Don't miss out on three exciting opportunities at the 2025 IDEA Conference: Access Cultivates Opportunity, August 21–22, 2025, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona.

Nominations for Arizona Secondary Transition Services Awards
Recognize outstanding contributions to secondary transition services. Nominate a youth/young adult, community member, or educator by submitting an online nomination form.

Call for Student Artwork
Showcase student talent at the IDEA Conference! If you know a student artist interested in displaying his or her artwork, please complete the 2025 Student Artwork Entry form.

Youth and Family Scholarships
Scholarships are available for Arizona youth and their families to attend the conference. Apply using the Youth and Family Scholarship application.

The deadline for these opportunities is May 27, 2025.

For more information, visit the IDEA Conference website or email the IDEA Conference inbox.

ADE/ESS is thrilled to announce that registration is now open for Arizona's 2025 IDEA Conference: Access Cultivates Opportunity. This year's conference will take place from August 21–22, 2025, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

The registration fee for professionals is $400 per person, payable by credit card, check, or purchase order. Given the approaching procurement deadlines for PEAs, we encourage you to register promptly, as spots are expected to fill quickly.

Registration Process:

1. Request a Seat: Submit your seat request by July 25, 2025.
2. Submit Payment: Once your seat request is approved, you will receive payment instructions to complete your registration through the Arizona Professional Learning & Development (APLD) application.

To ensure equal access, we may limit the number of attendees per district or charter organization. Please note that if payment is submitted without an approved seat request, it will be canceled. You will need to submit a seat request first.
For more information on registration, including how to make a Save My Seat request, lodging options, and FAQs, please visit the IDEA Conference Registration webpage.

ADE/ESS is excited to announce two fantastic opportunities at the 2025 IDEA Conference: Access Cultivates Opportunities, happening August 20–22, 2025, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona.

Nominations for Arizona Secondary Transition Services Awards

Recognize outstanding contributions to secondary transition services across Arizona. Learn more and nominate a youth/young adult, community member, or educator for their exceptional efforts by submitting an online nomination form.  

Nomination Categories:

• Youth/Young Adult: Actively engaged and successfully navigating the secondary transition planning process.
• Community Member: Providing exemplary support for students and/or young adults with disabilities to enhance community-based experiences.
• Educator: PEA or Secure Care-certified staff, support staff, related service providers, or administrators offering remarkable secondary transition services.

Submit your nominations by Tuesday, May 27, 2025. Award winners will be notified in July.

Call for Student Artwork

Showcase student talent at the IDEA Conference! If you know a student artist interested in displaying his or her artwork, please view the Call for Student Artwork flyer linked below for more details. Please complete the 2025 Student Artwork Entry form before Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to have artwork considered for display.

Please email the IDEA Conference inbox for questions about nominations or student artwork submissions.

Download our flyers for more information on the Secondary Transition Services Awards and Call for Student Artwork.

ADE/ESS is excited to announce keynote speakers for Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference: Expect, Engage, Achieve. This year’s conference will be held from September 4–6, 2024, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix. Please see the conference flyer to learn about Valerie C. Williams, Erik Carter, Perry Zirkel, and Pamela Schuller. Additional national speakers and exciting conference events will be shared soon.

Register for the 2024 IDEA Conference in the Arizona Professional Learning and Development System (APLD). The conference registration fee for professionals is $575 per person and can be paid by credit card, check, or purchase order. Please visit the IDEA Conference Registration web page to learn more about registration options, lodging, and frequently asked questions.

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you and looks forward to this year’s conference. Stay informed by visiting the IDEA Conference website for updates, including announcements about premier speakers and conference schedules. Questions can be emailed to the IDEA Conference inbox.

ADE/ESS is excited to announce the opening of registration for Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference: Expect, Engage, Achieve. This year’s conference will be held from September 4–6, 2024, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix. Please visit the IDEA Conference website to learn about our keynote speakers: Valerie Williams, Perry Zirkel, Pamela Schuller, and Dr. Erik Carter. Additional national speakers and exciting conference events will be shared soon. 

The conference registration fee for professionals is $575 per person and can be paid by credit card, check, or purchase order. ADE/ESS is aware that PEAs may have approaching procurement deadlines related to issuing purchase orders, so please do not delay in registering for the conference. Registration is anticipated to fill quickly.

Register for the 2024 IDEA Conference in the Arizona Professional Learning and Development System (APLD). Interested participants must have an ADE Connect account to complete the registration. See the APLD Learner Guide for detailed steps to complete registration.

Please visit the IDEA Conference Registration web page to learn more about registering, including making a Save My Seat request, Lodging, and Frequently Asked Questions.

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you and looks forward to this year’s conference. Stay informed by visiting the IDEA Conference website for updates, including announcements about keynote speakers. Questions can be emailed to the IDEA Conference inbox

ADE/ESS is thrilled to present three exciting opportunities connected to this year's IDEA Conference.

Arizona’s 2024 Conference Youth and Family Scholarship
​In partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, the ADE/ESS is offering scholarships to youths/young adults aged 14 to 26 and with a documented disability, family members of students with an IEP or 504 Plan, and providers accompanying a student or family member to participate in this year's conference. Recipients of the scholarship will have their conference registration fees covered and may qualify for lodging and mileage reimbursement. A limited number of scholarships are available. Apply for the Youth and Family Scholarship by June 30, 2024.

