The Pre-Review Meeting
In preparation for the onsite monitoring, FMTA teams hold a pre-review meeting in which relevant data is compiled and analyzed for questions and trends of non-compliance. The team examines data drawn from sources such as the California Special Education Management Information system (CASEMIS); district status on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), and the district's complaint and fair hearing history.
Questions for the onsite review period are generated from this data which form the basis of the FMTA team's monitoring plan. Data from the onsite review provides answers to these questions, resulting in modification of the monitoring plan. Thus the monitoring becomes a dynamic process with opportunities for greater individualization.
The Post-Review Meeting
Following the monitoring visit, the the FMTA team's lead consultant conducts a post-review meeting to design the corrective action plan and to develop the appropriate follow-up visits and technical assistance to the school district.
The Parent Input Session
In 2000-2001, CDE introduced the parent/guardian input meeting as a mechanism for bringing forward the perspectives and experiences of parents and guardians as part of the verification review. At the beginning of the review, participants at this meeting inform the monitoring team of additional areas of suspected noncompliance according to specific themes, as well as provide an awareness of other issues important to families. The meetings are required under the Supplemental Budget Report to the legislature.
The Special Education Division's Verification Review Training Materials (October 2000) outline the content, design, format, and methods of the input session. In summary, the meeting may provide the review team with information not available through other, more qualitative sources. The information gained may verify or contradict information obtained from other activities, and thus, result in a modification of the monitoring plan. The meeting may reveal the relationships, roles, and perceptions of parents with regard to district operations and procedures.
Review of Student Records
The Verification Review Training Materials delineate the procedures for student record reviews. The records are randomly selected and provide information on compliance with state and federal law. Two types of forms are used for assessing compliance: age forms and supplemental topic forms. Record review is completed by the CDE monitoring team, school district staff, and consultants from training and technical assistance projects. Beginning in 2000-01, the list of records to be reviewed was no longer issued to districts in advance of the review.
