Special Education Directors,

Are you concerned about the current rate of suspensions and expulsions at your school or district? Do you feel students are losing valuable class time due to disruptions and other behavior problems? Are teachers struggling to be successful with classroom management? Are administrators spending too much time dealing with discipline issues?  If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you might find the solution in Multi-Tier Behavior Supports.

Multi-Tier Behavior Supports (MTBS) is a three-year training series that will assist district, charter, or school teams with the development of a school-wide approach for positive behavior management practices. This training is based on School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) evidence-based elements.

Several free informational webinars are being offered to outline additional details about the MTBS model, the three-year training sequence, the readiness requirements, and the process for applying.  Attendance at one of the informational webinars is the first readiness requirement necessary for participation in the training series.

If you are interested in learning more and/or starting the readiness process, review this flyer and register to attend one of the following free webinars:

Register for April 20  from 12:00-1:00 p.m.

Register for April 26 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Register for April 27 from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Register for April 28 from 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Directions for applying for the training series will be provided during the webinar. Registration is limited to 10 teams and only one team from each district or charter. Applications earning the highest scores in the evaluation process will be approved until all seats are filled. Completed applications must be submitted by May 4, 2021 at 5:00 p.m.

The special education director is required to attend the readiness webinar for a PEA/district team. The principal is required to attend the readiness webinar for a school team.

For information regarding MTBS, please contact Celeste Nameth.

Special Education Directors,

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that preregistration for Teach Camp 2.0 is now open!

Teach Camp is a year-long support system that includes professional learning specifically designed for beginning special education teachers. The goal of Teach Camp is to increase retention of special educators by providing our newest special education teachers with the tools they need to survive and thrive during their first years in the classroom.

Teach Camp will launch virtually this summer and is designed for special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in the fall of 2021. Due to the unforeseen circumstances in the summer of 2020, we are including third-year teachers in this year’s camp. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, alternative certified teachers, and veteran general education teachers transitioning to special education are all welcome.

The cost of participation in Teach Camp is $150 and includes a three-day virtual summer “camp” from July 7–9, 2021, a one-hour virtual session in the fall and in the spring, and a one-day, in-person session in May 2022. Each camper will receive a copy of The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers, a one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children, and additional valuable resources.

Seating is limited to 250 teachers. Public districts or charter schools may indicate interest in sending staff to Teach Camp using the link below until Monday, May 17, 2021.

Preregister for Teach Camp.

After submitting your online preregistration form, you will receive an e-mail confirmation that your request has been received. Preregistration does not guarantee a seat at Teach Camp.

The ADE/ESS team will review all preregistration requests and respond by Monday, May 24 with the number of seats available to each public education agency. We cannot guarantee all seats requested; however, we will be as equitable as possible with the process. Districts and charter schools must register their special education teachers for Teach Camp by Friday, June 18.

Please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox with any questions about Teach Camp. For more information about Teach Camp, please visit the ESS Teach Camp webpage.

Special Education Directors,

Please share the following message about upcoming IDEA Conference Sessions with your staff:

April 1, 2021 from 2:45–4:00 p.m.

Reducing Data Overload & Improving Results Pivot Tables 101

Presented by Dr. Ildi Laczko-Kerr

Designed to support school and district leaders in data-driven decision making, this introductory Microsoft Excel workshop provides an overview of Pivot Tables. Participants will learn how to use Pivot Tables to analyze any data that is in Excel to drive program and instructional goal setting, planning, and decision-making. 
Participants will:

1. Learn how to save time and energy by efficiently and effectively analyzing student achievement, growth, and program data in Excel.
2. Learn how to create tables and graphs that are easy to read, interpret, and share and that communicate complex data and information.
3. Create a SMART goal to put these new skills into practice with their own data.

Prior to the training, participants should download the 2019 A-F Static data file from the Arizona Department of Education’s ADE Connect. Participants who are unable to access this data can download a sample data file from our Pivot Tables 101 session.

