Focusing On Special Education:

Focused Monitoring

Focused monitoring is sweeping across the country and will soon be coming to a school district near you. The New Mexico State Department of Education implemented this new evaluation process in the 2001-2002 school year. The system is designed to improve district compliance with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In particular, the focused monitoring system focuses on access to the general curriculum and improved educational performance for children with disabilities.

How does focused monitoring work? First, a team of stakeholders representing parent advocacy groups, special educators, school boards and other groups meets to determine "focus areas." In 2001-2002, the stakeholders chose three areas to review:

1. Identification and evaluation of students with disabilities, emphasizing possible over identification of students with learning disabilities;

2. Least restrictive environment, emphasizing inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classes to the maximum extent appropriate with access to the general education curriculum; and

3. Performance of students with disabilities on statewide assessments of educational development.

For the 2002-2003 school year the stakeholders agreed to consider an additional focus area:

4. Participation of students with disabilities in the standard administration of statewide assessments.

Second, the Department of Education selects the districts to monitor.

All of the Districts are divided into four groups based on size. The Department of Education selects the districts in each group which are least compliant with IDEA based on a statistical evaluation.

Third, teams made up of parents, special educators and administrators do the monitoring. The teams visit the district, interview staff, students and parents and conduct file reviews. Based on this information, the Department of Education prepares a report for each district, which describes the team's findings.

Each district is required to respond to the report with an Improvement Plan, which will result in the "Required Evidence of Change." If the district responds with a plan that lacks detail, or is not likely to result in the Required Evidence of Change, the Department of Education will work with the district to develop a better plan.

Most importantly, the Department of Education requires that Districts comply with their Improvement Plans and continues to monitor the district long after the team leaves. In New Mexico, most districts evaluated in the 2001-2002 school year are in the process of implementing their improvement plans.

The Department of Education's focus on the development of long term strategies for measurable improvement is an important step towards providing better special education services. We are very hopeful that the success of focused monitoring will mean greater success for children with disabilities in New Mexico.

Look for more information about focused monitoring in future issues of El Guardian and on our website.