FY 2012 Community Integration (Olmstead) Performance Measure:

OSSE will determine an accurate, complete count of the number of students currently served by OSSE funds in residential treatment centers. This count will include the total number of children served by disability, gender, race/ethnicity, in-state/out-of-state, type of treatment program, and length of stay.

FY 2012 Community Integration (Olmstead) Plan Outline:

OSSE maintains that all children are entitled to an equal opportunity, high quality education, in the least restrictive environment, that prepares them to be actively involved in all aspects of society. OSSE has worked to ensure that children with a disability residing in the District of Columbia are educated with their non-disabled peers to the greatest extent possible.

OSSE does not place children in residential facilities. The State Education Agency’s (SEA’s) responsibility is to pay for special education expenses for all District children placed into all nonpublic special education settings, including residential facilities, by the Local Education Agencies (LEA’s) and other District agencies.

While OSSE does not place students in facilities, OSSE plays a lead role in ensuring program quality and monitoring for compliance with federal and local law.

Agency Mission:

OSSE sets high expectations, provides resources and support, and exercises accountability to ensure that all residents receive an excellent education.

Vision:

All District residents will receive an excellent education.

Agency Future Planning:

OSSE will continue to collect data that allows the District to focus its attention on creating a more accurate picture of the population served in-state or out-of-state in residential institutions. Toward this end, OSSE will coordinate with other agencies and its Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to improve data collection to inform city-wide future planning. OSSE will also continue to support the District’s efforts to ensure a smooth and effective transition for children returning to District LEAs from more restrictive settings.

Agency’s Population and the Definition of this Population:

OSSE will continue to work with the District’s placing agencies to collect district-wide for all students placed in residential treatment centers. OSSE tracks the number and types of placements made by the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS), the District of Columbia public charter schools, and other placing agencies. Regular compilation and verification of this information will provide an accurate picture of this population.

Agency’s Barriers Unique to each Population:

OSSE is not a placing agency and therefore does not face barriers related to community-based services to the same degree. However, OSSE plays a role in supporting LEAs, through monitoring, policy issuance, and training, with appropriate placements and transitions back to less restrictive placements.

Service Needs that Challenged the Agency to Comply with the Olmstead Initiative:

OSSE’s main challenges have been related to the fact that it is a new State agency that needed to develop data systems, policies, and procedures from the ground up. OSSE has effectively developed these systems and is fully able to support the work of the Olmstead committee.

Available Resources Utilized to Safely Transition or Divert Students:

OSSE partners with all relevant stakeholders, including sister agencies and LEAs, to support the appropriate placement into, and return from, restrictive, separate settings. OSSE uses its monitoring, data, training, and policy teams to support this work.

Service Needs that Challenged Agency Compliance with the Olmstead Initiative:

OSSE does not place students in residential facilities. The State Education Agency’s (SEA’s) responsibility is to pay for special education expenses for all District children placed into all nonpublic special education settings, including residential facilities, by other the Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and other District agencies.

Barriers to Providing Self-determination and Transitioning and Diverting the Agency’s Population Away from Institutions:

OSSE does not have the authority or responsibility either to place children into or transition children from institutions. The most difficult barrier OSSE has faced is the lack of comprehensive data to accurately depict the population, to inform city-wide coordination and planning efforts.