Office of Specialized Services
The New Massachusetts IEP
Management & Operations Institute
August 2024
Session Goals
Goal #1:
Gain a greater understanding of the reasons for this transition to a New IEP process and format in Massachusetts.
Goal #2:
Gain a greater understanding of the application of this work in the New IEP Process.
Goal #3:
Provide information and resources on this transition so that school communities can know what to expect in the rollout.
Slide 2
Overview of The IEP Improvement Project
Improvement
Initiatives
Reviewed DESE Guidance Documents and IEP Improvement Project Draft
Collaborative Feedback Forums
Gathered input for decision-making and planning purposes
Planning
Initiatives
Research Insights and New IEP Format Requirements
2020-�2021
2022-�2023
Pilot Districts
Several districts implement the New IEP
2014-�2018
2018-�2019
2024-�2025
New IEP
Rollout
BPS will implement �the new IEP
Slide 3
DESE Founding Principles
The following are foundational principles guiding the new IEP process, with the overarching goal of collaboration:
Responsive teams are characterized by their collaborative nature, recognizing the importance of all contributors, with a particular focus on families, and engaging in shared responsibility to ensure the provision of a high-quality education for students.
Decisions
Questions
Data
Student
Schooling
Slide 4
Spring & Summer Recap
Slide 5
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
What is the current required IEP Content?
IDEA 300.324 Development, Review, and Revision of IEP.
(a) Development of IEP—
(1) General. In developing each child’s IEP, the IEP Team must consider—
(i) The strengths of the child;
(ii) The concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child;
(iii) The results of the initial or most recent evaluation of the child; and
(iv) The academic, developmental, and functional needs of the child.
(2) The Functional Needs of the Child
(3) Requirements of the Regular Education Teacher
Slide 6
Massachusetts CMR 28.00
603 CMR 28.00 governs the provision by Massachusetts public schools of special education and related services to eligible students to provide special education services to publicly funded eligible students.The purpose of 603 CMR 28.00 is to ensure that eligible Massachusetts students receive special education services designed to develop the student's individual educational potential in the least restrictive environment in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.
CMR 28.04: Evaluation Request (5 days to Respond) → Receipt of Signed Consent (30 days to evaluate) → IEP Meeting (45 Days)
CMR 28.05: IEP Development for Eligible Students within 2 Calendar Weeks with a Team Meeting Summary
CMR 28.06: The school district shall ensure that, to the maximum extent appropriate, students with disabilities are educated with students who do not have disabilities, and that special classes, separate schooling, or other removal of students with special needs from the general education program occurs only if the nature or severity of the disability is such that education in general education classes with the use of supplementary aids and services cannot be achieved satisfactorily.
Slide 7
Endrew vs. Douglas 2017
Endrew F vs. Douglas County School District
Six Word Synthesis Protocol
1. Read the text to gain an understanding of the ideas and applications. (5-10 Minutes)
2. Synthesize your ideas about the reading into only six words. Your six words could be a sentence, phrase, connection, personal learning, or an ‘Aha moment.’ (5 Minutes)
3. Present your six words to the large group.
Question: Based on your experience with the IEP Process, how does the Endrew Case impact the work for IEP Teams?
Slide 8
Application to the New IEP Process
“the most basic IEP requirement is that a student’s parents be full, equal, and meaningful participants in the development of their child’s IEP, along with school district personnel”
“The IEP must aim to enable the child to make progress. After all, the essential function of an IEP is to set out a plan for pursuing academic and functional advancement.”
“To meet its substantive obligation under the IDEA, a school must offer an IEP reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances”
“Every Child should have the chance to meet challenging objectives.”
“When a child is fully integrated in the regular classroom, as the Act prefers, what that typically means is providing a level of instruction reasonably calculated to permit advancement through the general curriculum.”
Slide 9
What Teams can Expect
Slide 10
Reciprocal Accountability
Recalibration of Practice
Slide 11
BPS Timeline & Upcoming Dates
Ed Plan Transition & Training
2024-2025 Continued Consultancy with Collaborative Education Services
OSS Follow Up Plan for 2024-2025
Slide 12
Thank you!
The New IEP is an opportunity for us to continue improving our practice and your feedback is critical. Please complete the exit ticket linked above at the end of this MOI session. Thank you for your partnership in this work.
What’s Next?
Questions?��New-IEP@bostonpublicschools.org
For more information, visit:
DESE Annotated Blank IEP Sample
Slide 13