Department unveils new cyclical monitoring process for special education; data collection and spending drew questions

The Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education Support presented a new cyclical monitoring system intended to standardize how the state oversees special education services, including program structure review, indicator- and data-driven probes, educational-environment verification, fiscal monitoring, student file reviews, classroom observations and family listening sessions.

Janelle Avent, administrator for the Office of Training and Monitoring, told the State Board the process — described in the presentation as the Program Approval and General Supervision monitoring process (PADSS) — was built directly from federal Office of Special Education Programs guidance and aligns monitoring components to federal requirements. Becky Fredette, state director for special education, and Melissa White, division director for learner support, joined Avent during the presentation.

Avent said the cyclical process will review LEA policies and procedures, staff credentials, special-education program narratives, and collect data-based indicators to set the rigor of file reviews. "We will look at their educational environments and verify that what they are operating aligns directly with what they're approved for," Avent said, describing classroom observations and student-file sampling. The process also includes family and caregiver listening sessions run in collaboration with the Parent Information Center; those sessions are held without district staff present, and the department redacts personally identifiable information before sharing results with districts.

Board members asked several operational questions. One member raised concerns about fiscal incentives created by federal grant carryover rules and asked whether districts feel pressure to spend allocations simply to avoid having funds reclaimed. Avent said districts are asked to declare intent to spend and that, if a district identifies they will not spend funds, the department can reallocate money to other LEAs. She noted districts can proactively return funds; that practice has been rare, she said, but the department has begun asking districts about intent to spend in January each year.

Members also pressed the department on evidence of outcomes. The department said its file review seeks service logs and measurable annual goals, but staff acknowledged many districts do not consistently collect the service-level data needed to demonstrate whether interventions are moving students toward IEP goals. Avent said correcting that gap is a priority: "We're pushing right now in the direction of we need them to at least be capturing the data," she said. The department plans targeted technical assistance and corrective-action plans designed to be supportive rather than punitive.

The board received the overview; no formal vote was required. Department staff said they will apply the PADSS process in phases, prioritize technical assistance on data collection and fiscal monitoring, and continue stakeholder engagement with districts, parent groups and federal technical assistance providers.