator 3 - Participation and Performance of Students with IEPs on Statewide Assessments (MCAS)

Indicator 3 reports the participation and performance of students with IEPs on statewide assessments. Massachusetts reports specifically on students with IEPs in grades 4, 8, and 10 who have an IEP at the time of testing. Students may be enrolled for the full academic year or only part of it. Within Indicator 3 there are four separate measurements:

  • Indicator 3A - Participation for Children with IEPs on MCAS

    For 2022-23, the state target for the Participation Rate for Students with IEPs on MCAS in all Groups (Reading and Math- Grades 4, 8, and HS is 95%.).

    District-level data on the participation rate of students with IEPs on MCAS is available at:
    http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/mcas/participation.aspx?linkid=26&fycode=2023&orgtypecode=5&orgcode=04870000∨gtypecode=12


  • Indicator 3B – Proficiency for Children with IEPs on MCAS

    For 2022-23, the state target for the Proficiency Rate for Students with IEPs on MCAS is:

    22.00%
    13.00%
    28.00%
    13.00%
    9.00%
    17.00%


    District-level data on the performance of all students with IEPs on MCAS is available at:
    http://profiles.doe.mass.edu/mcas/studentgroups.aspx?linkid=25&fycode=2023&orgtypecode=5&orgcode=04870000∨gtypecode=12


    • Proficiency = Exceeding Expectations and Meeting Expectations

  • Indicator 3C – Proficiency Rate for Students with IEPs on MCAS-Alt

    For 2022-23, the state target for the Proficiency Rate for Students with IEPs on MCAS-Alt is:

    District-level data on the performance of all students with IEPs on MCAS-Alt is available at:


  • Indicator 3D – Gap in Proficiency Rates between Students with IEPs and All Students on MCAS

    For 2022-23, the state target for the Gap in Proficiency Rate for Students with IEPs on MCAS is:

    28.9021.30
    29.1024.30
    37.6036.70

    Special Education data are suppressed for enrollment counts fewer than 6.



Indicator 4 - Suspension/Expulsion for Students with IEPs

Indicator 4A: Indicator 4A assesses whether districts have a significant discrepancy (defined by the state) in the rate of suspensions and expulsions of greater than ten days in a school year for children with IEPs. Massachusetts' determines a district to have significant discrepancy when a district’s long-term suspension and expulsion rate is five times the state’s long-term suspension and expulsion rate for two consecutive years. Districts determined to have significant discrepancy, based on the state-established criteria, will be subject to reviews of policies, procedures, or practices (PPPs) to determine whether they comply with requirements relating to the development and implementation of IEPs, the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and procedural safeguards.


 

Special Education data are suppressed for enrollment counts fewer than 6.

Indicator 4B: Indicator 4 data reported in the SPP/APR are students with long-term suspensions and expulsions, meaning students suspended or expelled for greater than 10 cumulative days within a school year. Like Indicators 1 and 2, Indicator 4 data are lagged one year (e.g., for the FFY 2022 SPP/APR, the data come from the 2021-2022 school year). Indicator 4 has two measures, A and B. Indicator 4A is a results indicator, which means the state establishes targets, and Indicator 4B is a compliance indicator, which means targets are set by the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).




 


Indicator 5 - Educational Environments for students Kindergarten – Age 21 with IEPs.

Previously, Indicator 5 calculated education environments for students with disabilities ages 6 through 21-year-olds. For FFY2020, OSEP updated the Indicator 5 measurement requirements to also include 5-year-olds in Kindergarten (and remove these students from the Indicator 6 calculation). As a result, DESE established a new baseline year, FFY2020, and new targets.

For FFY2020, the new state target for % of Students with IEPs served in Full Inclusion is 65.49%, the target for % of Students with IEPs served in Substantially Separate placements is 13.32%, and the target for % of Students with IEPs served in Separate Schools, Residential Facilities, or Homebound/Hospital placements is 6.44%.


 



Indicator 6 - Educational Environments for Students Aged 3 - 5 with IEPs

In 2020-21, the state target for the percent of students receiving a majority of their special education and related services in an inclusive early childhood program is 52.31%. The state target for the percentage of students attending a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility is 19.36%. The state target range for students receiving special education and related services in the home is 0.11%-0.13%. Included in the table below is additional information about students receiving special education services outside of the inclusive early childhood program that they attend and students that receive services at a service provider location.

 



Indicator 7 - Early Childhood Outcomes*


Indicator 7 data reported in the SPP/APR reflect the early childhood outcomes for preschool children with IEPs, ages 3-5, in the following three measures: positive social-emotional skills, including social relationships (7A); acquisition and use of knowledge and skills, including early language/communication and early literacy (7B); and use of appropriate behaviors to meet needs (7C). Early childhood outcomes data are collected when a child enters and exits a preschool program and districts are sampled in cohort groups every four years.

For each of the three preschool outcomes, there are two summary statements reported. Summary Statement 1 measures growth; specifically, it assesses whether those children with IEPs who entered or exited preschool below age-level expectations substantially increased their rate of growth by the time they turned 6 years old and/or exited the preschool program. Summary Statement 2 measures proficiency; specifically, it assesses whether children with IEPs were functioning within age-level expectations by the time they turned 6 years old and/or exited the preschool program.


Special Education data are suppressed for districts reporting 10 or fewer students.



Indicator 8 - Parent Involvement *

For 2022-23, the state target for Parent Involvement is 89.5%.

This indicator measures the % of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that school facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for students with IEPs.


