We’re excited to invite you to an exclusive event designed for Arizona’s special education leaders: the 2026 IDEA Leadership Preconference. This is your opportunity to collaborate, learn, and lead alongside peers who are shaping the future of special education across the state. 

Date:  Monday, August 17, 2026
Location: Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort 7500 E Doubletree Ranch Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
Time: 12:00 PM – 5:15 PM 
Price: Preconference-only registration is $150. A bundled registration option of $500 is available for attendees who wish to participate in both the preconference and the full IDEA Conference. Anyone interested in participating in the preconference—either as a single day experience or in addition to the full conference—should apply using the preconference application only.

What to Expect: 

• Engaging, interactive learning sessions featuring panels, tabletop discussions, and data-informed conversations focused on current trends and proactive district practices
• Dynamic networking opportunities with guided tabletop discussions designed to foster collaboration, share expertise, and build meaningful professional connections
• Structured moments for leadership reflection and practical problem solving, centered on real world challenges and actionable district level solutions

Preconference Schedule: 

• 12:00 – 1:00 PM | Registration and Lunch

• 1:00 – 2:30 PM | Concurrent Session 1 

• 2:45 – 4:15 PM | Concurrent Session 2 

• 4:15 – 5:15 PM | Networking Reception 

Each concurrent session will be offered twice to allow attendees to participate in both options. 

Who Should Apply? 

This event is designed for professionals in special education leadership roles at the district or charter level, including: 

• Directors, Managers, and Leads of special education programs 

• Specialists and Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs) supporting special education services 

• Site-based leaders in administrative or leadership roles (formal title not required) 

Guidelines and Requirements: 

• Each Public Education Agency (PEA) may register up to two eligible leaders. Capacity is capped and final participation decisions will be made by ADE

• Priority is given to school-employed, site-based staff 

• Additional names and on-site based staff will be placed on a waitlist, and if space allows, they will be invited to register 

Ready to Lead? Apply for Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Director’s Preconference  

Need help with completing registration? Please email the IDEA Conference inbox or join the IDEA Conference Planning Committee during an upcoming office hour. Please register in advance for a virtual office hour time slot.

Let’s come together to reflect, network, and build stronger systems that impact outcomes for every student in Arizona. We look forward to seeing you there! 

We are thrilled to announce that professional registration is now open for Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference: Stronger Systems, Better Outcomes—for Every Student. This year’s conference will take place August 18–20, 2026, with preconference sessions on August 17, at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort. 

The registration fee for professionals is $425 per person. Payment may be made by MasterCard, Visa, or Discover, check, or purchase order. With procurement deadlines for PEAs approaching, we encourage you to register promptly—spots are expected to fill quickly. To ensure equal access, we may limit the number of attendees per district or charter organization to maximize participation.  

Registration process 

1. Submit a seat request for review by the IDEA Conference Committee. 

2. If your request is approved for payment, you will receive instructions to complete registration by submitting payment through the Arizona Professional Learning and Development System (APLD). Please note: payments submitted without an approved seat request will be canceled. 

3. If notified by email, submit the Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference Supplemental Form to complete registration. 

New this year: Each seat request must include an active ADE Professional Learning & Development (APLD) Learner ID. This Learner ID is required to confirm the APLD account that will be associated with payment for each seat request. If staff has not yet been identified, or if the identified staff member does not yet have an APLD account, you may still submit a seat request to secure a spot. The attendee’s name and APLD Learner ID can be collected through the supplemental form (referenced in step 3), until July 27, 2026. 

For more information on registration—including how to submit a seat request, lodging options, and FAQs—please visit the IDEA Conference Registration webpage. 

Need help with completing registration? Please email the IDEA Conference inbox or join the IDEA Conference Planning Committee during an upcoming office hour. Please register in advance for a virtual office hour time slot. 

Information regarding the Special Education Leadership Preconference application and registration process will be released in the coming days. Anyone interested in participating in the preconference—either as a single day experience or in addition to the full conference—should apply using the preconference application only. 

We look forward to learning with you at this year’s conference. For the latest announcements please visit the IDEA Conference website. 

The ADE/ESS Special Education Program Approval system for the 2026–2027 school year will open on April 13, 2026. ESS plans to have all Private Special Education Schools, Emotional Disabilities Public (ED-P) programs, and Residential Treatment Centers (RTCs) that wish to operate for fiscal year 2027 reviewed and approved by June 15, 2026.  See memo here.

If you have questions, please email the Private Day and ED-P inbox or the ESS Vouchers inbox.

NEW INTEGRITY RULE: Integrity Rule -40104

As of March 30, 2026, a new special education (SPED) data integrity rule was implemented to validate and capture student exits from SPED services. Under IDEA, students are eligible for SPED services through 21 years of age unless they have graduated with a regular high school diploma. Students who turn 22 years of age during the school year are eligible to complete the year with services; however, they have effectively reached the maximum age allowable for services.

Integrity Message for -40104: Students may not have an exit reason School Is Out when they are over 22 years of age by June 30. Please adjust to exit reason Reached Maximum Age.

This new integrity rule aims to better capture students who are aging out of IDEA eligibility at the end of the reporting year.