April 6, 2021 from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

The Burnout Cure

Presented by Chase Mielke

In this engaging, humorous, and heartfelt talk, Chase shares his experience as a veteran educator and provides key insights on how the science of small, positive moments creates thriving adults, learners, and communities. The audience will be empowered to take care of themselves so they can better take care of the young adults who need them. Participants will learn about:

• OPTIMISM—Refocus on the good in order to reignite our love for parenting,
• OWNERSHIP—Take control of our own well-being through simple, research-based actions that boost purpose and happiness,
• MINDFULNESS—Be present and turn minor moments into major momentum to thrive personally and professionally, and
• COMMUNITY—Cultivate positive relationships with kids and adults to build supportive and resilient cultures.

April 8, 2021 from 2:45–4:00 p.m.

Post School Outcomes: Stories and Strategies Behind the Data

Presented by Lisa Livesay and Sam Klein

The 2021 Post School Outcomes (PSO) survey is fast approaching. PSO involves a year-round process of gathering and analyzing data about the post school engagement of students with disabilities in postsecondary education/training or employment. In this session, you will learn the basics of PSO, review the results of Arizona's most recent PSO Survey, explore available tools and resources, and share best practice strategies for enhancing participation and engagement rate. Join us in this interactive session to share your stories and build your PSO toolkit toward a successful data collection season for you and Arizonan youths.

April 20, 2021 from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Skills to Pay the Bills: Let’s Explore Teamwork and Professionalism!

Presented by Arizona Youth Leaders of Diverse Ability Incorporated

Join the Arizona Youth Leaders of Diverse Ability Incorporated for an opportunity to develop teamwork skills along with professionalism to help you succeed and move ahead in the world of work.

April 22, 2021 from 2:45–4:00 p.m.

Skills to Increase Confidence and Perseverance: Strategies to Build Self-Efficacy

Presented by Pattie Noonan

Learn how to empower students to shift from a fixed to a growth mindset, recognize when they lack confidence, and take steps to persevere through Self-Efficacy. By teaching them how effort connects with progress and abilities, youth will be more motivated, will persevere longer, and will engage in learning. Students who have self-efficacy are more likely to take on challenging tasks, more open to feedback, and view mistakes as opportunities to learn. Free upcoming professional development opportunities will be shared through Project EASEL: Empowering Arizona with Social-Emotional Learning.

You can register by selecting sessions listed above or please visit the IDEA Conference web page:

• The Professional sessions will take place on Thursday afternoons from 2:45–4:00 p.m.
• Youth and Family sessions will take place on Tuesday afternoons from 4:00–5:00 p.m.
• Participants must register 48 hours in advance to guarantee needed accommodations.

 If you have questions, please email the conference inbox.

The ADE/ESS Professional Learning and Sustainability unit is pleased to announce two “grow your own” opportunities for educators in Arizona public schools.

• The General Education Teacher to Special Education Teacher (GETSET) program provides tuition reimbursement to certified general education teachers who want to pursue a career change to become certified in an area of special education.
• The Special Education Teacher Tuition Assistance (SETTA) program provides tuition reimbursement to paraprofessionals and educational interpreters that leads to special education teaching certification.

Certifications that satisfy the application requirements:

1. Mild/Moderate Disabilities
2. Moderate/Severe Disabilities
3. Early Childhood Special Education
4. Hearing Impaired
5. Visually Impaired

Materials for the GETSET application and the SETTA application are avilable online. LEAs have an opportunity to submit an application for one candidate per program. Applications earning the highest scores in the evaluation process will be approved until the funding that is set aside for the program is depleted. Applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 16, 2021.

Please note:

• Applicant must have been employed by the LEA for two full school years as of June 30, 2021.
• Applicant agrees to two full years of teaching in a special education capacity at the PEA once special education certification is achieved.
• Educational interpreters are now eligible to apply for the SETTA program (previously only available to paraprofessionals).

For any additional information, please email Aanya Rispoli or call (602) 364-4022.

Special Education Directors,

Please share the following message about upcoming math professional learning with general and special education teachers who teach mathematics.

March Math Office Hours

The ADE Math Team has scheduled office hours to allow educators to meet together to network, problem-solve, and develop solutions to allow all Arizona teachers and students to continue to feel supported and to be successful.

Grade-band meetings are provided for all math teachers, including special education teachers! These grade-band meetings will include opportunities for networking, problem solving, and sharing different implementation models. Office hours are one hour long with an additional 30 minutes at the end for a Q & A session.  Participants can earn one hour of professional development credit for each session attended.

Elementary Math Office Hours (Grades K–5)

Monday, March 29 from 3:30–4:30 p.m. with Q & A from 4:30–5:00 p.m.