Call for Student Artwork
ADE/ESS will showcase student artwork during this year's conference. Any student, current or recent, between 3 and 26 years old with a disability, can submit a digital copy of their artwork to be considered for display at the 2024 IDEA Conference. Submit student artwork entries through May 31, 2024.

Secondary Transition Services Awards
Nominate educators and community members who provide exceptional transition services or students who have successfully navigated through the transition planning process for a Secondary Transition Services Award. Award winners will be recognized at the 2024 IDEA Conference. Make a Secondary Transition Services Award nomination through May 31, 2024.​

For more information, please download the flyer or visit the IDEA Conference web page. For questions, please e-mail the IDEA Conference Inbox.

In partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, ADE/ESS is excited to be able to offer scholarships for Arizona youth and their families. Scholarships are available so that youth and young adults with disabilities and/or their family member/personal assistant can attend Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference: Expect, Engage, Achieve.

This cross-stakeholder event is intended for special education administrative staff, youth and young adults with disabilities, family members and caregivers, state agency staff, educators, service providers, and community members committed to student success. The event will feature numerous professional learning opportunities, including IDEA legal issues, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, and content for related service providers. This year’s conference will be held from September 4–6, 2024, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

Who can apply for a scholarship:

• Youth/young adult between the ages of 14 and 26 who has a documented disability
• Family member of a student with an IEP or 504 Plan
• Direct care provider who attends with a student or family member

Scholarships will cover each recipient's conference registration fee and lodging and mileage for eligible recipients. Additional, important information is listed in the application.

A limited number of scholarships are available. Please complete the Youth and Family Scholarship application by June 30, 2024.

Please download the Youth and Family Scholarship flyer to promote this opportunity.

For more information about the IDEA Conference, visit the IDEA Conference website. Questions about the conference, registration, or the scholarship can be sent to the IDEA Conference inbox.

Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference: Expect, Engage, Achieve, will be held in person from September 4–6, 2024, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

ADE/ESS is requesting proposals that represent your creative and research-based work. The conference will feature over 75 professional learning opportunities, including IDEA legal issues, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, and content for related service providers. Make your mark at the 2024 IDEA conference; submit your proposal now!

Session proposals are due Sunday, March 31, 2024. See the Call for Papers guidelines for information on how to submit.

Thank you for your continued dedication to advancing special education in Arizona. ESS looks forward to your valuable contributions at this year's conference. Questions can be sent to the IDEA Conference inbox.

The Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services, is thrilled to share exciting opportunities for conference attendees during Arizona's 2024 IDEA Conference: Expect, Engage, Achieve. Nominate someone today for their tremendous contributions to secondary transition services or share the artistic talents of students in person September 4–6, 2024, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Please take a moment to explore both opportunities below:

Nominations Open for Arizona Secondary Transition Services Awards

Your nomination is important to recognize the secondary transition contributions and successes happening across Arizona. To nominate a youth/young adult, community member, and/or educator for their exceptional efforts, please submit an online nomination form.

Nomination Categories:

1. Youth/Young Adult: A youth or recently graduated young adult with active engagement and successful navigation of the secondary transition planning process.
2. Community Member: An individual (employee, manager, business owner, etc.) providing exemplary support for students and/or young adults with disabilities to enhance community-based experiences.
3. Educator: A PEA or Secure Care certified staff, classified staff, support staff member, related service provider, or administrator who provides remarkable secondary transition services.

All nominations submitted on or before Friday, May 31, 2024, will be considered. Award winners will be selected and notified in July.

Call for Student Artwork: Showcase Your Talent at the IDEA Conference

The Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services (ADE/ESS) is excited to announce the display of student artwork during this year's IDEA Conference! Are you a student artist, or someone who knows of a student, who is interested in displaying artwork during this event? View the Call for Student Artwork flyer to learn more about this opportunity.

Artwork criteria and additional details can be found on the 2024 Student Artwork Entry Form. All artwork entries must be received by May 31, 2024. Please consider supporting your students in submitting artwork!

If you have any questions about nominations for the Secondary Transition Service Awards or Call for Student Artwork, please email the IDEA conference inbox.

Please download our Secondary Transition Services Award and Call for Student Artwork Flyer.

ADE/ESS is excited to share that Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference will be held from September 4–6, 2024 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

This year’s theme is Expect, Engage, Achieve. This cross-stakeholder event is intended for special education administrative staff, youths and young adults with disabilities, family members and caregivers, state agency staff, educators, service providers, and community members who share a commitment to student success.

The event will feature over 75 professional learning opportunities, including IDEA legal issues, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, and content for related service providers.

ADE/ESS is pleased to request proposals for this year’s conference. Please consider submitting presentations that represent your creative and research-based work. See the attached 2024 IDEA Conference Call for Papers Guidelines for information on how to submit. Session proposals are due March 31, 2024.

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you and looks forward to the year ahead. Stay informed by visiting the IDEA Conference website for conference updates, including registration information. Questions can be emailed to the IDEA Conference inbox.