2018 SPP/APR and State Determination Letters PART B – Republic of the Marshall Islands
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OSEP Response to SPP/APR
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OSEP Response to SPP/APR
400 MARYLAND AVE. S.W., WASHINGTON DC 20202 -2600
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The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by
fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES
June 28, 2018
Honorable Wilbur Heine
Minister of Education
Republic of the Marshall Islands Ministry of Education
PO Box 3
Majuro , Republic of the Marshall Islands 96960
Dear Minister Heine :
I am writing to advise you of the U.S. Department of Education's (Department) 2018
determination under section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA ). The
Department has determined that the Republic of the Marshall Islands meets the requirements and
purposes of Part B of the IDEA . This determination is based on the totality of the Republic of the
Marshall Islands ’s data and information, including the Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2016 State
Performance Plan/Annual Performance R eport (SPP/APR), other State -reported data, and other
publicly available information.
Protecting the rights of children with disabilities and their families is a key responsibility of
States, but it is not sufficient if children are not attaining the knowl edge and skills necessary to
achieve the goals of IDEA as reflected in Congressional findings in section 601(c)(1) of the
IDEA: equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self -
sufficiency. To address this concern, the Off ice of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has been
using results data when making annual determinations for States under IDEA section 616(d)
since 2014, and this year for the first time, the Department used results data when making
determinations for outlyi ng areas, freely associated States and the Bureau of Indian Education
(the Entities).
OSEP informed the Entities in their 2017 determination letters, that it was considering using both
compliance and results data when making determinations in 2018. Over t he past year, OSEP has
solicited input from the Entities on multiple occasions; in a face to face meeting on July 19, 2017
and subsequent conference calls with technical assistance providers who shared additional
questions and suggestions collected from En tities in later meetings. After careful consideration of
the input provided by each of the Entities, technical assistance providers, and other stakeholders,
OSEP developed an equitable and reasonable process for using results data with compliance data
in m aking determinations for each Entity. In early February 2018, OSEP sent a letter to the
Republic of the Marshall Islands ’Chief State School Officer explaining how both results and
compliance data would be used in making 2018 determinations.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands ’ 2018 determination is based on the data reflected in the
Entity’s “2018 Part B Results -Driven Accountability Matrix” (RDA Matrix). The RDA Matrix is
individualized for each Entity and consists of:
Page 2— Chief State School Officer
(1) a Compliance Matrix that includes s coring on Compliance Indicators and other
compliance factors;
(2) a Results Matrix that includes scoring on Results Elements;
(3) a Compliance Score and a Results Score;
(4) an RDA Percentage based on both the Compliance Score and the Results Score; and
(5) the Entity’s Determination.
The RDA Matrix is further explained in a document, entitled “How the Department Made
Determinations under Section 616(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 2018:
Freely Associated States, Outlying Areas, and the Bureau of Indian Education -Part B”
(HTDMD).
The specifics of the determination procedures and criteria are set forth in the HTDMD and
reflected in the RDA Matrix for the Republic of the Marshall Islands . In making Part B
determinations in 2018, OSEP used results da ta related to:
(1) the participation of children with disabilities (CWD) on regular Statewide assessments;
(2) the percentage of CWD who graduated with a regular high school diploma; and
(3) the percentage of CWD who dropped out.
You may access the results of OSEP’s review of the Republic of the Marshall Islands ’ SPP/APR
and other relevant data by accessing the SPP/APR module using your Entity -specific log -on
information at https://osep.grads360.org . When you access the Republic of the Marshall Islands ’
SPP/APR on the site, you will find, in applicable Indicators 1 through 16, the OSEP Response to
the indicator and any actions that the Entity is required to take . The actions that the Entity is
required to take are in two places:
(1) actions related to the correction of findings of noncompliance are in the “OSEP
Response” section of the indicator; and
(2) any other actions that the Entity is required to take are in the “Required Actions” section
of the indicator.
It is important for you to review the Introduction to the SPP/APR, which may also include
language in the “OSEP Response” and/or “Required Actions” sections.
You will also find all of the following important d ocuments saved as attachments to the Progress
Page:
(1) the Republic of the Marshall Islands ’RDA Matrix;
(2) the HTDMD document;
(3) a spreadsheet entitled “2018 Data Rubric Part B,” which shows how OSEP calculated the
Republic of the Marshall Islands ’ “Timely and Accurate State -Reported Data” score in
the Compliance Matrix; and
(4) a document entitled “Dispute Resolution 2016 -17,” which includes the IDEA section 618
data that OSEP used to calculate the Republic of the Marshall Islands ’ “Timely State
Complaint Decisions ” and “Timely Due Process Hearing Decisions” scores in the
Compliance Matrix.
Page 3— Chief State School Officer
As noted above, the Republic of the Marshall Islands ’ 2018 determination is Meets
Requirements. A State or Entity’s 2018 RDA Determination is Meets Requirements if the RDA
Percen tage is at least 80%, unless the Department has imposed Special Conditions on the State’s
or Entity’s last three IDEA Part B grant awards (for FFYs 2015, 2016, and 2017), and those
Special Conditions are in effect at the time of the 2018 determination.
Sta tes and Entities were required to submit Phase III Year Two of the State Systemic
Improvement Plan (SSIP) by April 2, 2018. OSEP appreciates the Republic of the Marshall
Islands ’ongoing work on its SSIP and its efforts to improve results for students with disabilities.
We have carefully reviewed your submission and will provide feedback in the upcoming weeks.
Additionally, OSEP will continue to work with your Entity as it implements the third year of
Phase III of the SSIP , which is due on April 1, 2019.
As a reminder Republic of the Marshall Islands must make its SPP/APR available to the public
by posting it on its agency’s website. Within the next several days, OSEP will be finalizing an
Entity Profile that:
(1) will be accessible to the public;
(2) includes t he Entity’s determination letter and SPP/APR, and all related Entity and OSEP
attachments; and
(3) can be accessed via a URL unique to the Entity, which you can use to make your
SPP/APR available to the public. We will provide you with the unique URL when it is
live.
OSEP appreciates the Republic of the Marshall Islands ’ efforts to improve results for children
and youth with disabilities and looks forward to working with the Republic of the Marshall
Islands over the next year as we continue our important work of improving the lives of children
with disabilities and their families. Please contact your OSEP State Lead if you have any
questions, would like to discuss this further, or want to request technical assistance.
Sincerely,
Ruth E. Ryder
Acting Director
Office of Special Education Programs
cc: Republic of the Marshall Islands Director of Special Education
(Grant Year 2016-2017—Issued June 28, 2018)
Some historical APRs can be found on the GRADS360 website Public Domain Clearinghouse for APRs. To find available APRs, filter by the state you want to find and then filter by the year. If you cannot find the APR you are looking for, contact the Partner Support Center at EDEN-Submission-System@ed.gov.
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Last modified on July 17, 2018