Register in advance for the Grades K–5 meeting.

Middle School Math Office Hours (Grades 5–8)

Tuesday, March 30 from 3:30–4:30 p.m. with Q & A from 4:30–5:00 p.m. 

Register in advance for the Grades 5–8 meeting.

High School Math Office Hours (Grades 8–12)

Wednesday, March 31 from 3:30–4:30 p.m. with Q & A from 4:30–5:00 p.m.

Register in advance for the Grades 8–12 meeting.

Note: accommodations must be requested at least one week in advance of each webinar.

Please email Jenifer Fernandez or email Rob Hilliker with any questions.

Special Education Directors,

ESS is excited to announce a unique professional learning opportunity for speech-language pathologists. Please share information about this free webinar with your SLPs.

Comprehensive Assessment for SLI Eligibility: Research, Regulations, and Resources

Friday, February 19, 2021

9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m.

Description:

This presentation will discuss the use of various tools and strategies to determine a student’s patterns of strengths and needs. It will include a systematic method of integrating data from standardized and informal measures such as interviews, focused observations, language sampling, and dynamic assessment to determine presence or absence of language disorder and provide recommendations for interventions that are connected to the curriculum. The session will offer practice in implementing a comprehensive assessment approach for evaluation and eligibility decision making in schools using new tools and case studies that model the integration of multiple data sources for decision making purposes. Free assessment tools, documentation strategies, and resources will be reviewed.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe research, tools, and techniques for comprehensive assessment that align with IDEA
• Explain how to implement a microstructure and macrostructure narrative analysis using the free resources provided
• Summarize dynamic assessment methods and techniques to increase accuracy of assessment practices

Presenter:

Marie Ireland, CCC-SLP, works for the Virginia Department of Education as an educational specialist for Speech Language Pathology, Related Services, and Evaluation and Eligibility Processes. Marie has experience advocating for legislation that impacts speech-language pathologists and individuals with communication disorders at the state and national levels. She has served on the ASHA School Finance Committee, ASHA SLP Advisory Council, ASHA Medicaid Committee, and is the past president of the State Education Agencies Communication Disabilities Council (SEACDC), a national consortium of state consultants. She served as the ASHA Vice President for SLP Practice (2018–2020).

Registration:

This professional learning opportunity is free. Please click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Participant registration is first-come, first-served until all available seats are filled. Government sponsored professional development may be used to meet licensure requirements and ASHA certification maintenance hour requirements but are not offered for ASHA CEUs. For more information regarding this professional learning opportunity, please email Mary Keeney.

Special Education Directors,

ESS collects data each year through the Teacher Attrition Survey to make informed decisions about recruitment and retention efforts in Arizona. Participation in the survey is mandatory for all district and charter schools in Arizona.

The survey is now open and will close on May 7, 2021. Please see memo for further details. Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the survey can be located at http://bit.ly/teacherattritionsurvey. For additional questions, please email Kim Rice. 

Thank you for completing the Teacher Attrition Survey.

Special Education Directors,

As part of our ongoing recruitment efforts on behalf of Arizona’s public schools, ADE/ESS compiles and updates a list of education career fairs happening at educator preparation programs across the country.

If your school is planning to recruit for special education teachers from out of state, we hope this list will make that task a bit easier for you. This list is available on the Arizona Education Employment Board website under the “Find a University Job Fair” icon.

For questions, please email Kim Rice or email Julie Lenza, ESS Recruitment and Retention Specialists.

Special Education Directors,

Please join us for a Lunch and Learn on Thursday, February 4 from 11:45 a.m.—1:00 p.m., when leaders from the Arizona Association of School Psychologists (AASP) present, “Considerations for Completing Psychoeducational Evaluations in 2021.”

As schools are working to support students’ learning in distance, hybrid, and in-person settings, they are also challenged with determining how to meet the needs of diverse learners, including identifying and making eligible those students who are in need of special education. Please join us as our presenters share considerations for completing initial and reevaluations in the current educational environment. Topics covered will include collecting additional data, SLD determination, and teleassessment.    

Please click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Participant registration is first-come, first-served and is not limited to special educators—feel free to forward. Please email Sherri Schwindt with questions regarding this professional learning opportunity. 

We look forward to seeing you there!