The ADE/ESS Assistive Technology (AT) Team is pleased to announce the third presentation in our 2024—2025 AT National Presenter Series AT + AEM = UDL4Ever: The Perfect Marriage, with Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, Ph.D., ATP. This presentation is intended for Assistive Technology (AT) specialists, special education administrators, special education teachers, general education teachers, reading specialists/coaches, and related service providers.
Date/Time:               Friday, February 14, 2025: 8:00 AM – 3:30 PM (Seats are limited; register now!)
Fee:                            $25 - lunch on your own
Where:                      Rio Vista Recreation Center (Lakeview room)
Address:                    8866 W Thunderbird Rd, Peoria, AZ 85381

Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles, Ph.D., ATP, is a nationally certified Assistive Technology Professional who provides consultation, training, and evaluation services to educational and other institutions in Assistive Technology (AT), Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) through her private practice. She proudly serves as an Instructional Design Specialist on the Learning and Design Technology Team at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD. Additionally, she is an adjunct faculty member and subject matter expert in Inclusion, AT, and UDL at the University of New England’s Graduate Programs in Online Learning and the University of Maine at Farmington.

Dr. Goldthwait-Fowles has presented nationwide on various topics, including accessibility, AT, AEM, UDL, iPads and apps, and Chromebooks and apps. With 25 years of teaching experience, she has previously served as an Intervention Specialist and Special Educator. She is passionate about educating others on the importance of ensuring that the curriculum is accessible to all students from the outset. Home is where her heart truly is- empty nesting with her husband in Saco, Maine, and is most proud of her son and stepson.

Session Description:

Join us for an immersive, hands-on professional development session designed for Assistive Technology (AT) specialists, special education administrators, teachers, reading specialists/coaches, and related service providers. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the dynamic interplay between Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessible Educational Materials (AEM), highlighting how they intersect to enhance Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Through collaborative activities, case studies, and practical applications, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how integrating AT and AEM can support diverse learners, enhance student engagement, and promote inclusive educational environments. By the end of this session, participants will be equipped with innovative strategies, tools, and resources to effectively advocate for AT and AEM and implement UDL principles, ensuring all learners have access to meaningful, high-quality educational experiences.
Learning Objectives:

1. Analyze and Apply the UDL Framework: Participants will explore the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and apply them to real-world situations. They will identify how integrating Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) can strategically remove barriers, helping all learners access and engage with the curriculum more effectively.
2. Develop and Implement Inclusive and Personalized AT Solutions: Participants will learn to advocate for creating accessible content from the beginning. They will also gain skills in evaluating and selecting the right AT tools and AEM resources for individual student needs, using data-driven decision-making and collaboration to design personalized learning experiences that align with UDL principles.
3. Advocate for Inclusive Practices: Participants will learn how to advocate for the use of accessible content and the integration of Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) within a universally designed framework. They will develop strategies to empower colleagues, administrators, and stakeholders to adopt inclusive practices that accommodate diverse learner needs and ensure equitable access to educational opportunities.

Register for AT + AEM = UDL4Ever: The Perfect Marriage with Hillary Goldthwait-Fowles

If you have questions about this training, please email [email protected]

The ADE/ESS Secondary Transition Team is pleased to announce a virtual webinar to review Arizona’s 2024 Post School Outcomes (PSO) survey results.  Join the team in reviewing PSO response and engagement rate insights broken down by demographic area. Participants will receive key tools and resources to support PSO-based decision-making for their PEA(s).

Date: Monday, January 13, 2025
Time: 2:00–3:30 p.m.

During this session, participants can expect to:

• Review Arizona’s 2024 Post School Outcomes (PSO) survey results​
• Share and discuss insights from the data collection season process​
• Explore upcoming opportunities to provide feedback from the 2024 data collection season

If you have questions regarding this professional development opportunity, please email [email protected].

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) allocation funding may be modified on the Fiscal Year 2025 IDEA Part B Consolidated funding application to reflect the revised allocation. This adjustment results from the full award for IDEA Section 611 and/or IDEA Section 619 being allocated to your public education agency. Data used for this adjustment include October 1 Data from last year, which could reflect a downward adjustment in the population and poverty portion of the allocation.

A revision to the funding application budget will be necessary to reflect current year funding levels. Please review the Organization Contacts section to confirm current information before submitting your revision. If your funding application is approved (SEA Director Approved), it will change to “Revision Started” upon uploading the allocation into the GME by the end of December 2024. Any other status will require a return to draft started before you can adjust your budget. 

Program Management posted the 2025 IDEA allocation amounts, proportionate share obligations for school districts, and CEIS values on the Program Management web page. 

If you have questions regarding this allocation adjustment, proportionate share, or CEIS, please email the ESS Program Management Inbox. If you have questions about the change to your funding levels,  set an appointment with Candice Trainor.

STAR Autism Presents: Making Inclusion Powerful

Transform educational outcomes through evidence-based inclusionary practices with STAR and Links!

Research shows that inclusion dramatically improves academic achievement, social skills, communication, and post-secondary success for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The STAR Program (preschool/elementary) and Links Curriculum (middle/secondary) provide comprehensive tools and evidence-based strategies for pre-teaching skills, implementing self-management supports, and creating meaningful, inclusive opportunities that work.

These programs embed opportunities for teaching and generalizing skills across settings and activities, ensuring students receive valid interventions that promote positive outcomes in general education environments.

