DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT   

Special Education Data Updates Webinar: May 20, 2026 

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include:    

• Reminders  

• Trending topics  
  • • Year End Check List
    • FY27 Data Management Updates

• 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.  

All school districts, charter schools, secure care facilities, and the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) are required to annually administer the State Performance Plan Indicator 8 Parent Involvement Survey to parents of students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). The survey opened on January 19, 2026, via ADEConnect Data Surveys and will close on May 31, 2026.

Mail Merge Feature: The survey application has merged the individual student login codes and parent letters. This feature will make it easier for users to disseminate parent instructions.

Additional forms and guidance can be found on the Parent Involvement Survey Info for Schools website and in ADEConnect on the Data Surveys page.

If you do not already have access to the survey application or need to add additional users who should have the right to use this information and administer the survey, contact your entity ADEConnect administrator and ask to be assigned the ESS Data Surveys: User Role. If additional assistance is needed to be assigned the User Role, use the Help Desk ticketing system via ADEConnect.

Please email the Parent Survey Inbox with questions.

The window for districts to submit transportation Vehicle Inventory data is open until July 15, 2026.

The FY2027 calculation of TSL is dependent on Vehicle Inventory data. Reports will generate at https://schoolfinancereports.azed.gov/ after data has been entered and saved. Failure to enter and save both Route and Inventory data may cause unexpected funding changes. Charters are not required to submit transportation data.

The following resources have been created to assist in submitting transportation data:

• Transportation Data Submission Video
• Transportation FAQ
• Transportation and Vehicle Inventory Application Manual

Please review the resources prior to submitting your transportation data. If additional assistance is needed, please submit a HelpDesk ticket. 

Start the 2026-2027 school year with stronger family partnerships, clearer communication, and a peaceful IEP experience for everyone at the table!

ADE/ESS is here to help with professional development designed to support your staff, engage families, and bring more collaboration (and less stress!) to the IEP process. Each facilitated IEP training is offered at no cost, and is customized to your school or district’s needs, focused on communication and problem-solving.

Don’t delay!  Kick off the new school year with professional development that makes a real difference. Whether your goal is to strengthen relationships and trust, prevent conflict, improve your questioning techniques, or sharpen facilitation skills, we’ll tailor the training to meet your specific needs.

Click on the link to learn more about this professional development: Facilitated IEP | Arizona Department of Education

Let’s work together to create more positive, productive IEP environments for students, families, and staff.

For additional information you can reach out to Carrie McCulloch, Alternative Dispute Resolution Specialist, at (602) 542-7579 or [email protected]

Career and Technical Education showing growth, success

PHOENIX – Flanked by state industry leaders, students, parents and educators, state schools chief Tom Horne celebrated the growing success of the Department of Education’s work to ensure career-ready students are prepared to take on high-paying skilled jobs.

Horne was joined today by students who are thriving in the workforce because of their experience and education in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs throughout the state. Industry leaders from diverse segments of the economy including Abrazo Health, Dignity Health, Honeywell Aerospace, Arizona State Future Farmers of America (FFA), ASU, Custom Automotive Reconditioning Services (CARS), Gas Technical Institute (GTI) Energy, and Able Aerospace were also on hand along with parents and educators.

Horne said, “Arizona has great businesses. But CEOs told me that one of their biggest problems is a lack of skilled labor. I told them: I’ll make you a deal. I have access to 1,200,000 students so I can provide your skilled labor. In return, you will teach our career technical education teachers and administrators what skills are needed to get a well-paid job in your company upon graduation from high school. 40 of Arizona’s largest companies agreed, and we call this the Student Industry Partnership or SIP.”

He added, “Not all students go to college. Those that do not must have the certified skills to get a well-paid job after high school. Our philosophy is: every student, without exception, graduates career or college ready.”

Horne concluded, “Exposure to possible jobs is highly motivating. As a result, career technical education students graduate at an astounding 97.4% rate, far exceeding the state average.“

Over the past two years more than 58,000 CTE students earned more than 77,000 credentials. This week, 40,000 students are finishing their Technical Skills Assessment. 40,000 students in one year compared to 58,000 over the past two years demonstrates significant growth.

As of this date, there are slightly more than 161,000 students enrolled in CTE programs representing 326 schools and 144 districts with more than 2,500 site-level programs.

Don’t miss this opportunity to sign up your new special education teachers for Teach Camp!

Teach Camp is a three-day, camp-themed professional learning experience packed with practical resources, strategies, and a strong campfire community of support so that new special education teachers not only survive but thrive as they begin their teaching journey. Teach Camp is available to special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in one of Arizona’s public schools in the fall of 2026.  

Navigating the Journey: Camp Essentials 

• 3-day summer “camp” to be held July 7–9, 2026, at Rio Salado College Conference Center, 2323 W. 14th St., Tempe, AZ 85281 
• The cost per teacher is $195
• Each camper will receive: 
  • The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers (3rd edition) 
  • One-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children 
  • Additional valuable resources to pack in their teaching backpack 

Trailblazing Together: What Teach Camp Alumni Are Saying! 

