The ADE/ESS Professional Learning and Sustainability team is pleased to offer an exciting “grow-your-own” opportunity for general educators who are ready to make a difference in special education.

The General Education Teacher to Special Education Teacher (GETSET) program offers tuition reimbursement to public education agencies (PEAs) in support of general education teachers who want to pursue a career change to become special education teachers.

Participants can choose one of the following pathways:

• Standard Professional Teaching Certificate in Special Education
• Full Special Education Endorsement in:
  • Mild/Moderate Disabilities
  • Moderate/Severe Disabilities
  • Deaf/Hard of Hearing
  • Visually Impaired

All coursework for both the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate and the Full Special Education Endorsement must be completed at an Arizona institute of higher education listed on the Arizona State Board of Education-approved educator preparation programs and verified by the Arizona Department of Education Certification Unit. Please note that Early Childhood Special Education is only available through the Standard Certificate pathway.

Key Details:

• Reimbursement is provided for pre-approved courses, fees, and required materials after each semester upon successful completion of program requirements.
• PEAs may submit one application per year. The application must be submitted by the PEA and not the candidate.
• The application deadline is Friday, February 6, 2026, by 5:00 p.m.
• Applicants must have two full years of employment with the PEA by June 30, 2026.
• Applicants must commit to two years of special education teaching in the hosting PEA after completion of the certificate or endorsement.

Ready to Apply?

1. Review the GETSET Application (including the cover page, program requirements, and application questions).
2. Answer all application questions in the GETSET Application Form.
3. Email the signed cover page and unofficial transcripts to the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox with the subject line:
   [Your District or Charter Name]: 2026 GETSET Application

Please note that a new cohort for the Special Education Teacher Tuition Assistance (SETTA) program for paraprofessionals will not be offered this year. Current SETTA participants will continue in the program. PEAs may explore other tuition assistance options for paraprofessionals through the Arizona Teachers Academy.

For additional information, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.

The ADE/ESS is pleased to sponsor this event. There is no fee to attend. This presentation is a repeat of Amy’s September 2025 session.

February 6, 2026 

8:30 AM – 4:00 PM 

Rio Vista Recreation Center 

8866 W Thunderbird Rd., Peoria, AZ 85381   

Thank you to the Peoria Unified School District for providing the venue for this event. 

Lunch is on your own; there are many restaurants nearby. You also have the option to pack your lunch or pick something up and bring it back to the venue. 

Agenda 

FAQs 

Are ASHA CEs provided? No. ASHA CEs are not provided; however, you will receive a certificate of completion for 6 Professional Development Hours (PDH), which count toward CCC maintenance. You can find more information from ASHA about PDHs here. 

What is the fee to attend the workshop? This workshop is free. Lunch is on your own. 

Where do I park? You may park anywhere in front of the recreation center. Spots are plentiful, and parking is free. 

Should I bring my laptop? Yes. Amy will be sharing resources digitally throughout the day. Please charge your devices fully before you arrive. There is no power to the tables, but charging stations will be available along the walls.  

Apply to attend. Complete the application. You will be notified of the status of your application as soon as possible. 

If you have questions about this event, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.

Are your staff looking for new professional learning on current special education topics? We have an excellent opportunity for them!

Special Education Learning Experiences for Competency in Teaching (SELECT) is a federally funded program sponsored by ADE/ESS and offered through the Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University. SELECT courses are recommended for special and general education teachers, administrators, related service personnel, paraeducators, and other interested individuals.

Review the NAU SELECT Spring At-A-Glance flyer to view classes in each of the three sessions, or click the links below to register. Registration closes when classes are full or two weeks before the start of class.

