Back by popular demand beginning August 2025, 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, have organized a new year of monthly, low-cost professional learning webinars for paraeducators, related service providers (RSPs), teachers, administrators, etc.

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! This year, topics include the following:

• Aug 9, 2025—Bullying & Cyberbullying Prevention
• Sep 13, 2025—Secondary Education & Transition Planning
• Oct 11, 2025—Instructional Differentiation & Dyslexia Support
• Nov 8, 2025—Accommodations vs. Modifications
• Dec 13, 2025—Behavior Management
• Jan 10, 2026—Intro to Artificial Intelligence in Education
• Feb 7, 2026—Career Advancement for Paraeducators
• Mar 14, 2026—Support for Low Incidence Disabilities
• Apr 11, 2026—Paraeducator Roles & Responsibilities
• May 9, 2026—Visual Supports & De-escalation Techniques
• 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 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 NRCP flyer for additional information about the professional learning series, and email Laura Lema with any questions.

It's hard being a new teacher. It's hard being a special education teacher. It's really hard being a new special education teacher. That’s where Teach Camp comes in!

Teach Camp is a professional learning opportunity designed specifically for special education teachers preparing for their first, second, or third year in the classroom. Beginning special education teachers who attend our three-day summer camp will make connections with other new teachers from across the state while learning about topics critical to their success in the coming school year.

This year’s campers were surveyed, and 100% of them agreed that Teach Camp “increased my work-related knowledge; 99% agreed that Teach Camp “increased my work-related motivation.” When asked if they would recommend Teach Camp to other new special education teachers, 99% said YES.

Here’s what some of our campers said they liked best about the Teach Camp experience:

• “The best part of the training, in my opinion, was how we were guided on how to prepare, conduct IEPs, and how to monitor and keep track of students' performance.”
• “The training was very well designed to keep participants engaged and learning important, useful information. The opportunities to interact in small groups to reflect on learning were great.”
• “How they have narrowed down everything for us. They said all the right things I needed.”
• “Meeting other teachers who are in the same boat and sharing ideas with each other.”
• “The details about IEP writing and brain breaks. Fun!”

It’s not too late to send your beginning special education teachers to Teach Camp! 

Teach Camp Eligibility:

• We know there are many pathways to becoming a special education teacher in Arizona. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, alternative certified teachers, and veteran general education teachers transitioning to special education are all welcome.
• Teach Camp is available to special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in the fall of 2025.
• Participants must be directly employed by a school district or charter as a special education teacher.

The cost for Summer 2025 Teach Camp is $250 per teacher and includes:  

• 3-day summer “camp” to be held July 8-10, 2025, at ASU SkySong, 1365 North Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
• Follow-up support throughout the school year, including virtual sessions and newsletters 
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children  
• Additional valuable resources

Registration:

Registration for Teach Camp is open until Friday, June 13, 2025, on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration must be approved by the special education director and completed by the district or charter organization, not the special education teacher. Please note that there is a limit of ten registrations for each district or charter. More than ten teachers from any one district or charter will be placed on a waiting list. Please be aware that we may reduce the group size per district or charter organization to accommodate the attendance of more districts/charters. On-site registration is not available.   

Begin the registration process for Teach Camp!

Please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox with any questions about Teach Camp.   

Are you looking for specific targeted support for students with Autism?

The ADE/ESS/Academic Achievement and Inclusive Practices unit is pleased to announce summer professional learning opportunities with STAR Autism Supports (SAS). STAR Autism Support has been a leader in autism teaching strategies, in building capacity for districts to effectively serve students with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities. SAS has worked with over 2,500 school districts and over 25,000 educators across the United States and throughout the world. Their unique, practical approach provides school districts with the curriculum resources and a continuum of professional development activities to address the educational needs of students from early childhood through post-secondary.

Summer STAR and Links Professional Learning Opportunities are offered at no cost and in multiple locations across Arizona.

The STAR Program includes detailed lesson plans, teaching materials, data systems, and a curriculum-based assessment for teaching in the six curricular areas of receptive language, expressive language, spontaneous language, functional routines, academics, and play & social skills for students in elementary grades.

• Phoenix, June 22 23 at Helios Education Center
• Tucson, June 10-11 at Sunnyside Unified School District
• Flagstaff, June 23-24 at Northern Arizona University
• Yuma, June 26-27 at Yuma Elementary School District
• Phoenix, July 17-18 at Deer Valley Unified School District

The LINKS Curriculum (Linking Assessment and Instruction for Independence) is an evidence-based, comprehensive, web-based curriculum to teach upper elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students with autism and other developmental disabilities to be independent across school, community, and vocational routines.

