The Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE), in partnership with ADE/ESS, is pleased to offer Saturday Mornings with the NRCP to paraeducators, related service providers, teachers, and administrators working in Arizona public education agencies.

The National Resource Center for Paraeducators, Related Service Providers, and Interveners (NRCP) hosts the two-hour sessions on the second Saturday of each month through July 2025. The sessions are based on the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Core Competencies for Special Education Paraeducators and include topics such as paraeducator roles and responsibilities and effective behavior management strategies.

Upcoming webinars will occur on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time. Please be aware of your time zone and adjust accordingly. Topics include the following:

October 12, 2024

Prevention and Intervention for Severe Behavioral Issues

November 9, 2024

Strategies for Paraeducators Working in Secondary Settings

December 14, 2024

Student and Staff Wellness: Trauma-Informed Practices for Kids and Preventing Educator Burnout

Teacher and paraeducator teams are encouraged to sign up together. The $100 registration fee includes twelve live webinars and extended access to the recordings via a Canva site until August 2025. Those who register will receive information on how to access the recordings.

Register for Saturday Mornings with the NRCP.

The attached flyer includes additional information about the professional learning series. Please email Laura Lema with any questions.

The State Educational Agency Communication Disability Council (SEACDC) is made up of SLP contacts from various state departments of education across the United States. The Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services is represented in this council. The SEACDC is hosting a free, virtual School-Based Speech-Language Pathology Symposium on Oct 17–18, 2024.

The symposium will cover various topics from national-level presenters who have graciously volunteered their time to provide state-of-the-art information relevant to school-based practice.  SEACDC is not an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) continuing education (CE) provider. However, a certificate of attendance for professional development hours will be generated for each session attended. These will be accepted for renewal of ASHA CCC. SLPs do not need to be ASHA members to attend. These sessions will not be recorded. Please share this with your speech-language pathologists. Flyer may be found here.

Thursday, October 17, 2024, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (1:00–5:00 p.m. EST)

Session 1 - Inclusive Preschool Services - Stephanie Bear

Session 2 - Multilingual Learners - Hunter Smith 
Session 3 - Speech Sound Production - Kelly Farquharson

Session 4 - IDEA and Eligibility Determination - Angie Neal

Friday, October 18, 2024, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. (1:00–5:00 p.m. EST)

Session 1 - Collaborative Goal Writing - Charity Avery & Amy Goddard 

Session 2 - The Continuum of Services and LRE - Tiffany White 

Session 3 - Feeding and Swallowing - Kristen West 

Session 4 - Development Language Disorder (DLD) - Katharine Radville and Tim Deluca

Register for the School-Based SLP Symposium.

Special Education Directors, 

We are pleased to present “A Deep Dive into Speech Sound Disorders: Intervention Only” with Amy Graham, CCC-SLP. Too often, professional development for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) covers everything but intervention. In this full-day course, school-based SLPs will learn how to provide effective intervention for articulation errors and motor, speech, and phonological disorders. 

“A Deep Dive into Speech Sound Disorders: Intervention Only”  

Date:               Friday, October 11, 2024 

Time:               8:30 a.m.−4:30 p.m. 

Fee:                 Free (Space is limited, and lunch is on your own.) 

Where:            HELIOS Education Foundation 

Address:          4747 North 32nd St. Phoenix, AZ 85018 

About Amy Graham, CCC-SLP: Amy is a speech-language pathologist, an international speaker, a frequent podcast guest, and a creator of speech therapy resources for SLPs who treat speech sound disorders.  

Register for A Deep Dive into Speech Sound Disorders. 

Please note that each district/charter is limited to sending no more than 10 speech-language pathologists to this workshop.

If you have questions about this event, 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 Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services, in collaboration with the University of Kansas Research Collaboration, is offering the following free course as part of the College and Career Competencies Project.

Instructional Activities for Teaching Self-Efficacy: Virtual, six-week, interactive course for Special Educators, K–12

The course is being offered twice in the 2024–2025 school year:

• Monday, September 16–Friday, October 25, 2024
• Monday, January 13–Friday, February 21, 2025

Course Description: This facilitator-led course is designed for special educators (including related services providers) of students in Grades K–12 to explore instructional activities that teach self-efficacy. This interactive course allows educators to gain knowledge of 10 Self-Efficacy Strategies and to apply self-efficacy instructional practices.

• Each week, a recognized trainer will review instructional activities and facilitate discussion board conversations between participants.
• Information on accessing the course materials will be provided via email one week before the start date.
• The course provides flexibility and asynchronous activities that fit your schedule.