Register for the January 12 – February 13, 2026 Session

• Exceptional Children in General Education Programs: Inclusion in Early Childhood
• Behavioral Management in Special Education: Trauma-Informed Practices
• Methods and Materials in Special Education: High Leverage Practices: Collaboration
• Administration and Supervision of Special Education: Legal Aspects and Compliance

Register for the February 16 – March 27, 2026 Session

• Administration and Supervision of Special Education: Conflict Resolution
• Behavioral Management in Special Education: Advanced Tier 2 PBIS & MTSS Problem-Solving Systems
• Methods and Materials in Special Education: High-Leverage Practices: Data-Driven Planning
• Methods and Materials in Special Education: Principles and Practices of Effective Co-Teaching

Register for the March 30 – May 1, 2026 Session

• Exceptional Children in General Education Programs: Autism and Communication Skills
• Diagnosis and Assessment of Exceptional Children: Psycho-Educational Assessment and Interpretation for Special Education Administrators
• Foundations of Special Education: Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities
• Assistive Technology Applications: Literacy

Course Options

• Read more about professional growth contact hours: Free for those seeking professional development.
• Read more about university credit: Ideal for teachers or administrators who need official transcripts.

For more information, please email the SELECT Inbox.

Help your team grow their expertise—share this opportunity today!

ESS collects data annually through the Teacher Attrition Survey to make informed decisions about recruitment and retention efforts in Arizona. Participation in the survey is mandatory for all public education agencies in Arizona. 

  The survey opens on November 1, 2025, and will close on January 31, 2026. Please see the attached memo for further details.

Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the survey can be located online. If you have additional questions, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.  

  Thank you for completing the Teacher Attrtion Survey. 

The National Resource Center for Paraeducators (NRCP) and the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE), in partnership with the ADE/ESS, are offering monthly, low-cost professional learning webinars for paraeducators, related service providers (RSPs), teachers, administrators, and other educators.

 Join the NRCP on the second Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for exciting topics and presenters, including the following:

 Oct 11, 2025—Differentiation in Action

• Nov 8, 2025—Accommodations & Modifications
• Dec 13, 2025—Behavior Management
• Jan 10, 2026— Artificial Intelligence 101
• Feb 7, 2026—Paraeducator Career Growth
• Mar 14, 2026—Empowering Independence: Supports for Low Incidence Disabilities
• Apr 11, 2026—Paraeducator Roles & Responsibilities
• May 9, 2026—Visual Supports for Communication
• Jun 13, 2026—The Trauma-Responsive Paraeducator
• Jul 11, 2026—Teamwork & Collaboration in Schools

 Teacher and paraeducator teams are encouraged to sign up together. The $100 registration fee per person includes 12 live webinars and extended access to the recordings until August 2026. There is a limited number of seats at this discounted price, so register now to save your spot!

 Register for Saturday Mornings with the NRCP!

 Please see the Saturday Mornings with the NRCP flyer for additional information about the professional learning series, and email Laura Lema with any questions.

Each year, ESS updates our contact lists of Lead Speech-Language Pathologists, Lead Occupational Therapists, Lead Physical Therapists, Lead School Psychologists, Assistive Technology Specialists, and Adaptive Physical Education Teachers. We use these contact lists to:

• Keep related service providers informed of relevant professional learning
• Facilitate opportunities for developing discipline-specific professional learning networks or communities of practice
• Develop a pool of expert, experienced, school-based practitioners we may call upon for such things as surveying the need for particular topics in professional learning and providing content expertise to inform or review guidelines and policies developed by ADE/ESS

Please complete this brief survey, even if your PEA has had no changes in personnel since last year or has no designated leads for related service providers.

If you have questions, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.

We are pleased to announce the release of the free Self-Regulation Curriculum (K–12) for Arizona educators!

ADE/ESS has partnered with Drs. Gaumer Erickson and Noonan to provide free access to a curriculum to build students’ self-regulation skills in Grades K–12.

1. Download the curriculum by completing a short form. You’ll be redirected to downloadable PDFs.
2. Sign up to attend a 45-minute introductory webinar, which will provide an overview of the free curriculum and resources.

The College & Career Competency Framework supports educators and families in developing resilient learners who collaborate to expand skills, express their wants and needs respectfully, and apply strategies to self-regulate and persevere.

View our self-regulation infographic, which includes the definition of self-regulation and student impacts resulting from instruction.

Do you have questions or want to learn more about professional learning for your school/district? If so, email Dr. Pattie Noonan.

In partnership with ADE/ESS, the College and Career Competencies (CCCs) Project is offering free professional learning opportunities that will help you build self-regulation, confidence, persistence, and resilience in your students. The following events are available to any K–12 district/charter educator. Click the links to learn more about each event and to register.

