Outcome Measures for Special Education Private Day Schools (language only)

Item 129 #1c

Language

Page 130, after line 16, insert:

"G.1. The Department of Education shall serve as the lead agency to collect and report data that succinctly measures the progress and outcomes of students that are placed in private provider settings by such student's public school of residence in Virginia or have been placed in a private provider facility by other legal means for which the Commonwealth is responsible for providing education. In keeping with the November 1, 2018, Private Day Special Education Outcomes report's findings and recommendations, the data shall include at least student attendance rates, graduation rates, individual student progress improvement rates relative to student individual education plans, standardized test scores, return to public school setting percentages, suspension and expulsion rates, transition to enrolling in post-secondary education percentages, and parental and student perspectives.

2. The Department of Education, in collaboration with the Office of Children's Services, shall establish an implementation advisory group to assist in refining the outcome measures contained in paragraph G.1 of this item and the collection of any additional information that is beneficial in determining and measuring outcomes of such students in private day school settings that ensure a consistent set of comparable and compatible data relative to such  data of students enrolled in the public schools in Virginia and who have an individualized education plan. The advisory workgroup shall include a representative number of various stakeholders that includes, but is not limited to, private day schools, local school divisions, associations that represent private providers, and others as necessary.  The advisory group shall assist in the development of data collection protocols, requirements, and outcome reporting mechanisms.  The relevant data shall be provided to the department annually by each private provider that receives state funding for the purpose of providing services as prescribed in such student's individualized education plan.

3. The department shall begin collecting outcome data for private day special education schools in the 2019-2020 school year, if possible, but no later than the 2020-2021 school year.  If warranted, other state agencies shall provide appropriate support to facilitate the collection of such data.  All public school divisions that have students enrolled in such a private provider facility shall include in their contract for services with the private provider a requirement for the department to receive the data necessary to satisfy the data collections and subsequent reporting requirements.  The department shall report annually on the outcome data for students enrolled in special education private day schools to Chairmen of the House Appropriations, House Education, Senate Finance, and Senate Education and Health Committees by the first day of the regular General Assembly Session.

4. The Department of Education shall enter into a data sharing Memorandum of Understanding with the Office of Children's Services  to allow linkage of specific student data to specific private day schools.

5. The Department of Education and the Office of Children's Services shall have authority to implement these changes effective July 1, 2019, and prior to the completion of any regulatory process undertaken in order to effect such changes."