All public education agencies (PEAs) that have served special education students during the 2012-2013 school year are required to submit Annual Special Education Data information to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE).

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that training for this data collection requirement will be offered in May and June 2013 via webinars and regional workshops. Webinars provide the convenience of attending a training session right from your own desk. However, for participants who prefer in-person trainings, four regional workshops will also be offered.

If you would like to attend one of the scheduled trainings, registration is required. Please review the 2013 ADC Flyer for dates, times, and descriptions of the various webinars and workshops, as well as registration information.

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These webinars will be of greatest benefit to public education agencies (PEAs) that:

• Participated in last year’s (2012) survey;
• Are required to participate this year (2013) or next year (2014); and
• Are not required, but choose to voluntarily participate for local programmatic planning purposes.

Scheduled Webinars

Results of the 2012 PSO Survey & How to Access Local PSO Data

Do you know what Arizona students are doing one year after leaving school? This webinar will share state results and demonstrate how to locate local results.

April 23, 2013            1:30 p.m.—3:00 p.m.

April 25, 2013             9:00 a.m.—10:30 a.m.

Getting Ready for the PSO Survey: Tips, Tools & Resources

The online application doesn’t open until July 1, 2013, but there are tips and tools you can use now to ensure an easy and meaningful process.

April 29, 2013            1:30 p.m.—2:30 p.m.

May 1, 2013                9:00 a.m.—10:00 a.m.

May 13, 2013              11:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.

Essentials for Participation in the 2013 PSO Survey

This webinar will identify requirements for participation in this year’s PSO Survey and outline the data collection systems that will measure and profile the post-school experiences of youth with disabilities. A demonstration of the online application used for data entry will also be provided.

June 10, 2013             1:00 p.m.—2:30 p.m.

June 11, 2013             9:00 a.m.—10:30 a.m.

June 12, 2013             10:30 a.m.—12:00 p.m.

June 26, 2013             1:30 p.m.—3:00 p.m.

Additional webinars may be scheduled, dates and times TBD.

Check http://tinyurl.com/PSO2013 for updates.

If you wish to attend a PSO Survey webinar training, registration is required!

To register, click on the date you wish to attend.

For more information on Arizona Post School Outcome (PSO) Survey trainings,  please contact Lorrie Sheehy at Lorrie.Sheehy@azed.gov; PSOInbox@azed.gov or call 520-542-9412.

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce an upcoming webinar related to Common Core State Standards. In this webinar, Common Core Differences, Sandra Albertie from achievethecore.org will discuss what makes the Common Core State Standards different than the typical state standards that preceeded them. These differences have significant implications on both what and how we teach. She will discuss the major shifts called for by the Standards and explain the rational behind these changes in the classroom. She will also discuss how the work of Common Core State Standards implementation integrates into a system of improving education. Finally, Sandra will share tools and resources that are helpful for understanding and implementing the Standards.

Please send this invitation to all educators who will benefit from learning more about Common Core. The webinar is free and has no participation limitation. The presenter does an effective job of showing participants relevant information to better understand Common Core Standards. Additionally, participants will see how these standards are effectively implemented.

Join us for a Webinar on May 3 from 3:30 – 5:00 PM MST.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/159631654

If you have any questions, please email Lisa Aaroe at lisa.aaroe@azed.gov.

To be added to a list of interested participants for our next round of training, please provide your contact information here.

Arizona Education Leaders and Teachers,

PARCC has released the Accommodations Manual for public comment through May 13, 2013. Representatives from Arizona’s Department of Education have been intimately involved and influential in the development of this document and would like to invite questions and feedback from the field.

In order to facilitate this, a webinar has been scheduled for Thursday, May 2, 2013, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is critical that district leadership and EL specialists, as well as general education and special education teachers understand the accommodation proposals contained in the manual. Many of the accessibility features of the new PARCC assessment will impact general education students as well as those with special needs. The PowerPoint presentation will highlight features of the document as well as provide opportunities for questions and feedback.

Please plan to join us for this informative presentation.  Registration is available through the following link: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/449310806.

Please direct questions to Pat Reynolds at Patricia.Reynolds@azed.gov or via phone, 602-364-1296.

