In May 2000, the state of Texas was selected to be monitored by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Texas is following the OSEP Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process (CIMP) which is designed to assess the impact and effectiveness of State and local efforts in providing early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families, and a free appropriate public education to children and youth with disabilities.
Texas appointed stakeholders representing diverse perspectives to a steering committee. This steering committee is assisting the Agency and State through the OSEP Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process and the ongoing State Improvement Process.
The OSEP Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process consists of seven phases:
PRODUCT | Texas Self-Assessment Report (December 2000)
PRODUCT | Texas Public Meeting Report (July 2001)
At each district site, OSEP visited a high school campus and one or two elementary campuses (dependent on school district size). The OSEP also visited TYC facilities, conducted interviews with TEA staff, and met with the Texas Steering Committee.
On March 10, 2003, OSEP sent TEA the OSEP Monitoring Report (March 10, 2003). The report includes areas of noncompliance, strengths, and suggested areas of improvement for IDEA-B (ages 3-21) and IDEA-C (ages 0-3) programs in the state of Texas. The State was given 60 days to respond to the report. In the past, Texas would have been required to submit a "corrective action plan." Under the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process, OSEP requests states to develop an improvement plan. View PowerPoint presentation on Overview of Monitoring Report
PRODUCT | Texas Improvement Plan (May 2003)
PRODUCT | Texas Improvement Planning Report (October 2001)
Complete information on the federal monitoring process can be viewed at the Federal Resource Center for Special Education (FRC)'s Web site: OSEP 2000-2001 Monitoring Manual. Additional information on monitoring can be found at the National Monitoring and Promising Practices web site.
For information on the federal monitoring process in Texas, contact the Division of Special Education.
Texas Education Agency | Division of Special Education Last Updated: June 2, 2003 | Created: November 3, 2000 Send Comments or Suggestions to the Web Administrator.
OSEP Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process
The Texas Self-Assessment Steering Committee met for a series of working sessions in September, October, November, and December 2000 to perform the Self Assessment. This Self Assessment was based on OSEP indicators (performance measures) across four areas: Free Appropriate Public Education in the Least Restrictive Environment, General Supervision, Parent Involvement, and Secondary Transition.
Areas of improvement identified in the Texas Self-Assessment Report will be reviewed and addressed in the State's improvement plan. This report was submitted to the OSEP on December 21, 2000.
The State conducted five public meetings across the state to validate the Self-Assessment data. Representatives from the OSEP attended the Public Meetings in Houston and Austin, June 2001. Information about Texas' Validation Planning Phase.
Areas of improvement identified in the Texas Public Meeting Report will be reviewed and addressed in the State's improvement plan. This report was submitted to the OSEP on September 5, 2001.
During the week of May 6-10, 2002, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) were in the State as part of the on-site monitoring phase of the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process. Seven school districts and four Texas Youth Commission (TYC) facilities were selected for on-site visits:
The Improvement Plan is the State's response to the OSEP Monitoring Report and addresses areas of improvement identified during the self-assessment and validation planning (public meeting) phases, as well as areas of noncompliance identified during the OSEP on-site Monitoring Visit. This Plan was submitted to the OSEP on May 23, 2003.
This Web page has been developed to report the State's activities in relation to the Continuous Improvement Monitoring Process. Reports submitted to OSEP in response to the CIMP can be accessed through this Web page.
The Improvement planning process began shortly after the completion of the self-assessment phase. This improvement planning process is documented in the Texas Improvement Planning Report (our State's "plan for improvement planning"). Upon receipt of the OSEP Monitoring Report in March 2003, the State finalized its improvement plan to submit to OSEP. The Texas Improvement Plan addresses areas of improvement identified in the self-assessment and public meeting phases, as well as areas of noncompliance identified by OSEP during their on-site monitoring visit.
The report includes a listing of the overall areas of improvement identified during the self-assessment and validation planning phases of the CIMP and how our State will address these areas through the Improvement Planning Process. This "Plan for Improvement Planning" report was submitted to the OSEP on October 19, 2001. This report is not the final improvement plan for the State.
Implementation of improvement strategies coincided with the Improvement Planning phase (see above).
OSEP verifies effectiveness of improvement strategies. Consequences could include recognition of improvement or implementation of sanctions.
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