The SPED-Related Integrity Rules tool found on our AzEDS SPED Reporting page has been updated to provide troubleshooting guidance for this integrity failure. Please also refer to the SPED Exit validation matrix for allowable SPED and enrollment exit code combinations.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

Section 618 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public education agencies (PEAs) to report specific data each year, including discipline incidents for students receiving special education services, expulsions of students not receiving special education services, and students who exited special education during the reporting year. PEAs review, validate, and certify these data using the Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD).

The ESS Data Management team is holding a webinar via Zoom to guide PEAs through end-of-year reporting in the SEDD application. The session will cover recent application updates, exit and discipline data requirements, and key deadlines to support accurate and timely reporting. A recording of the webinar will be made available for those unable to attend.

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026  
Time: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.  
Register for the online training

We hope to see you during the SEDD webinar!

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the ESS Data Management inbox or call us at 602-542-3962.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

Special Education Data Updates Webinar: Wednesday, April 15, 2026 

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include:    

• Reminders  

• Trending topics  
  • • Voucher Students in AzEDS
    • Discipline Data
    • Exit Data

• Top Three Integrity Errors 
• Out of scope Topics

• 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.  

Section 618 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public education agencies (PEAs) to report specific data each year, including discipline incidents for students receiving special education services, expulsions of students not receiving special education services, and students who exited special education during the reporting year. PEAs review, validate, and certify these data using the Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD).

The ESS Data Management team is holding a webinar via Zoom to guide PEAs through end-of-year reporting in the SEDD application. The session will cover recent application updates, exit and discipline data requirements, and key deadlines to support accurate and timely reporting. A recording of the webinar will be made available for those unable to attend.

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2026  
Time: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.  
Register for the online training

We hope to see you during the SEDD webinar!

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact the ESS Data Management inbox or call us at 602-542-3962.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT  

FY27 Statement of Assurances Open for Submission 

The FY27 Statement of Assurances application is open for submission. All public education agencies (PEAs) must submit the IDEA Statement of Assurances (SOA) through the Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Portal within ADEConnect. This is required before any FY27 activities in the ESS Portal are allowable. The portal will block any PEA that has not completed the SOA effective July 1, 2026, which is when FY27 begins. 

The application is now open for submission and closes on June 10, 2026. 

The SOA must be submitted by the Superintendent, Charter Holder, or Special Education Director of your PEA before FY27 IDEA funding applications are approved in the Grants Management Enterprise system. 

• Only a user with the ADEConnect role of “ESS Special Education : Signer” is able to complete the Statement of Assurances
• If the necessary individual does not have the “ESS Special Education : Signer” role associated with their ADEConnect account, an ADEConnect Administrator for your PEA must assign the role of “ESS Special Education : Signer” 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 log in to ADEConnect, navigate to the Exceptional Student Services Portal, and select the Statement of Assurances link under Surveys & Assurances.

The survey code will auto-populate for your PEA. On each page, select the “Yes” checkbox to indicate your assurances for the corresponding requirements.

After completing the survey, the SOA may be printed for your records. To verify submission, you may re-access the SOA; a “Thank you for submitting” page will display if your submission is complete.

Please direct any questions to [email protected]. 
 

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 spring series, Assistive Technology: Just One Thing (JOT). In these quick 30-minute sessions, we will highlight a single assistive technology tool or strategy that you can use to support your students.   

 Title:                JOT: Classroomscreen 

Presenters:    Laura Wooten-LaFranier, M.Ed., ADE AT Specialist  

Date:               Wednesday, April 22, 2026  

Time:               11:30 AM–12:00 PM  

 Description:    Manage your classroom at the end of the year in a fun and engaging way. Classroomscreen is an online whiteboard website that supports general and special education by providing visual, interactive tools to create structured, predictable environments. Come learn about features that help students follow routines, understand instructions, and discover how to further engage students in interactive activities that build skills and assist communication in this quick, 30-minute JOT (Just One Thing).  

Learn how Classroomscreen provides collaborative options to promote independence and participation. Simple, yet flexible, Classroomscreen enhances individualized instruction, supports IEP goals, and fosters inclusion. It’s an effective resource for teachers, therapists, and assistive technology specialists to deliver engaging, accessible learning experiences. 

Register for AT JOT: Classroomscreen  

If you have questions regarding this professional development opportunity, please email the Assistive Technology team at [email protected].  

In partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, ADE/ESS is excited to be able to offer scholarships for Arizona youth and their families. Scholarships are available so that youth and young adults with disabilities and/or their family member/personal assistant can attend Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference: Stronger Systems, Better Outcomes—for Every Student. This year’s conference will be held from August 18–20, 2026, with preconference activities on Monday August 17, at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort.

Who can apply for a scholarship:

• Youth/young adult between the ages of 14 and 26 who has a documented disability
• Family member of a student with an IEP or 504 Plan
• Caregiver who attends with a student or family member

Scholarships will cover the conference registration fee for each recipient as well as lodging and mileage for eligible recipients.

ADE/ESS also partners with the Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration/Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program to support registration scholarships for students with disabilities ages 14–22 receiving  Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS).

Additionally, important information is listed in the application. A limited number of scholarships are available. All applications must be completed by May 29, 2026.

Please email the IDEA Conference inbox for questions about this opportunity. 

Download our flyers for more information on the Youth and Family Scholarship.

Revised 4.2.26