The Massachusetts State Performance Plan (MA SPP) and Annual Performance Reports (MA APR) are essential components in ensuring that our schools meet the requirements set forth by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). But what do these reports entail, and why are they so important?
Each state, including Massachusetts, must submit a State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR) to the federal government. These documents outline how the state is working to meet IDEA's requirements and include:
- Performance Indicators: These measure child and family outcomes and consist of eight specific indicators.
- Compliance Indicators: These measure compliance with IDEA and consist of nine specific indicators.
You can view school district data for our state's Performance and Compliance Indicators on the Massachusetts School and District Profiles website.
The Office of Special Education Planning and Policy (SEPP) is responsible for collecting, organizing, and analyzing data for the 17 Indicators of Special Education performance and compliance under IDEA. This data is submitted annually to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in the SPP/APR.
The Framing Questions provide a context for understanding the importance and meaning of each Indicator. These questions help stakeholders grasp the quality of special education services in the Commonwealth. Each webpage includes:
- A description of the Indicator
- How it is measured
- What the data shows
- What that data means for students and their families
- Additional resources to learn more
The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) plays a crucial role in ensuring access to high-quality education for all students. DESE is committed to ensuring that tools and interventions used to help students with disabilities do not perpetuate inequities. The Framing Questions and Indicators closely examine performance and compliance data related to race, ethnicity, language, and specific disability categories. SEPP aims to close achievement and equity gaps across all Indicators to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.
Some of the Framing Questions include:
- How do schools meaningfully engage parents in the education of their children with disabilities?
- Are children and youth appropriately referred, evaluated, and determined eligible for special education in a timely manner?
- What educational environments are children and youth with disabilities a part of, and do they have meaningful access to the general curriculum and the life of the school?
- What progress are young children with disabilities making in social-emotional and cognitive development, and what systems are in place to improve outcomes?
- Are children and youth equitably referred, evaluated, and determined eligible without biases?
- Are children and youth with disabilities receiving equitable behavioral support to minimize disciplinary action?
- Are the suspension and expulsion rates equitable for students with disabilities by race and ethnicity?
- In what ways are children and youth with disabilities participating in statewide assessments at rates that meet state targets?
- In what ways are children and youth with disabilities meeting grade-level academic achievement standards?
- What knowledge, skills, and experiences have youth with disabilities gained to complete postsecondary education or training, access a job that matches their individual interests and skills, earn a life-sustaining wage, and be an active community member?
- Does the state's dispute resolution system result in settlement and mediation agreements?
Massachusetts's SPP/APR submissions are required every six years, with annual performance reports against the targets. These submissions are reviewed and approved by OSEP each year.
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