The Saginaw Intermediate School District along with its constituent districts must follow the federal mandate of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as well as the state requirements under the Michigan Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE). Michigan has developed Catamaran, which is designed to ensure that students and children with disabilities are serviced with appropriate educational experiences and to ensure compliance and improvement with federal mandates. Catamaran addresses both compliance and outcomes regarding students with disabilities. Under the State Performance Plan for Special Education, 20 indicators guide our local agencies as well as the Saginaw ISD to meet both the intent and mandates of the IDEA.

SPP Results Indicators

• Graduation

• Dropout

• Statewide Assessment

• Suspension and Expulsion

• Educational Environments

• Preschool Educational Environments

• Preschool Outcomes

• Parent Involvement

• Post Secondary Outcomes

• Resolution Session Agreements

• Mediated Agreements

SPP Compliance Indicators

• Disproportionate Representation-Disability 

• Disproportionate Representation-Eligibility

• Child Find

• Early Childhood Transition

• Secondary Transition

• Compliance Findings

• State Complaints

• Hearings Adjudicated

• Timely and Accurate Data

Local agencies review and analyze data to improve compliance and results of students with disabilities. At times, the Michigan Department of Education, in collaboration with the Saginaw ISD, will conduct focused monitoring activities to ensure that districts are following the legal requirements of IDEA and MARSE. Focused monitoring activities conducted by the State department ensure that the State meets the program requirements using qualifiable indicators to measure performance in the following selected priority areas:

• [A] Provision of a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment.

• [B] State exercise of general supervisory authority, including child find, effective monitoring, the use of resolution sessions, mediation, voluntary binding arbitration, and a system of transition services as defined in sections 602(34) and 637(a)(9)

• [C] Disproportionate representation of racial and ethnic groups in special education and related services, to the extent the representation is the result of inappropriate identification.

In addition to providing oversight and resources to guide compliance, the Saginaw Intermediate School District works with the Michigan Department of Education to conduct complaint investigations in the event that parents file a formal complaint alleging a violation of IDEA or MARSE against a local district. For information regarding the complaint process, click here MDE Dispute Resolution Information

For additional information regarding special education compliance or the complaint process, contact David Krantz, Director of Special Education, by emailing dkrantz@sisd.cc or calling (989) 249-8754

Technical Assistance Process

The Technical Assistance process supports the Local Education Agencies and SISD programs with professional learning and evaluating Special Education supports. The process assists schools in the improvement of best practices in special education compliance to work towards increased student outcomes.

Essentials for the TA Process include:

• Implementation and support a systematic process to determine and address needs through the General Supervision System (SISD Technical Assistance Cycle).

• Conduct onsite district level support for correction of non-compliance tasks.

• Conduct onsite special education file reviews to assist with the general supervision monitoring requirements.

• Process progress reports for corrective action plans and respond with support as needed to address needs assessment objectives.

• Develop resources for use in conducting professional development and other related professional activities associated with Special Education Technical Assistance needs.

• Conduct ongoing review and analysis of data related to the requirements with Michigan Administrative Rules of Special Education (MARSE) and the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).

• Perform internal reviews of State Performance Plan (SPP) indicators outside of the state monitoring cycle to support compliance and best practice.

For more information regarding the special education technical assistance process, contact Trish Duran, Targeted Technical Assistant Provider, by emailing  durant@sisd.cc or calling (989) 249-8715.