Methuen Public Schools 5550

Date

6/4/21

LEA

Methuen Public Schools

5550

Issue

(1) Student not able to access remote learning during COVID shutdown and did not receive all services specified on IEP from April 2020 through end of school year;

(2) IEP Team did not address student’s academic and behavioral needs through review and revision of IEP when student remained remote for 2020-2021 school year;

(3) Parent did not receive proposed IEP in English or Spanish;

(4) District did not translate work assignments, remote learning plan, or special education learning plan into Spanish

Finding

Noncompliance:

(1) District did not report student progress toward annual goals and benchmarks/objectives on current IEP;

(1) District based the student’s learning plan and programming on goals from a prior IEP, therefore denying FAPE;

(2) District measured progress for goals of a prior IEP instead of the current 2020-2021 IEP therefore denying FAP and insufficiently monitoring implementation of the IEP;

(3) District did not provide IEP immediately following team meeting;

(4) District did not provide remote learning plan and special ed. learning plan in Spanish

Compliance:

(4) There is no requirement that district translate student assignments into another language

Corrective Action

District, with parent, must develop compensatory services plan for 4/20-6/20 and 2020-2021 school year and submit to DESE by 7/9/21. If no plan can be mutually agreed upon, DESE will create the plan.

District must conduct training for staff responsible for monitoring students placed in out-of-district programming, including ensuring implantation of IEP, progress reporting, and procedures for lack of progress

District must review and revise procedures re: providing translated communications to families whose primary language is not English, ensure that documentation relevant to IEP process is translated, review procedures with staff, and provide documentation to Dept.