INFORMATIONAL LETTER:  85

POLICY CODE:  IHBA

 

TO:        Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, Principals, Special Education Directors, School Board Chairs, Data Technicians and Curriculum Coordinators

 

FROM:   Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner

DATE:    March 13, 2007

RE:        Student Data Workshops: School Administrative Unit (SAU) State Performance Plan (SPP) Report Cards and Public Reporting of Key Indicators

 

In December 2006, the superintendents of Maine SAUs received SPP Report Cards covering data collected for the 2004-2005 reporting period.  On February 1, 2007, SAU data collected for 2005-2006 was submitted in the Annual Performance Report (APR) to the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).  

 

Maine's Office of Special Services has scheduled regional workshops to discuss this year's SAU SPP Report Cards using 2005-06 data, as well as to provide technical assistance for improvement and public reporting.  The Team will be discussing six indicators:  Graduation (B-1), Drop-Outs (B-2), Assessments (B-3), Suspensions and Expulsions (B-4), Least Restrictive Environment (B-5), and Early Childhood Natural Settings (B-6).  Question and answers from previous workshops and the links for technical assistance by indicator are on the Maine Department of Education's SPP website at:  http://www.maine.gov/education/speced/spp/index.html.  

 

Following the meeting, one hour has been allotted for those who wish a brief and focused consultation with either of the Department's two data analysts.  Dana Duncan will be available to discuss Indicators B-3, B-5 and B-6.  George Smith will be available for consultation on Indicators B-1, B-2 and B-4. 

Teams from SAUs should attend, particularly those who oversee the data submission, and those who have responsibility for entering data into MEDMS, including data for incidents of prohibited behavior (IPB).  In order to have your SAU's Report Card available at the workshop, you will need to register by emailing Debbie.Violette@maine.gov with each registrant's:

                                    Name

                                    Job title

                                    SAU

                                    Phone number

                                    Email address

                                    Session date and location, and

                                    Indicators for which you wish consultation.

 

Meetings will be held for two hours on the following dates in the following locations:

April 3, 2007          9-11 a.m.         Public Safety Building, Florian Hall, Augusta

April 5, 2007          1-3 p.m.           USM, Glickman Library, 7^th Floor, Portland

April 11, 2007        1-3 p.m.           Bangor Motor Inn, Bangor

April 12, 2007        1-3 p.m.           University Center, Houlton

 

If you have any questions, please contact:  Dr. Pamela Rosen, pam.rosen@maine.gov, or call her at (207) 624-6648.  We hope you will plan to send a team to this useful workshop.

 

pcr