• Phoenix June 4-5 at Helios Education Center

• Virtual June 16- 17

Participate with your team in a two-day workshop for an opportunity to receive fully funded primary or secondary district coaching visits from STAR Autism Support. This initiative aims to assist your team in effectively implementing strategies throughout the year, with additional coaching support available to help reinforce and sustain implementation efforts.

To qualify for coaching visits, school teams attending must include the following participants:

✔ Special Education Teacher

✔ General Education Teacher or District Coach

✔ Related Service Staff or Paraprofessional

Register for the summer STAR and LINKS Professional Learning Opportunities HERE.

For additional questions and support, contact Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices.

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that registration for the 2025–2026 Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) is now open!

The purpose of this professional learning opportunity is to prepare new special education directors for the practical operation of a special education system. Topics covered in SENDS include compliance and legal requirements, fiscal issues, assessment, general supervision, and ADE supports and resources.

Eligibility
New special education directors directly employed by Arizona public education agencies in their first or second year of being a special education director (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 that are traveling 51 miles or more from the school district or charter office to 100 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007.  Reimbursements will be made to the district or charter organization, 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.  Information regarding travel reimbursement from eligible PEAs will be provided once registration is completed.  To be considered for travel reimbursement for SENDS, the initial registration form must be completed by August 15.

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

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

Do your students doubt their abilities when faced with challenges? Do they know how to put forth effort and make progress toward their goals? Self-efficacy instruction can transform your students' beliefs about their ability to complete difficult tasks and help them become more resilient learners.   

Offered by the Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services in collaboration with the University of Kansas Research Collaboration, this FREE one-year professional learning series with accompanying FREE curriculum provides schools with 

• Free access to self-efficacy lessons at primary, intermediate, and secondary levels, including 25+ evidence-based instructional activities teaching 10 Self-Efficacy Strategies 

• Virtual training for all staff throughout the school year, tailored to your PD calendar 

• Assessments to track student growth 

• Ongoing coaching support during the implementation process 

There are 4 spots left for schools (elementary, middle, or high) to participate in the 2025–2026 school year. 

To learn more about securing a spot for your school, complete the CCCs Project Interest Form to schedule a 30-minute conference call. 

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

This professional learning experience will empower your students and enhance their learning journey. Act now to join this free project! 

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to sign up your new special education teachers for Teach Camp! Please note that the registration form must be completed by May 2 for eligible public education agencies to be considered for travel reimbursement.

Teach Camp aims to increase the retention of beginning special educators by providing them with the tools they need to survive and thrive.

Here’s what some of this year’s campers had to say about their experience at Teach Camp:

• ”I know the knowledge I'll bring back will help improve my own teaching skills and that of my coworkers as I share with them what I've learned.
• “I think this was an awesome experience, and I would recommend this to my colleagues!”
• “Great mix of learning, community, and fun!”   

Teach Camp Eligibility:

• We know there are many pathways to becoming a special education teacher in Arizona. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, alternative certified teachers, and veteran general education teachers transitioning to special education are all welcome.
• Teach Camp is available to special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in the fall of 2025.
• Participants must be directly employed by a school district or charter as a special education teacher.

The cost for Summer 2025 Teach Camp is $250 per teacher and includes:  

• 3-day summer “camp” to be held July 8-10, 2025, at ASU SkySong, 1365 North Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
• Follow-up support throughout the school year, including virtual sessions and newsletters 
• A copy of The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers  
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children  
• Additional valuable resources   

Registration:
Registration for Teach Camp is open until Friday, June 13, 2025, on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration must be approved by the special education director and completed by the district or charter organization, not the special education teacher. Please note that there is a limit of ten registrations for each district or charter. More than ten teachers from any one district or charter will be placed on a waiting list. Please be aware we may reduce the group size per district or charter organization to accommodate the attendance of more districts/charters and budget constraints for travel reimbursement. On-site registration is not available.  

Travel Reimbursement:
Funding is available for travel costs for districts and charter organizations that are traveling 51 miles or more from the school district or charter office to ASU SkySong, 1301 North Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257.  Reimbursements will be made to the district or charter organization, not the special education teacher, via the Arizona Procurement Portal. Please note that APP registration and an additional completed State Procurement Office Form will be required.  Additional information regarding travel reimbursement will be provided to the district or charter organization once registration is completed. To be considered for travel reimbursement for the three-day summer session, registration must be completed by May 2, 2025. Reimbursement may be provided for up to five travelers per district or charter, with additional travelers added as funding permits.

Begin the registration process for Teach Camp!

Please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox with any questions about Teach Camp.   

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 in developing a school-wide approach to positive behavior management practices. This training is based on School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (SW-PBIS) evidence-based elements. The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) notes that “the IEP team shall, in the case of a child whose behavior impedes the child’s learning or that of others, consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies, to address that behavior” (20 U.S.C. §1414(d)(3)(B)(i)). 

