State Gives Andover Schools Positive Review After December Visit

ANDOVER, MA — Andover Public Schools received a positive review from state education officials, the district announced this week. On its Tiered Focused Monitoring Report, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education found that the district was in compliance with all criteria reviewed, and that no corrective action is required. The district was reviewed on its compliance with state and federal regulations regarding special education, civil rights, and English language learning.

Districts are monitored every six years for compliance. In 2014, after a prior review, the district put into place a plan to correct shortcomings the Department had identified. DESE had found multiple issues in all three categories, prior to that plan.

For of the 2019 review, the district submitted documentation to the Department, and then representatives visited the district in December.

"This year, we achieved a perfect report on the 33 areas DESE reviewed in addition to the federal requirements. I am very proud of the work our department coordinators, educational team facilitators, teachers and specialists put into a deep review of their practices and development of new processes and procedures," said Sara Stetson, assistant superintendent of student services, in a statement.

"The professionalism with which they took on this work has been commendable. I look forward to leading the work on Andover's next set of compliance reviews," Stetson said.

"I am extremely pleased with DESE's findings," Superintendent Sheldon Berman said in a statement.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.