1. A Discussion for Supporting Local Districts’ Critical Special Education Data Needs Special Education Superintendents’ Advisory Meeting 12-11-2009

2. Main Special Education Reporting Needs State/federal counts – Fall, Dec 1, Feb, End-Of Year Day-to-day workflow, case management – Time lines: referral-IEP-Annual Review – IEP documents and all other paperwork – Medicaid Data-driven compliance: analyzing counts for SPP, CIMS

3. Special Education Data Issues Quantity - special education uses a lot of data for time lines, consents, other mandated multi-step processes, etc. Double entry of data / lack of available current data among some general student information systems (SMS) and special education systems Examples of Funding Consequences – State may redirect up to 15% of IDEA flowthrough funds for data-related and performance issues – State funding memberships – Medicaid

4. Why Use ISD Instead of State Forms? ISDs typically use their own forms because: – State IEP forms are often outdated and don’t keep up with MDE’s own policy and procedures (last state IEP version is 2007). – MDE does not develop forms for many mandated tasks (eligibility, notice, and many more). – State forms tend to quote regulations but are not formatted effectively for practical everyday use. – State forms don’t capture ISD-specific policies and procedures (Examples in Kent: transportation reasons, Medicaid permission)

5. Local SMS Current Student Management Systems (SMS) Other ISDs? File Transfer Sp Ed Module created by General SMS (if available) 3 rd party SMS products for Special Ed MI-CIS Kent ISD Special Education Portal Discussion

6. Student Management Systems (SMS) Locals within Kent ISD have a variety: Infinite Campus, Pentamation, Powerschool, CIMS, Skyward, StudentPlus, Total Recall, etc. Based on committee input, Kent ISD has endorsed Powerschool. Extended special education modules for some SMS are not always available, and vary in ability to handle everyday special education management tasks. Systems vary in their ability and flexibility to import/export data and edit forms.

7. MI Compliance Information System (MI-CIS) Free Effective reporting platform for some state reports, but not all Issues: – Has fields useful for everyday tasks, but has limited export capability – Imports nothing - manual entry into MI-CIS required – Limited number of districts have access IEP module (state form) but module does not include many other required special education forms

8. Special Education Modules Created by Student Management Systems When available, a seamless extension of the SMS Vendor issues: – Cost – Usually limited to state forms: Lack of editing flexibility, infrequent updating, no ability to address local policy or issues – Not always available or effective - districts often chose another product for everyday special education

9. 3 rd Party Special Education Products Can be an effective remedy for the problems encountered with SMS special education modules and enjoy significant market share nationwide Successful products have two key features: – Well developed data import/export features – Form editing under control of end user Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) endorses: TIENET and Spectrum K-12 Vendor issues: – Cost – Flexibility – Control

10. Kent ISD Special Education Portal and eIEP Successfully imports data monthly from local districts to help produce: – Medicaid logging – eIEP and all other forms At this time, no electronic data returned to local districts – data from paper eIEPs, data sheets must be manually entered in a local SMS

11. Special Education Portal? Kent ISD Special Education Portal General Education Systems Should Kent ISD develop the Special Education Portal to return electronic data from the Kent ISD IEP and other forms and screens to local districts for import?

12. Medicaid eForms Local Info System: SMS or MI-CIS Current: Use data sheet, IEP to enter data manually uploads Future: Save updated forms and other data and send data files back to locals DraftFinal

13. File Transfer Process Secure channel already in place Common file format(s), SIF-compliant data fields To use new system, local district would need to: – Match Special Education Portal fields to data fields in local SMS – Set rules for what fields to accept, what fields to overwrite – what and when – Work with local IT staff and/or vendor to automate data merging process – Get files, periodically merge data using UICs and other data to identify students

14. An updated Special Education Portal could: Continue to do Medicaid and include convenient entry to the eIEP from same login (now separate) Fill-in and print Kent ISD forms with on-screen validation Export files to quickly populate SMS on state and federal count fields and other management data Replace MI-CIS as an everyday special education tool – Continue to rely on MI-CIS for some reports Eliminate double entry in data sheets, MI-CIS, or other Produce relevant reports Facilitate better technical assistance

15. Discussion Options to consider given that: Local SMS will likely vary for some time; and KISD-endorsed Powerschool has no special education module Question: To support local special education data needs, should Kent ISD: Purchase a 3 rd party special education product to exchange data with Powerschool and other local SMS? or Continue to develop Kent-provided resources (Medicaid and eForms, eIEP) via the Special Education Portal? or Do nothing different at this time?

16. Other ISDs: General + Special Ed Data In general (local district choices vary): Wayne – Zangle for both - Wayne also supports Zangle in 74 local districts in Oakland, Branch, Livingston, Calhoun Calhoun – Zangle/Powerschool + FOCUS (new) Macomb – Powerschool + TIENET (new) Jackson – Powerschool + Exent Ingham – Powerschool + MI-CIS Ottawa – Powerschool/Infinite Campus + MI-CIS or Infinite Campus special education module Kalamazoo – Pinnacle SIS (new) + KRESA-developed system Muskegon – Pinnacle SIS (new) + MI-CIS Saginaw – Various local choices + MI-CIS