Year 1 training sessions will be held on September 8–9, 2025, December 1–2, 2025, and February 9–10, 2026. The cost is $100 per team member for the Year 1 training. Costs for participation in Years 2 and 3 of the training may be reimbursed with funding by ADE/ESS if certain requirements are met.

Several open spots remain for teams to register for the 2025–2026 MTBS cohort. If you would like to learn more or start the application process, please contact Celeste Nameth.

The ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that Teach Camp 6.0 is now open for registration!

After five years of supporting almost 500 new special education teachers, we are as excited as ever about Teach Camp!

Teach Camp aims to increase the retention of beginning special educators by providing them with the tools they need to survive and thrive.

Here’s what some of this year’s campers had to say about their experience at Teach Camp:

• ”I know the knowledge I'll bring back will help improve my own teaching skills and that of my coworkers as I share with them what I've learned.
• “I think this was an awesome experience, and I would recommend this to my colleagues!”
• “Great mix of learning, community, and fun!”        

Teach Camp Eligibility:

• We know there are many pathways to becoming a special education teacher in Arizona. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, alternative certified teachers, and veteran general education teachers transitioning to special education are all welcome.
• Teach Camp is available to special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in the fall of 2025.
• Participants must be directly employed by a school district or charter as a special education teacher.

The cost for Summer 2025 Teach Camp is $250 per teacher and includes:  

• 3-day summer “camp” to be held July 8-10, 2025, at ASU SkySong, 1365 North Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
• Follow-up support throughout the school year, including virtual sessions and newsletters 
• A copy of The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers  
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children  
• Additional valuable resources     

Registration:
Registration for Teach Camp is open on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration must be approved by the special education director and completed by the district or charter organization, not the special education teacher. Please note that there is a limit of ten registrations for each district or charter. More than ten teachers from any one district or charter will be placed on a waiting list. Please be aware that we may reduce the group size per district or charter organization to accommodate the attendance of more districts/charters and budget constraints for travel reimbursement. On-site registration is not available.   

Travel Reimbursement:
Funding is available for travel costs for districts and charter organizations that are traveling 51 miles or more from the school district or charter office to ASU SkySong, 1301 North Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85257.  Reimbursements will be made to the district or charter organization, not the special education teacher, via the Arizona Procurement Portal. Please note that APP registration and an additional completed State Procurement Office Form will be required.  Additional information regarding travel reimbursement will be provided to the district or charter organization once registration is completed. To be considered for travel reimbursement for the three-day summer session, registration must be completed by May 2, 2025. Reimbursement may be provided for up to five travelers per district or charter, with additional travelers added as funding permits.

Begin the registration process for Teach Camp!  

Please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox with any questions about Teach Camp.   

The Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ArSHA) will hold its annual convention on April 11–12 in Tempe, Arizona. Hundreds of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), speech-language technicians (SLTs), speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs), and students enrolled in SLP graduate programs will attend this event.

ADE/ESS Recruitment and Retention will staff a booth in the convention exhibit hall to recruit SLPs/SLTs/SLPAs and audiologists on behalf of Arizona’s public schools. Our booth will include information about all SLP/SLT/SLPA positions posted on the Arizona Education Employment Board (AEEB). The AEEB is a free online job provided by ADE/ESS. You can view all current speech positions on the job board to confirm if your vacancy is posted. 

The Arizona Department of Education sponsors the public school strand at the convention to support high-quality, relevant professional development for school-based speech personnel. This year’s sponsored topics include remediation of speech sound disorders, language assessment of multilingual students, assistive technology, building Tier 2 vocabulary, and keeping students engaged in speech therapy.

To be included in this recruitment effort, please post your speech positions on our job board by April 1.

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

Do your students doubt their abilities when they experience challenges? Do they understand how to put forth effort and make progress toward their goals? Self-efficacy instruction can increase students’ belief in themselves and develop their ability to persist through learning challenges. 

The ADE/ESS, in collaboration with the University of Kansas Research Collaboration, is offering the College and Career Competencies Project, a free, one-year professional development series that includes:

• Free access to self-efficacy curricula at the primary, intermediate, and secondary levels with 25+ evidence-based instructional activities that teach 10 self-efficacy strategies.

• Virtual training across the school year to all staff, based on your professional learning calendar.
• Assessments to show student growth.
• Coaching support throughout the implementation process.

The Self-Efficacy curriculum, professional learning, and student progress measures are provided to all school staff across the school year. Training dates are established by each participating school.

The College and Career Competencies Project is accepting 7 more schools (elementary, middle, or high) for the 2025–2026 school year. Please note that funding for the project is contingent upon federal appropriations for the upcoming year.

To participate, have an administrator from your district complete the CCCs Project Interest Form, and schedule a 30-minute conference call about the project.

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

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.