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.

Registration for the 2025–2026 Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) is closing soon, so please be sure to register if you are beginning your first or second year as a special education director.

This professional learning opportunity prepares new special education directors for the practical operation of a special education system. SENDS covers topics such as compliance and legal requirements, fiscal issues, assessment, general supervision, and ADE supports and resources. New special education directors directly employed by Arizona public education agencies in their first or second year as special education directors (including any previous positions) in the fall of 2025 are eligible to attend SENDS.

Registration
The $100 registration fee for SENDS includes:

• Registration for the in-person kick-off session on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at 100 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007 
• Follow-up webinars scheduled during the 2025–26 school year 
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and CEC’s Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) special interest division

Registration is open until Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

Travel Reimbursement
Funding is available for travel costs for districts and charter organizations traveling 51 miles or more from the school district or charter office to 100 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007.  The district or charter organization will receive the reimbursement, not the special education director, via the Arizona Procurement Portal. Please note that APP registration and an additional completed State Procurement Office Form will be required. ADE/ESS will provide information regarding travel reimbursement to eligible PEAs once registration is completed. The PEA must complete the initial registration by August 15 to be considered for travel reimbursement for SENDS.

Register for the Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) training!

If you have questions about SENDS, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.

September 11, 2025
8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Rio Vista Recreation Center
8866 W Thunderbird Rd., Peoria, AZ 85381

Thanks to Peoria Unified School District for providing the venue for this event.

ADE/ESS is pleased to bring Amy Graham, CCC-SLP, back to Arizona this fall for a brand-new topic. This intensive, full-day workshop will equip speech-language pathologists, speech-language technicians, and speech-language pathology assistants with advanced strategies for effectively and efficiently addressing challenging speech sound disorders. We will cover how to implement evidence-based approaches for remediating severe phonological impairments, techniques for treating challenging articulation errors, like lateral lisps and /ɹ/ distortions, as well as methods for effectively addressing motor speech deficits among children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).

Key Topics
This course goes beyond the basics, diving deep into the most effective, evidence-based methods for treating complex speech sound disorders. These advanced strategies will not only help you tackle the trickiest cases but will also enhance your overall clinical skills. This course will provide actionable, real-world techniques you can immediately apply in your therapy sessions, helping your students achieve faster, more efficient improvement.​

• Advanced Phonological Interventions: Learn how to implement evidence-based approaches to treat severe phonological impairments, including the complexity approach, cycles approach, and the multiple oppositions approach. Learning these approaches will enable you to provide targeted, effective intervention for children with the most significant phonological challenges.

• Remediation of Articulation Errors: Understand the most up-to-date practices for treating persistent articulation errors such as lateral lisps and /ɹ/ distortions. Learning how to use phonetic shaping and cognitive reframing techniques will help children of all ages overcome these stubborn errors and achieve long-lasting improvements in their speech production.

• Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS): Gain insights into evidence-based techniques for treating CAS. This workshop will cover how to select appropriate targets and utilize motor learning principles to improve speech motor planning and production for children with CAS, enabling more effective and faster progress in therapy.

• Real-World Elicitation & Generalization Strategies: Learn specific strategies for elicitation and carryover that are tailored to different types of SSDs, including phonological, articulation, and CAS. Videos of actual therapy sessions will be shown to demonstrate all these strategies and examples of how to promote generalization of speech skills from structured therapy sessions to spontaneous speech outside of your therapy room.

• Target Selection and Therapy Planning: Discover how to make informed, strategic decisions when selecting speech therapy targets, particularly for children with severe phonological impairments and motor speech deficits. You’ll leave with a clear understanding of how to structure your therapy to maximize the effectiveness of each session.

Are ASHA CEUs provided?
Although ASHA CEUs are not provided, you will receive a certificate of completion for 6 Professional Development Hours (PDH), which count toward CCC maintenance. You can find more information from ASHA about PDHs on the ASHA website.

What is the fee to attend the workshop?
This workshop is free. Lunch is on your own.

Apply to attend the workshop
You must work in an Arizona public district or charter school to attend this event. Please complete an application to attend. Completing the application does not guarantee registration. You will be notified of the status of your application as soon as possible.

If you have questions about this event, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.