Reminder, the period for public comments on the PARCC Accommodations Manual ends on May 13, 2013.  Please visit the announcement from ADE Assessment here.

This training applies information from previous Secondary Transition training (s) conducted by our ADE/ESS transition specialists. The expectation is that participants attending this training come with a foundation of Indicator 13 knowledge. It is geared for those that are looking to evaluate their IEPs and increase the potential success of the transition plan, for individuals with disabilities, by answering four essential evaluative questions. You will receive clarification on the differences between interest, preferences, and strengths assessment information, how to approach the development of activities, as well as course work documentation related to the measurable postsecondary goals. After a quick review of Indicator 13 information, each IEP will be reviewed to answer the four essential evaluative questions that are designed to write better ‘transition plans’.

May 1, 2013
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Pueblo Magnet High School
3500 S. 12th Ave.
Tucson, AZ

Register for this event here.

Visit the Secondary Transition page.

Please contact Jeannette Zemeida if you have any questions about this program.

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This interactive workshop is especially designed for special educators responsible for developing and implementing IEPs that include transition planning for students with significant intellectual disabilities. Examples of age-appropriate transition assessments and interagency collaboration will be provided.

May 1, 2013
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Pueblo Magnet High School
3500 S. 12th Ave.
Tucson, AZ

Register for this event here.

Visit the Secondary Transition page.

Please contact Jeannette Zemeida if you have questions about this program.

Back to Secondary Transition.

Back to ESS Calendar.

This behavior workshop will include an overview of brain-behavior relationships, the importance of executive functions, and signs/symptoms of brain injury and neurological impairments as observable behaviors. Focus will be on determining students’ strengths and assets using a hypothesis testing approach (OCCHTA) to conduct behavioral assessments and create appropriate interventions/strategies for the classroom and community. The format will be lecture with open discussion, situation study and one case study with an emphasis on strengthening team interactions. Materials will be provided.

PREREQUISITE: TBI 101: Can’t You See Me? or TBI: The Invisible Disability  

Traumatic Brain Injury Page on the Special Education web site.

Register for this training here.

Please contact Jeannette Zemeida if you have any questions about this program.

Please review and provide feedback on the attached PARCC Accommodations Manual addressing accommodations for students with disabilities and English Learners. Your feedback is critical and the careful consideration of allowable accommodations will greatly impact our students. PARCC will be accepting public comments from April 18 through May 13, 2013.

The draft PARCC Accommodations Manual is a comprehensive policy document that will support local educators in the selection, administration, and evaluation of accommodations for the assessment of SWD and ELs on the PARCC End-of-Year, Performance-Based, and Mid-Year assessment components.

The majority of the proposed accommodations policies in the Manual are currently in use across PARCC states. What is different from many current state accommodations manuals, however, is that the draft PARCC Manual includes not only proposed participation and accommodations policies for SWD and ELs, but also information about tools that will be provided through PARCC’s computer-based assessment delivery system for all students to optimize their performance on the assessments.

The purpose of the stakeholder input process is to engage and encourage feedback from critical stakeholders to meet four specific objectives:

• Strengthen the draft PARCC Accommodations Manual through strong and targeted feedback from multiple perspectives.
• Build awareness and understanding of the draft Manual among critical stakeholders in states.
• Encourage support and buy-in of the draft Manual by giving critical players and the public the opportunity to engage in the development process.
• Inform the decisions of Governing Board when they vote to adopt the PARCC Accommodations Manual on June 26, 2013.

After the public comment period, PARCC will review and analyze stakeholder feedback in order to make necessary changes to finalize the Manual. The full PARCC Governing Board will be asked to vote on the adoption of the final first edition of the Manual on June 26, 2013.

Draft – PARCC Accommodations Manual

Draft – PARCC Accommodations Manual – Frequently Asked Questions

There are separate surveys for EL and SWD accommodations to be completed following your review at this link to the PARCC website:

http://parcconline.org/parcc-draft-accommodations-manual

Remember: Share this web post with all general education and special education teachers as well as other stakeholders! If you have any questions please call the Assessment Section at 602.542.5031. Thank you for taking the time to review this important document.