Avoiding MDE Auditsin Special Education

Jim Lake, Ph.D.

Director of Special Education

Lansing School District

Michigan and all states are measured on the same 34

Performance Indicators

(see handout)

IDEIA Part B (20)

Results1,2, 4a, 14 important

1, 6, 7 not as important

Compliance9, 10, 11,

13

15

Part C0-3 year olds

Results Compliance

1-8, 14, 18, 19 9-13, 15, 16, 17, 20

This is not as significant and/or it may be an ISD function

Judgment on Indicators

Feds – absolute standards

State – “bell curve”

For 766 LEAs

(charters included)

Judge Judy and Determinations

1 – OK

2 – Needs assistance

3 – Needs a lot of assistance

4 – The “not good at all” department

Michigan’s History Year Rating 2007 1 2008 2

Challenges 4, 10, 13, 15Strengths 9, 11, 12, 16

(Handout)

LansingData and Lessons

(Handout)History

2008 Report

(Handout)

Results of Round #2 for LEAs/PSAs

463 of 766 LEAs are at Level 1 (60%)

272 of 766 LEAs are at Level 2 (36%)

31 of 766 LEAs are at Level 3 (4%)

Enforcement Actions for IDEIA (Individuals w/Disabilities Education Improvement Act) and NPRM (National Public Reporting Mandate)

“Needs assistance” for 2 consecutive years

1. T.A. and/or2. Re-direct use of Flowthrough $ and/or3. Impose special conditions on IDEIA

Flowthrough dollars

Enforcement Actions for IDEIA and NPRM

“Needs intervention” for 3 consecutive years

1. May use any of the above actions,________________________________________________________

Enforcement Actions for IDEIA and NPRM “Needs assistance” for 2 consecutive years1. T.A. and/or2. Re-direct use of Flowthrough $ and/or3. Impose special conditions on IDEIA Flowthrough dollars

Enforcement Actions IDEIA and NPRM

2. Must do one or more of these:

a) Require improvement plan

b) Require a compliance agreement

c) Withhold or recover funds

d) Refer for other appropriate

enforcement actions

Ounce of Prevention

1. Is your data clean?

GI - GO

Garbage in

1. Reporting from buildings/staff

2. Entry of data

Garbage out

Translation software

Data checks for reasonableness

Know Your DataMICIS Data Reports

(see handout)

Start working for next year

Service modelsSystem problemsStaff problems

Questions/Discussion?

Jim Lake, Ph.D.Lansing School District

517.755.4000Jim.Lake@lansingschools.net

(Handouts on NCLB and IDEIA)