Arizona school districts (districts) are boundaries of land recognized by the United States Census Bureau, where respective districts are responsible for enrolling potential students within the district’s boundaries. Any geographic areas not identified within a district’s boundaries are considered unorganized territories. Families residing in unorganized territories may enroll in districts through a certificate of educational convenience (CEC). The attached memorandum seeks to clarify certificates of educational convenience for preschool children with disabilities who reside in unorganized territories.

Please direct questions to your PEA’s assigned Program Support and Monitoring specialist.

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.   

Under Section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), State Education Agencies are required to make a determination for all Public Education Agencies (PEAs) on the PEA’s performance in the implementation of special education. Each PEA’s federal fiscal year (FFY) 2023 determination is now available for review through ADE Connect and posted on the website.

Please visit Arizona's PEA Determinations Website for information on the notification letter, scoring criteria, and public results.

For questions regarding PEA Determinations, please email the ESS Operations Inbox.

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.

There was an error in our recent automated email notifications regarding the certification process for the Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD) application. The emails incorrectly stated that the certification period is currently open. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused and appreciate your understanding. Rest assured, you will receive a notification when the application officially opens on May 7, 2025, and again when the certification window opens on July 23, 2025. 

Continue reading for important information regarding the Special Education Data Dashboard application and its processes. 

Special Education Data Dashboard 

The Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD) is scheduled to open on May 7, 2025. SEDD is a comprehensive platform for Public Education Agencies (PEAs) to securely access federally mandated special education and statewide public data with redaction features. Through this application, PEAs enter, review, and certify special education data required under Section 618 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  

Application Access  

The roles below can access the SEDD application and can only be assigned by the local ADEConnect Entity Administrator within the PEA. Only one role should be assigned per user, and it should be applied at the parent entity (district) level:  

• ESS SEDD: LEA User  
  • Data Entry and Review only  
• ESS SEDD: LEA Signer  
  • Data Entry, Review, and Certification  
  • This role is designated for SPED directors, superintendents, business managers, and other equivalent titles. 

Reporting Requirements  

Even if a PEA did not provide services to any special education students throughout the school year, the PEA is still required to review this data during the review period and certify this information during data certification.   

• Public School Districts  
  • Exit data, including tuitioned-out students  
  • Discipline data, including tuitioned-out students  
  • Students Without Disabilities (SWOD), if applicable  
  • Preschool Transition  
• Charter Schools  
  • Exit data, including tuitioned-out students  
  • Discipline data, including tuitioned-out students  
  • Students Without Disabilities, if applicable  
• Secure Care Facilities  
  • Exit data  
  • Discipline data

Important Dates  

• May 7, 2025: SEDD opens  
  • Validate that users have the correct access to the application  
  • Begin reviewing/entering data, if applicable  
• July 15, 2025: Student data submission deadline  
  • All student data in AzEDS must be corrected in PEA’s SIS  
  • Preschool Transition and SWOD data entry via the SEDD application  
• July 23, 2025: Data certification opens  
  • Users with the ESS SEDD: LEA Signer role must complete electronically 
• August 6, 2025: Data certification deadline 
  • PEAs who fail to certify may have their IDEA funds placed on hold 

Training and Office Hours  

We are conducting a training session via Microsoft Teams to help PEAs meet these reporting requirements. If you cannot attend this event, a video of the webinar will be made available later.  

Date: Thursday, May 8, 2025  
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.  
Register for the online training. 

Office hours will be available to assist PEAs with questions in troubleshooting their data. We aim to begin office hours starting Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Additional information regarding office hour registration will be provided during the SEDD webinar and published to the SEDD website when available.  

We hope to see you during the SEDD webinar!

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the ESS Data Management inbox or call us at 602-542-3962.

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.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT  

FY26 Statement of Assurances Open for Submission 

The FY26 Statement of Assurances application is open for submission. All public education agencies (PEAs) must submit the IDEA Statement of Assurances (SOA) through the ESS Portal within ADEConnect. This is required before any FY26 activities in the Exceptional Student Services portal are allowable. The portal will block any PEA that has not completed the SOA effective July 1, 2025, which is when FY26 begins. 

The application is now open for submission and closes on June 11, 2025. 

The SOA must be submitted by the Superintendent, Charter Holder, or Special Education Director of your PEA before FY26 IDEA funding applications are approved in the Grants Management Enterprise system. 

• The PEA must assign the role of ESS Special Education: Signer in ADEConnect to the individual who will review, sign, and submit the Statement of Assurances. 

• PEAs that do not apply for IDEA funds are still required to submit the SOA. 

Please direct any questions to [email protected]. 

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT   
      

Special Education Data Updates Webinar: Wednesday, April 16, 2025 

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include:    

• Reminders  

• Trending topics  

• Top Three Integrity Errors 

• Q&A     

Please register by clicking this link. Registration is required to attend. If you have any questions, please email the ESS Data Management inbox.  

Special Education Professionals,

MEMO Special Education ED-P Programs FY26 Update

Please see the attached memo that provides an update on the Emotional Disabilities Public (ED-P) programs.

For any questions, please contact the ESS Private Day/EDP inbox.  

Are you interested in learning more about the recent Arizona State Board of Education (SBE) rule change that affects secondary transition services?  

ADE/ESS has launched a new webpage that provides essential information and resources about this rule change. The webpage can be accessed through the following link to access background information, the next steps for public education agencies (PEAs), and the November 2024 Special Education Professionals Check-In presentation. 

We also invite you to register for and attend the in-person training hosted by the ADE/ESS Program Support & Monitoring unit and the Secondary Transition Teams. This training will cover the new Arizona State Board of Education Rule Change for Secondary Transition Services. 

Download the training flyer to share this opportunity.