NHDOE Special Education Program Approval & Improvement Process

Focused Monitoring for New Hampshire School Districts

The process of approving and monitoring special education programs and services in New Hampshire public schools has undergone a significant change. With 2006-2007 as a pilot year, the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) began using a Focused Monitoring model in 2007-2008 in place of the former cyclical approach to visiting school districts. The State's Focused Monitoring process brings together requirements and expectations of two major federal acts, No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the Individuals with Educational Disabilities Act (IDEA) 2004, in the alignment of State and local efforts and resources toward improved student outcomes.

A committee representing all constituent groups in New Hampshire education (parents, teachers, specialists, administrators and special education advocacy groups) chose a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) that has been used to select districts showing the greatest need for assistance and resources relating to that indicator. That KPI is the achievement gap between students with disabilities and their typical peers. The 2009 results of the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) were used as the measure for selection of the 2010-2011 Focused Monitoring districts.

Each school district selected to participate in Focused Monitoring receives ongoing technical assistance to help it narrow its achievement gap. Each district is asked to form an achievement team representative of its total education community: parents, special educators, general educators and administrators. Throughout the year, this team will collect and analyze student achievement data gathered from State and district assessments, classroom assessments and teacher observations of student work. In-depth analyses of these data will enable the team to arrive at a set of achievement gap findings and to develop an action plan to address the findings.

Compliance will be centered ona review of the IEPs of randomly selected students to ensure that IEP development and implementation meet State and federal requirements.

Plymouth State University Course Description

What Are The Expected Outcomes Of The Focused Monitoring Process?

• A systems approach to narrowing the achievement gap between typical students and students with disabilities
• Educational decisions based on student performance data
• Compliance connected to students' educational benefit
• Increased parent involvement in the special education program approval process
• Significant change in how special education services and curriculum, instruction and assessment are delivered to student with disabilities
• Closer collaboration between special educators and general educators

2012-2013 NHDOE Focused Monitoring Sites:

• Hillsboro-Deering Cooperative School District - SAU 34
• Hudson School District - SAU 81
• Manchester School District - SAU 37
• Milford School District - SAU 40
• Pittsfield School District - SAU 51
• Winchester School District - SAU 94
• Colebrook, Pittsburg & Stewartown School Districts - SAU 7*
  

  (*Focused Monitoring IEP Review only)

SAU Focused Monitoring Application and SAU Focused Monitoring Self Study 2010-2011

For any New Programs or changes to programs.
For any new special education programs or changes to existing programs, such as changes to location, grade level or disabilities served in an approved program, a "new Program or Change to Existing Program Application" must be filed with and approved by the NHDOE. To receive a form, contact jane Bergeron-Bealuieu, jbergero@seresc.net, Pat Larkin, pat@seresc.net or call 206-6800.

Note: this form is not available on the website due to the unique aspects of individual programs and clarification needed.