Date: December 13, 2024
Time:  3:30 pm-5:00 pm Arizona Time (UTC-7)

Zoom Registration https://starautismsupport.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtd-upqTMuHdfGTi7F-vjyV28k8AZzi60L

Date: January 24, 2025
Time: 3:30 pm-5:00 pm Arizona Time (UTC-7)

Zoom Registration: https://starautismsupport.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtdeqsqj8rG9N09gEjhQ8VVCDn2Byk5ihT

You may find the flyer here.

STAR Autism Micro-Learning Modules: Targeted self-paced learning opportunities designed to support educators.  

The goal is to provide actionable strategies in manageable segments, helping teachers integrate curriculum elements seamlessly into their daily routines. These self-paced virtual bite-sized lessons, taking less than 10 minutes, are shared monthly to reinforce critical concepts and teach school staff how to use STAR Program online content effectively.

Each micro-learning focuses on important curriculum components such as evidence-based practices and the resources available FREE through the STAR Program.

Module #1: Getting Started with Themes First

Module #2: Small Groups

COMING SOON:

Module #3: Circle Routine

Module #4: Behavior Supports

The ADE/ESS Academic Achievement and Inclusive Practices unit is pleased to announce professional learning opportunities for traumatic brain injury (TBI) featuring Dr. Sue Wolf from Empowerment Research for the 2024-2025 school year. 

TBI 101: An Invisible Disability
Saturday, December 14, 2024
8:00 am-12:30 pm

TBI 101 is the first virtual workshop in the series that includes basic information on acquired brain injuries, including types, incidence, prevalence, and leading causes. Based on understanding brain-behavior relationships, participants will review signs and symptoms of brain injury through a student scenario and discuss impacts in the classroom and community. Additional sessions will be announced through the 2024-2025 school year.

TBI 303: Contemporary Issues-Executive Function
Wednesday, December 4 and 11, 2024
3:00 pm-5:00 pm 

TBI 303 is an interactive session that will delve into the critical role of executive functioning in academic and professional success. Dr. Wolf will explore the profound impact of early injury on executive function development and provide valuable insights into:

• Assessment Strategies
• Implications for College and Career Readiness
• Strategies for Success

Who should attend:  Parents and caregivers, counselors, general education teachers, special education teachers, related service personnel, administrators, support staff, behavioral health professionals, community-based professionals, or anyone who works with youth and young adults in the educational setting.

Register through Zoom
TBI 101
TBI 303

If you have questions, please get in touch with  Christy Hegebush.

Exceptional Student Services (ESS) has revised how federal primary need indicator reporting works in AzEDS to align with federal guidance on special education data disability reporting. Please read the attached memo for details and contact ESS Data Management if you have any questions.

Data Management Alert 
Enhancements to Integrity Rules -40055 and -40080 

Enhancements to integrity rules -40055 and -40080 have been implemented for SPED data validations in AzEDS. These updates are part of an ongoing effort to ensure clean data during the fiscal year and to avoid corrections of data after the close of the fiscal year. 

-40055 Invalid exit code combination; refer to the SPED Exit Validation Matrix 

This rule has been enhanced to allow concurrent reporting of the SPED14 exit code (No longer eligible for Preschool Special Education) and W6 withdrawal code (Age).  

The SPED Integrity Error Tool for this rule is linked below: 
SPED Integrity Error Tool -40055 

 -40080 SPED01 Exit Code allowed only when a student continues enrollment at the same site on the next in0session day, with no SPED LRE reported 

 Both the error message above and the error description for this integrity rule have been updated to reflect the site enrollment, and SPED LRE requirements must be met when using the SPED01 Exit Code.  

 The SPED Integrity Error Tool for this rule is linked below: 
SPED Integrity Error Tool -40080 

 One sheet of SPED Integrity Error Tools for all SPED integrity rules can be found on the ESS Data Management website. 

If you have any questions, please email the ESS Data Management inbox. 

Are you overwhelmed by professional development? Don’t have time for a 90-minute webinar? We got you! Join the ADE/ESS Assistive Technology Team for our fall series, Assistive Technology: Just One Thing (JOT). In these quick 30-minute sessions, we will highlight a single assistive technology tool or strategy you can use to support your students.

Title:              JOT: Book Creator and Wakelet
Date:             Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Time:             11:30 AM-12:00 PM

Description:  Do you ever feel like you’re a content creator? No doubt you have students who need lessons presented in so many different formats: video, audio, ASL, high contrast, large print, highlighted text as you read, and more. Book Creator is a free tool that lets you easily create digital books that integrate all these UDL features! You’ll also learn how to integrate Book Creator and Wakelet to inspire student creativity (and your own) and enhance learning in the classroom. Learn how to combine the interactive storytelling and multimedia features of Book Creator with Wakelet’s curation platform to foster collaboration, personalize learning, and showcase student work.

Register for AT JOT: Book Creator and Wakelet

If you have questions regarding this professional development opportunity, please email [email protected].

Special education leaders, 

Looking for a conference to support the professional learning of paraeducators who work with students with disabilities? 

The National Resource Center for Paraeducators, Related Service Providers, & Interveners (NRCP)  is hosting the 37th National NRCP Virtual Conference on February 21-23, 2025, with an optional Leadership meeting on February 20. This year’s theme is “Paraeducators: Where the Magic Happens!”, and the virtual conference will provide an opportunity for paraeducators, interveners, teachers, administrators, and related service providers (RSPs) to engage with experts, connect with colleagues, share resources, and participate in interactive discussions. 

The conference registration fee is $100 for paraeducators, interveners, education support professionals, family members, and guardians. The conference registration fee is $250 for teachers, administrators, and other educators and policymakers. 

Go to the conference webpage for more information and to register. 

For questions, email Laura Lema.