Focused Monitoring

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), Special Education Services (SES) Section, continues the process of developing and refining a monitoring and improvement system for public agencies. The Continuous Improvement System is intended to balance the need for continuous procedural compliance with a focus on improving student results and outcomes. This system includes the following components:

Continuity. Continuous, rather than episodic; clearly linked to systemic change; and integrating self-assessment with continuous feedback and response.
Effective Balance Between Process and Improved Results. Measuring the extent to which policies, procedures, programs, and effective structures are in place and measured within the context of effective classroom and school practices aimed at improved student results.
Partnerships with Stakeholders. Continuous improvement occurring in partnership among LEA administrators, school administrators, teachers, other school staff, parents, students, other agencies, advocates, and other stakeholders in the continuous improvement of programs and services.
Linkage with other State Accountability Efforts. Integrated with other state accountability efforts including state achievement testing and other quality improvement efforts such as implementation of No Child Left Behind.
Data Driven. Driven by data that focuses on improved results for children and youth with disabilities (e.g., academic status; behavior; suspensions and expulsions; graduation rates; and dropout rates.)
Multiple Procedures. Utilization of multiple procedures, such as review of quantitative measures, observations, interviews, and student services reviews, including qualitative and quantitative measurement, self-review, and continuous improvement planning.
Technical Assistance and Support. Provision of technical assistance to support systems change within the LEA.

The Continuous Improvement System has as its anchor Alabama’s State Performance Plan (SPP) and/or the Annual Performance Report (APR) required by the Office of Special Education Programs. The SDE is in the process of aligning the monitoring system with the indicators in the SPP. The Continuous Improvement System will contain the following major components:

Focused Review to target areas of needed improvement in compliance and practice.
System Profile Information to determine compliance and program quality strengths and challenges.
Student File Review to gather baseline information and to study identified issues of concern within a school system, region, and/or in the state. This file review is verification of compliance with state and federal special education requirements within LEAs providing service to students with disabilities.
Student Services Review (SSR) to determine the extent to which students are progressing successfully and the system is supporting positive student outcomes.
Technical Assistance and Training to support system improvements.
LEA Plans to reflect procedural compliance aligned with local self-assessment and special education improvement planning.

Student Services Review (SSR)
The Student Services Review is a case-based review method used for:

Appraising the current status of students receiving adequate supports and/or services in response to special needs or learning problems, and
Determining the adequacy of performance of key service system functions for the students and those who support them. The SSR examines short-term results for children with special needs and their supporters and the contribution made by school-arranged supports and services in producing those outcomes. Results may be used for understanding and improving front-line practices by student services teams.

Overall Student Status Indicators

Least restrictive, most appropriate environment
School attendance
School and class participation
Appropriate social skills
Emotional well-being
Parent participation in educational decisions
Student progress in assigned curriculum
Student progress in reading
Student progress in school behavior (or early childhood environment behavior)
Student progress toward IEP goals supported by related services
Student progress toward transition goals
Satisfaction

Overall Educational System Performance Indicators

Understanding the student’s situation
Adequacy of the IEP
IEP reasoning process
Appropriateness and applicability of services
Successful transitions
Implementation of services and supports
Unity of effort
Resource availability and utilization
IEP review and revision
Access to school programs and services
Access to extracurricular activities
System progress in risk reduction

For more information about SES Focused Monitoring, contact Special Education Services at speced@alsde.edu .