Focused monitoring is a new way of determining compliance with federal and state special education laws and regulations while also addressing educational benefit. Focused monitoring emphasizes two major areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997: access to the general curriculum and improved educational performance for children with disabilities. This is a process that purposefully selects priority areas to examine for compliance/results while not specifically examining other areas for compliance to maximize resources, emphasize important variables, and increase the probability of improved results."

New Mexico began using this form of monitoring during the 2001-2002 school year. This method of monitoring not only identifies areas of non-compliance but also guides the district in developing an Improvement Plan to enhance outcomes for students with disabilities.

• Focus Indicators
• Selection Data
• 2005-06
• 2004-05
• Focused Monitoring Reports
• Gifted Focused Monitoring
• Progressive Interventions