Review Agenda Item

Meeting Date:

10/27/2017 - 6:00 AM

Category:

Accountability

Type:

Info

Subject:

Update on the Evaluation of Services to Students with Disabilities

ACPS 2025 Strategic Plan Goal:

Objective 1.1 Educational Excellence

ACPS will regularly assess and respond to the needs, interests, and abilities of individual students.

Objective 1.2 Achievement Gaps

ACPS will target academic achievement gaps and increase positive educational outcomes across race/ ethnicity, income, disability, and language subgroups.

Objective 1.4 Educational Equity

ACPS will provide each student with opportunities to be challenged and supported.

Objective 6.2 Continuous Improvement

ACPS will engage in cycles of continuous improvement at every level of the school division, and it will employ evidence-based decision-making in its consideration of process improvements, policy making, and budgeting and accountability.

Policy:

IGBA - Programs for Students with Disabilities

Funding Source or Fiscal Impact (where applicable)

File Attachment:

171027_Board Memo_Update on Evaluation SWD_v1.pdf

Agenda Item Summary:

The enclosed information provides an update on the status of the project and the expected timeline for the deliverables. The on-site data collection effort will continue through the fall of 2017. Data analyses and synthesis are activities that will be conducted in the winter and spring of 2018 with a final deliverable in late spring of 2018. As part of the contract, PCG will return on-site to present findings to stakeholders and also conduct an action planning session. PCG staff will help facilitate discussion towards agreement on an action plan addressing findings from the evaluation with the various stakeholder groups represented in the kick-off meeting and throughout the evaluation project. Following the action planning session, PCG will review the final ACPS implementation plan to provide external, objective feedback ensuring alignment to the decisions made during the action planning session and that it is designed to achieve the desired results.

Background:

The FY2017 budget included $125,000 for a Specialized Instruction (Special Education) evaluation/program review which was presented during the Add/Delete process. The commentary included with the preliminary addition indicated that the audit was necessary to “build more confidence in the changes being set” in the coming years. Additionally, the commentary included the express desire to have the evaluation conducted by a third party.

Recommendation:

The Superintendent recommends review of the information within this memo pertaining to the evaluation of services to students with disabilities.

Approvals:

Recommended By:
Signed By:
	Dr. Clinton Page - Chief Accountability Officer

Signed By:
	Lois Berlin -