For information on the data collection and reporting schedule, please see the Memorandum on the Updated Data Collection Schedule and District Cohort Assignments for the Massachusetts State Performance Plan for Special Education (MA SPP) Activities.
 

Special Education data are suppressed for 10 or fewer returned surveys.

A survey is considered to have met the standard if the parent completing the survey was in agreement with more than 50% of the survey items.




Indicator 9 - Disproportionality in Special Education

In all years, the state target for disproportionality in special education is 0%.

This indicator measures the % of districts showing a disproportionate over-representation of students from racial/ethnic groups in special education that was the result of inappropriate identification. Districts are "flagged" for further review if, for three consecutive years, the district exhibits a weighted risk ratio of 3.0 or greater. Flagged districts are then subject to review of the appropriateness of their policies, practices, and procedures for special education eligibility determination and disability identification. If inappropriate policies, practices, and procedures likely caused the disproportionate representation, then the district is deemed to have disproportionate representation due to inappropriate identification.


 

For information regarding how disproportionate representation is determined in individual districts, please see the Indicator 9 Flowchart Download PDF Document  Download MS WORD Document.



Indicator 10 - Disproportionality in Specific Disability Categories

In all years, the state target for disproportionality in special education is 0%.

This indicator measures the % of districts showing a disproportionate over-representation of students from racial/ethnic groups in specific disability categories that was the result of inappropriate identification. Districts are "flagged" for further review if, for three consecutive years, the district exhibits a weighted risk ratio of 4.0 or greater. Flagged districts are then subject to review of the appropriateness of their policies, practices, and procedures for special education eligibility determination and disability identification. If inappropriate policies, practices, and procedures likely caused the disproportionate representation in specific disability categories, then the district is deemed to have disproportionate representation due to inappropriate identification.


 

For information regarding how disproportionate representation is determined in individual districts, please see the Indicator 10 Flowchart Download PDF Document  Download MS WORD Document.



Indicator 11 - Initial Evaluation Timelines

Indicator 11 data reported in the SPP/APR reflect the children who were evaluated within 45 school working days (state-established timeframe) of receiving parental consent for initial evaluation. The state-established timeframe is defined in 603 CMR 28.05(1): Special Education - Education Laws and Regulations (https://www.doe.mass.edu/lawsregs/603cmr28.html?section=05). Districts are assigned to monitoring cohorts based and on a cyclical basis must report to the state student data related to initial evaluations that were initiated in October, November, and December of the reporting year..
 

Data are suppressed if # of signed evaluation consent forms received is fewer than 10.



Indicator 12 - Early Childhood Transition

Indicator 12 data reported in the SPP/APR reflect the children who referred by Part C prior to turning three years old, who were found eligible for Part B, and who had an IEP developed and implemented by their third birthday. Districts are assigned to monitoring cohorts based and on a cyclical basis must report to the state student data related to children transitioning from Part C to Part B who were referred by Early Intervention to an LEA and who will turn three years old between January 1 and March 31.
 

Data are suppressed if number of students referred by Part C and found eligible for special education services is fewer than 10.



Indicator 13 - Secondary Transition

Indicator 13 data reported in the SPP/APR reflect the children with IEPs aged 14 and above with an IEP that includes appropriate measurable postsecondary goals that are annually updated and based upon an age appropriate transition assessment, transition services, including courses of study, that will reasonably enable the student to meet those postsecondary goals, and annual IEP goals related to the student’s transition services needs. There also must be evidence that the student was invited to the IEP Team meeting where transition services are to be discussed and evidence that, if appropriate, a representative of any participating agency that is likely to be responsible for providing or paying for transition services, including, if appropriate, pre-employment transition services, was invited to the IEP team meeting with the prior consent of the parent or student who has reached the age of majority. Compliance is determined through the state’s review of the Massachusetts Postsecondary Transition Planning Checklist for Indicator 13 (https://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/secondary-transition/indicator13-checklist.docx). Districts are assigned to monitoring cohorts based and on a cyclical basis must report to the state student data related to transition plans captured in IEPs that were completed between October 1 and March 31 of the reporting period..
 

Data are suppressed if number of student records reviewed is fewer than 10.



Indicator 14 - Post-School Outcomes for Students with IEPs

Indicator 14 data reported in the SPP/APR reflect the self-reported post-school engagement in education or employment for students with IEPs in place at the time they exited school, one year after leaving high school. Engagement is defined through three measurements, which build upon each other based on the category totals in the 'Survey Responses' table below:
• Measurement A: Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school (Category 1)
• Measurement B: Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school (total of Categories 1 and 2)
• Measurement C: Enrolled in higher education, or in some other postsecondary education or training program; or competitively employed, or in some other employment within one year of leaving high school (total of Categories 1, 2, 3, and 4)

 




Indicators 11, 12, and 13 are collected through state monitoring. The Department has divided all districts into cohorts that are representative of the state as a whole. Each district is monitored once every six years for these Indicators. See Public School Monitoring’s schedule: (https://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/schedule.html) for a list of districts who are monitored each year. The Group A designation signifies when a district will submit Indicators 11, 12, and 13 to the Department.

If at any point a district reaches and surpasses an average daily membership of over 50,000 students, they will participate in collection activities for Indicators 8, 11, 12, and 13 every year.


For all other indicators, data reported here is collected through SIMS or other existing data systems.


The designation NA = Not Applicable means that the indicator does not apply to the age/grade level of students enrolled in the district. For that reason, the district does not report data for the indicator. For state targets NA designates that there is no state target.


NR = Not Reported means the district did not submit data for the indicator for this year.


"-" = Suppressed

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