Provided materials include:

• Three lesson sets of 26 instructional activities
• Student workbooks, templates, and posters
• Additional resources tailored to primary, intermediate, and secondary levels

Earn CEUs and Graduate Credit: Participants who complete the course will earn 18 CEUs from the University of Kansas with an option to receive one graduate credit hour from Baker University (an additional payment of $80 is required; details provided during the course).

Note: The maximum number of participants is 30. The course will be closed after capacity is reached. Participants can expect to spend 1 to 2 hours per week learning about self-efficacy.

Course Commitment: If you enroll, plan to participate fully by reviewing resources, completing discussion board posts, interacting with colleagues’ discussion board posts, developing instructional planning materials, and reviewing assessment instruments.

At the end of the course, educators will be able to:

1. Describe 10 Self-Efficacy Strategies.
2. Assess student self-efficacy knowledge and application using curriculum-referenced and performance-based assessment tools.
3. Implement and adapt student self-efficacy instructional activities for their specific role.
4. Provide feedback and practice opportunities to students related to their growth in self-efficacy.

Complete the Enrollment Form

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

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.

The registration deadline for the 2024–2025 Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) has been extended to August 1, 2024.

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. New special education directors employed by Arizona public education agencies (PEAs) in their first or second year of being a special education director (including any previous positions) in the fall of 2024 are eligible to attend SENDS.

The $150 registration fee for SENDS includes:

• Registration for the in-person kick-off session on Day 1 (September 4, 2024) of the IDEA Conference* (with an option to pay to attend Days 2 and/or 3 of the conference).
• Four virtual follow-up sessions scheduled throughout the 2024–25 school year  (November 7, December 5, January 16, and February 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.).
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and CEC’s Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) special interest division.

*Information regarding travel reimbursement from eligible PEAs will be provided once registration is completed.

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

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

Hello Educators,

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 can develop their ability to persist through learning challenges. 

The Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services, 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 PD calendar.
• Assessments to show student growth.
• Coaching support throughout the implementation process.

The College and Career Competencies Project is accepting 3 more schools (elementary, middle, or high) for the 2024–2025 school 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.

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

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

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.

ADE/ESS, in partnership with the Center for Technical Assistance in Excellence for Special Education (TAESE), is pleased to announce that Saturday Mornings with the NRCP is available to paraeducators, related service providers, teachers, and administrators working in Arizona public education agencies.

The two-hour, virtual sessions will be hosted by the National Resource Center for Paraeducators, Related Service Providers, and Interveners (NRCP) on the second Saturday of each month from August 2024 through July 2025. The sessions will be based on the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Core Competencies for Special Education Paraeducators and will include topics such as paraeducator roles and responsibilities and effective behavior management strategies. See flyer here.

Upcoming webinars will include the following topics:

August 10, 2024

Understanding the ABCs and Function of Behavior

September 14, 2024

Ethical Practices Within Paraeducator Roles

October 12, 2024

Challenging Behavior and De-escalation

November 9, 2024

Strategies for Paraeducators Working in Secondary Settings

Teacher and paraeducator teams are encouraged to sign up together. The $100 registration fee includes 12 live webinars and extended access to the recordings via a Canva site until August 2025. Those who register will receive information on how to access the recordings.

Register for Saturday Mornings with the NRCP.

The attached flyer includes additional information about the professional learning series. Please email Laura Lema with any questions.

Registration for the 2024–2025 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.

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. New special education directors serving Arizona public education agencies (PEAs) in their first or second year of being a special education director (including any previous positions) in the fall of 2024 are eligible to attend SENDS.

The $150 registration fee for SENDS includes:

• Registration for the in-person kick-off session on Day 1 (September 4, 2024) of the IDEA Conference* (with an option to pay to attend Days 2 and/or 3 of the conference).
• Four virtual follow-up sessions scheduled throughout the 2024–25 school year  (November 7, December 5, January 16, and February 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.).
• 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 July 19, 2024.

*Information regarding travel reimbursement from eligible PEAs will be provided once registration is completed.

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

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

Please see the attached flyer for information about ADE/ESS virtual math professional learning offerings that are available this summer. Questions can be directed to the contacts listed in the flyer.

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 16–17, 2024, December 2–3, 2024, and February 3–4, 2025. 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 2024-2025 MTBS cohort. If you would like to learn more or start the application process, please contact Celeste Nameth.