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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

The state target and district and state rates for Indicator 1 are the most current data available. Data reported in the State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report reflect a one year data lag in reporting.

For the 2013-14 school year, the state target for the Graduation Rate for Students with IEPs is 80%.
 
Reported Cohort 2014 Graduates # of Students in 2014 Cohort District
Rate		 State
Rate		 State
Target

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



Indicator 2 - Dropout Rate

The state target and district and state rates for Indicator 2 are the most current data available. Data reported in the State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report reflect a one year data lag in reporting.

For the 2013-14 school year, the state target for the Dropout Rate for Students with IEPs is 3.3%.
 
Reported2014 DropoutsStudents Enrolled in Grades 9-12District
Rate		State
Rate		State
Target

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 4 - Suspension/Expulsion for Students with IEPs

The federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) requires a one year data lag in reporting on Indicator 4. For example, the information used to calculate Indicator 4 in the report submitted to OSEP in the February 2015 state report is data collected by districts during the 2010-2011, 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years. Therefore, the Indicator 4 summary here reflects this lag in data reporting.

In all years, the state target for Suspension/Expulsion is 0%.

Indicator 4A: Significant discrepancy in the rate of suspensions and expulsions of greater than ten days in a school year for children with IEPs. Massachusetts' definition for 'significant discrepancy' is five times the state rate for two consecutive years.


 
ReportedSpecial Education
FY2011FY2012FY2013FY2014

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

Indicator 4B: Significant discrepancy (a) by race or ethnicity, in the rate of suspensions and expulsions of greater than ten days in a school year for children with IEPs; and (b) policies, procedures or practices (PPPs) that contribute to the significant discrepancy and do not comply with requirements relating to the development and implementation of IEPs, the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and procedural safeguards. Massachusetts identifies a district as having a significant discrepancy, by race or ethnicity, in the rates of suspensions and expulsions of greater than 10 days in a school year of children with IEPs rates if, for three consecutive years, the district’s suspension rate for students with disabilities in a particular race or ethnicity has been five times the state suspension rate for students with disabilities.



DistrictIndicator 4B: Significant Discrepancy by Race or Ethnicity in Rates of Suspension and Expulsion
1) Significant discrepancy by race or ethnicity2) Noncompliant PPPs that contribute to significant discrepancy

 


Indicator 5 - Educational Environments for Students Aged 6 - 21 with IEPs

For 2013-14, the state target for % of Students with IEPs served in Full Inclusion is 60.5%, the target for % of Students with IEPs served in Substantially Separate placements is 14.5%, and the target for % of Students with IEPs served in Separate Schools, Residential Facilities, or Homebound/Hospital placements is 5.5%.

 



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

In 2013-14, 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 39%. The state target for the percentage of students attending a separate special education class, separate school, or residential facility is 13.8%. 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 either at home or at a service provider location.

 



Indicator 7 - Early Childhood Outcomes*


Districts participate in Indicator 7 data collection as part of a 4 year cycle in which they report exit data on children for whom they have collected entry level data; exit may occur at any time during the subsequent three year period as the children leave the preschool program. "Cohort Completion Year" refers to the last year that a district reports exit data for the set of children for whom entry data was collected. Some exiting children included in the Indicator 7 data collection may have been receiving special education services as little as six months or as long as three years, depending on when they entered and exited the program. Because of these differences, there is variability in the progress reported on each outcome. Therefore, these data should be interpreted with caution.

In addition, there are differences in the calculations of district level and state level results. The State Rate represents a snapshot of all students for whom exit data was reported in a given year across the state. The State Rate for this year includes only students who exited in 2015 from the three cohorts reporting data in this year. In contrast, district level data is reported in the aggregate and includes multiple reporting years. For example, a district with a "Cohort Completion Year" of 2015 will have students who exited in 2013, 2014, and 2015 included in their data set. A district with a "Cohort Completion Year" of 2016 will have data from 2014 and 2015 in their data set but will not have completed their data collection until the summer of 2016. Therefore the current data does not reflect all of the students for whom entry data was collected.

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 districts reporting 10 or fewer students.



Indicator 8 - Parent Involvement *

For 2013-14, the state target for Parent Involvement is 85%.

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*

In all years, the state target for Initial Evaluation Timelines is 100%.

This indicator measures the % of children with parental consent to evaluate, who were evaluated within the State established timeline. Data is reported for all initial evaluations initiated in October, November, and December of the reporting year.

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..
 

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



Indicator 12 - Early Childhood Transition*

In all years, the state target for Early Childhood Transition is 100%.

This indicator measures the % of students referred by Part C, found eligible for special education services, and who have an IEP developed and implemented by their 3rd birthdays.
 

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*

In all years, the state target for Secondary Transition is 100%.

This indicator measures the % of youth with IEPs aged 16 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.

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..
 

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



Indicator 14 - Post-School Outcomes for Students with IEPs*

This indicator measures the % of students with IEPs who exited high school during the 2012-13 school year and self-reported post-school engagement in education or employment one year after leaving high school. Engagement is defined through three measurements:

  • Measurement A: Enrolled in higher education within one year of leaving high school. (see #1 below)
  • Measurement B: Enrolled in higher education or competitively employed within one year of leaving high school. (see #1 + #2 below)
  • 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. (see #1 + #2 + #3 + #4 below)
Measurements are cumulative with measurement C reflecting the total number of exiters engaged in a post-secondary activity one year after leaving high school.

For the 2013-14 school year, state targets for the three measurements of Post-School Outcomes are Measurement A: 45%; Measurement B: 80%; and Measurement C: 87%.
 



* Because of the nature of Indicators 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 14, the Department has divided all districts into four cohorts that are representative of the state as a whole. This cohort model and plan for data collection was approved by the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Under this plan, over a four-year period, every district in the state participates in data collection activities for these indicators. Because it has an average daily membership of over 50,000 students, Boston participates in all activities every year. Additional information on the cohort model is available at: http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/spp/datacollection.html. 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

^ No state targets for this FFY due to being a new benchmark year for this Indicator.

Null means benchmark year and no targets.

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