What is Tiered Focused Monitoring? (https://www.doe.mass.edu/psm/tfm/)

District/charter schools are reviewed by the Massachusetts  Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) every three years through Tiered Focused Monitoring. This review process emphasizes elements most tied to student outcomes, and alternates the focus of each review on either Group A Universal Standards or Group B Universal Standards.

Group A Universal Standards address 

• Student identification

• IEP development

• Programming and support services

• Equal opportunity

Group B Universal Standards address 

• Licensure and professional development

• Parent/student/community engagement

• Facilities and classroom observations

• Oversight

• Time and learning

• Equal access

In addition, DESE has reserved a specific set of criteria, collectively known as Targeted Standards, employed when LEA or school-level risk assessment data indicate that there is a potential issue. Identified Targeted Standards are assessed in addition to the Universal Standards.