2023 SPP/APR and State Determination Letters, Part B — Republic of the Marshall Islands
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2023 SPP/APR and State Determination Letters, Part B — Republic of the Marshall Islands
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2023 SPP/APR and State Determination Letters, Part B — Republic of the Marshall Islands
400 MARYLAND AVE. S.W., WASHINGTON DC 20202-2600
www.ed.gov
The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by
fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
U
NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
O
FFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES
June 23, 2023
Honorable Wilbur Heine
Minister of Education, Sports, and Training
Republic of the Marshall Islands Ministry of Education, Sports and Training
P.O. Box 3
Majuro , MH 96960
Dear Minister Heine:
I am writing to advise you of the U.S. Department of Education's (Department) 2023
determination under Section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The
Department has determined that Marshall Islands meets the requirements and purposes of Part B
of the IDEA. This determination is based on the totality of Marshall Islands’ data and
information, including the Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2021 State Performance Plan/Annual
Performance Report (SPP/APR), other State -reported data, and other publicly available
information.
The Office of Spe cial Education Programs (OSEP) is continuing to use both results data and
compliance data in making determinations for outlying areas, freely associated States and the
Bureau of Indian Education (the Entities) in 2023, as it did for determinations in 2022.
1 Marshall
Islands’ 2023 determination is based on the data reflected in the Entity’s “2023 Part B Results-
Driven Accountability Matrix” (RDA Matrix). The RDA Matrix is individualized for each Ent ity
and consists of:
(1) a Compliance Matrix that includes sc oring 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 2023:
1 For the 2023 determinations, OSEP is using results data on the participation and performance of children with
disabilities on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for the 50 States, the District of Columbia,
and Puerto Rico. Starting in 2023, OSEP is using the NAEP data in making Puerto Rico’s determination (as indicated
in the 2022 determination letters to States and Entities). OSEP did not use NAEP data in making the BIE’s 2023
determination because the NAEP data available for the BIE were not comparable to the NAEP data available for the 50
States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico; specifically, the most recently administered NAEP for the BIE is
2019, whereas the most recently administered NAEP for the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico is
2022.
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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 document
and reflected in the RDA Matr ix for Marshall Islands. In making Part B determinations in 2023,
OSEP used results data 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.
Prior to issuing the 2023 determinations, the Department asked stakeholders for input regarding
how the Department might prioritize equity and improve results for infants, toddlers and children
with disabilities . OSEP received input through a variety of sources. For its 2023 determinations,
OSEP has factored only programmatic (not Department- wide) specific conditions when scoring
the Longstanding Noncompliance element of the Compliance Matrix. Also, while Indicator 4B
(significant discrepancy, by race or ethnicity, in rates of suspension and expulsion for children
with disabilities ) continued to be a factor in each Entity’s 2023 Compliance Matrix, no Entity’s
2023 determination was negatively impacted due solely to its Indicator 4B data.
For 2024 and beyond, the Department is considering the weight of existing as well as potential
additional factors in making its determinations as part of its continuing effort to prioritize equity
and improve results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. Potential additional
factors include how the Department cons iders assessment data, such as whether to continue
including data on the participation and proficiency of CWD on the NAEP and/or whether to
include data on the proficiency of CWD on Statewide assessments. Other potential factors
include whether and how to consider child find under Indicators C-5 and C-6 and/or other
longstanding noncompliance (such as unresolved findings issued by OSEP during and prior to
FFY 2020).
Starting with the 2022- 23 data submitted to EDFacts, States or Entities will submit the majority
of the IDEA Section 618 data collections (i.e., Part B Child Count and Educational
Environments, Part B Personnel, Part B Exiting, Part B Discipline, and Part B Assessment) via
the new EDPass system. The Part B Dispute Resolution and the Part B Maint enance of Effort
Reduction and Coordinated Early intervening Services data will continue to be submitted via
EMAPS.
The 2022-23 IDEA Section 618 Part B data will continue to prepopulate the Part B SPP/APR
Indicators 3, 5, and 6 as they have in the past. However, please note that there will be changes to
the data submission and data quality processes associated with the 2022-23 IDEA Section 618
Part B data under EDFacts Modernization. Under EDFacts Modernization, States or Entities are
expected to submit high-quality IDEA Section 618 Part B data that can be published and used by
the Department as of the due date for the applicable IDEA Section 618 data submission. Starting
with the 2022-23 IDEA Section 618 Part B data, States or Entities will be expected to conduct
data quality reviews prior to the applicable due date. OSEP will expect States or Entities to take
one of the following two actions for all business rules that are triggered in the EDPass or
EMAPS system prior to the applicable due date: 1) revise the uploaded data to address the edit;
or 2) provide a data note addressing why the data submission triggered the business rule. Please
note that States or Entities will be unable to submit the IDEA Section 618 Part B data to the
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Department without taking one of these two actions. There will not be a resubmission period for
the IDEA Section 618 Part B data. The 2022-23 IDEA Section 618 Part B data submitted as of
the applicable due date will be used for the FFY 2022 SPP/APR and the 2024 IDEA Part B
Results Matrix.
You may access the results of OSEP’s review of Marshall Islands’ SPP/APR and other relevant
data by accessing the EMAPS SPP/APR reporting tool using your Entity-specific log-on
information at https://emaps.ed.gov/suite/
. When you access Marshall Islands’ SPP/APR on the
site, you will find, in applicable Indicators 1 through 17, 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
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 documents saved as attachments:
(1) Marshall Islands’ RDA Matrix;
(2) the HTDMD document;
(3) a spreadsheet entitled “2023 Data Rubric Part B,” which shows how OSEP calculated
M arshall Islands’ “Timely and Accurate State- Reported Data” score in the Compliance
Matrix; and
(4) a document entitled “Dispute Resolution 2021-2022,” which includes the IDEA Section
618 data that OSEP used to calculate Marshall Islands’ “Timely State Complaint
Decisions” and “Timely Due Process Hearing Decisions” scores in the Compliance
Matrix.
As noted above, Marshall Islands’ 2023 determination is Meets Requirements. A State or
Entity’s 2023 RDA Determination is Meets Requirements if the RDA Percentage is at least 80%,
unless the Department has imposed Specific Conditions on the State’s or Entity’s last three
IDEA Part B grant awards (for FFYs 2020, 2021, and 2022), and those Specific Conditions are
in effect at the time of the 2023 determination.
As a reminder, Marshall Islands must make its SPP/APR available to the public by posting it on
its agency’s website. Within the upcoming weeks, OSEP will be finalizing an Entity Profile that:
(1) includes the Entity’s determination letter and SPP/APR, OSEP attachments, and all
Entity attac hments that are accessible in accordance with Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and
(2) will be accessible to the public via the ed.gov website.
OSEP appreciates Marshall Islands’ efforts to improve results for children and youth with
disabilities and looks forward to working with Marshall Islands over the next year as we
continue our important work of improving the lives of children with disabilities and their
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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,
/s/
Valerie Williams
Director
Office of Special Education Programs
cc: Marshall Islands Director of Special Education
(Grant Year 2021–2022 — Issued June 23, 2023)
How the department made determinations (Entities)
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Last modified on August 17, 2023