GREENFIELD — The Greater Commonwealth Virtual School announces that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Office of Public School Monitoring (PSM) will conduct a Tiered Focused Monitoring Review of Greater Commonwealth Virtual School during the week of Feb. 27.
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. In past reviews of the SPED program, there have been no findings, and GCVS welcomes this larger review of its civil rights policies and actions.
In addition to the onsite visit, parent outreach is an important part of the review process. The review chairperson from the Office of Public School Monitoring will send all parents of students with disabilities an online survey that focuses on key areas of their child’s special education program. Survey results will contribute to the development of a report.
During the onsite review, the Office of Public School Monitoring will interview the chairs of the district’s Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC). Other onsite activities may include interviews of district staff and administrators, reviews of student records, and onsite observations.
Parents and other individuals may call or email Director of Accountability Sarah Jordan: sjordan@gcvs.org; 413-862-5684, Director of Special Education Darlene Thorpe: dthorpe@gcvs.org; 413-862-5685, or call the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Public School Monitoring Chairperson, Sandra Hanig, at 413-413-6707 to request a telephone interview. If an individual requires an accommodation, such as translation, to participate in an interview, the Department will make the necessary arrangements.
Within approximately 60 business days after the onsite visit, the review chairperson will provide the school with a report with information about areas in which the school meets or exceeds regulatory requirements and areas in which the school requires assistance to correct or improve practices. The public will be able to access the report at http://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/reports/.