• “The resources and guidance provided have helped boost my confidence as I begin my journey as a special education teacher.” 
• “I’m hiking away with a full backpack of ideas and a happy teacher heart! Huge thanks to everyone who planned, presented, and made camp such an unforgettable experience. I’d sign up again in a heartbeat—just point me to the trailhead!” 
• “I loved the warm, welcoming environment, the rockstar presenters (aka our fearless trail guides), and meeting so many fellow campers who were eager to share their survival skills and teaching hacks. Teach Camp was s’more than I expected!” 

Ready for Your Teachers to Join the Adventure? 

Registration for Teach Camp is open on a first-come, first-served basis until Friday, June 19, 2026. 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, after which participants will be placed on a waiting list. Travel reimbursement is available for eligible districts and charter organizations for up to five travelers per organization with additional travelers as funding allows. Reimbursement details are provided in the registration form. 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.  

Spots are limited—register your teachers for Teach Camp today! 

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

Unprecedent volume of requests for officers, counselors

PHOENIX – Citing an unprecedented volume of requests from schools, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is urging state lawmakers and Governor Hobbs to approve legislation that would add at least $40 million to the current school safety program.

The recent deadline to accept new school safety grant requests resulted in schools asking for a total of 801 counselors or social workers and 743 officers totaling nearly $187 million. Under the current program, there are a total of 588 counselors and social workers and 498 armed officers funded at 1,155 locations statewide.

Horne said, “When I took office in 2023, there were 117 armed officers under the School Safety Program and I have ensured that number has risen to nearly 500. My biggest nightmare is that an armed maniac gets onto a school campus and kills people. Just a few weeks ago a heroic principal in Oklahoma subdued an armed gunman at a school and was wounded in the process. While we praise his actions, having unarmed teachers be the first line of defense is not acceptable. Therefore, I am urging state lawmakers to pass, and the governor to sign, legislation that adds $40 million to the safety program. But the need is substantially greater which means appropriating an even higher amount would be ideal.”

He added, “The reverse is also true. Due to the way the law is written, if the program does not get added funding, there will still be enough money to ensure the current number of school resource and safety officers remain, but no new officers can be added and funding for counselors and social workers will be lost. That scenario must be avoided.”

CTEDs should be prepared to report students in a Regionally Identified High Need program* must be reported to AzEDS Portal with Tuition Payer code 9 to receive correct ADM funding.

Students that meet this criterion must be reported as Tuition Payer code 9 to AzEDS Portal:

• A 9th-grade student enrolled in a Regionally Identified High-Need program.
• Continuation students that have graduated from the member site but will continue in CTED for immediate subsequent year after their reported graduation.
  • Continuation students (Grade 13) should be reported as 12th graders due to AzEDS reporting limitation. 

Grade 9 CTED students may generate funding when the student reaches the 40th day of grade 11 and is enrolled in an approved CTED program. Enrollment must be reported on the AzEDS Instructional Calendar for the 40th instructional day. While students can receive funding for 9th grade or the year after their graduation, they are prohibited from receiving CTED funding for more than four years, even if they attend more than one CTED.

 School Finance will verify students' participation in the Regionally Identified High-Need program by using student data reported to AzEDS with a tuition payer code 9 to calculate the appropriate ADM payment in the subsequent fiscal years. For example, if the 9th grade student in FY2026, remains enrolled in the program in FY2028 as an 11th grader, the ADM will be calculated in FY2028. 

*Regionally Identified High Need programs are identified by the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and approved by the Arizona Career and Technical Education Quality Commission (ACTEQC). 

If additional assistance is needed, please submit a HelpDesk ticket.

BUDG-25 reports for all school districts have been posted to the School Finance website.  FY 2026 April BUDG-25 reports have been calculated using the FY 2026 April BSA-55 information.

• District BUDG-25, BUDG-75, and BSA-55 reports are available to download from this School Finance website. For further instructions on how to navigate the website, please view this Hot Topic.

Please contact the Budget Team ([email protected]) if you have any questions.

Thank you!

NEW INTEGRITY RULE: Integrity Rule -40105 

Effective April 21, 2026, a new special education (SPED) data integrity rule will be implemented to validate preschool outcomes assessment scores (COS) reported to AzEDS. Exit scores are currently being pre-emptively reported to AzEDS.  

Integrity Message for -40105: Preschool exit outcomes may not be entered until the last day of the student's program. 

This new integrity rule aims to ensure outcomes assessments are not being entered prematurely. Exit outcomes assessments that have been entered prior to the student’s last day of the reported LRE will cause this integrity rule to fail. Exit scores entered prior to the last day of the LRE will need to be removed and/or republished on or after the last day of the LRE. 

The SPED-Related Integrity Rules tool found on our AzEDS SPED Reporting page has been updated to provide troubleshooting guidance for this integrity rule. Please also refer to the Preschool Outcomes Reporting Guidance document for information about reporting Preschool Outcomes scores.