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Why is MCPS moving to an electronic
IEP system?
The Maryland State Department of
Education is mandating all local education agencies
use an electronic tool to capture IEP and other data
for the purposes of more accurate reporting and easier
transferability between jurisdictions.
If MSDE offers a free IEP tool,
why did MCPS purchase Encore?
The IEP tool offered by MSDE only works on the IEP.
MCPS needs to capture more information than appears
on the IEP, such as: 504 status, LEP status, discipline
status and most importantly, information concerning
interventions on behalf of a student prior to Special
Education services. As with most school systems, MCPS
has a disproportional number of African American and
Hispanic students identified as requiring Special Education
services. A key component to addressing this is accurate
data collection of interventions prior to requiring
Special Education services.
Is an online system with confidential
student data safe?
The MCPS Encore system is located on MCPS servers on
site, and uses a secure web address as well as data
encryption. The Encore system is as safe as most commercial
online banks. A key to security is staff training
so staff are aware of the security needs of keeping
student information confidential. No staff member is
allowed access to Encore until they attend a training
including security concerns.
Are all MCPS
Special Education staff required to use Encore?
Yes. In order to comply to the MSDE mandate for data
collection, all staff writing IEPs are required to use
Encore. The MCPS required use date
is January 1, 2008.
All IEPs and other documents connected to the IEP must
be completed in Encore after that date.
Can MCPS Special Education staff
use Encore prior to 1/1/08?
Yes. Once a student's IEP team members responsible
for writing that IEP are trained and have access to
the system, that team may use the Encore system prior
to 1/1/08, provided the school principal has given
permission.
What about IEP meetings that took
place between July 2007 and January 2008?
During this transition to Encore, some schools may have
meetings prior to their training, so they should record
the IEP decisions on the current form and then send
a copy of the entire form to the Encore office for entry
- CESC Room 225. This transition data entry process will
stop in January 2008.
I've attended training, but have
questions. How do I get help?
The transition from a paper based IEP tool to an online
tool will take some time to learn. During Encore training,
the training staff provided basic examples and procedures
for navigating Encore, but staff should expect to spend
some time learning Encore. During training, the following
steps were suggested if staff have questions:
a) Refer to the Encore documentation provided at training
including: MSDE Process Guide, Encore Training Workbook,
Quick Start Card and the IEP Topics Guide.
b) Check with other staff in your building: as with many
online applications, learning together is a great way
to share knowledge and 'talk-through' the Encore/IEP
process.
c) Talk with your Special Education Supervisor and Instructional
Specialist for your school. The contact
information is
located on this site.
d )Contact the MCPS Help Desk at
301.517-5800 or use their web
page. Help Desk staff have been trained to answer
many basic questions about accessing Encore and basic
navigation.
e) If the Help Desk cannot help,
they will forward the question to the Encore Data Team
for a reply.
Will there be more Encore training?
Yes. Plans are underway to provide: sessions for new
staff hired after 1/08, refresher sessions for staff
needing more help, Special Education paraeducators,
and School secretaries and Counselors who work with
the IEP process. In the future, we plan to train
all staff working with 504 accommodations for students,
as well as General Education teachers working with
Special Education students.
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