The ADE/ESS Recruitment and Retention team is staffing a recruitment booth at the Council for Exceptional Children's (CEC) annual convention from March 11–15, 2025, as part of our recruiting efforts on behalf of all Arizona PEAs. Each year, CEC draws thousands of preservice special education students, teachers, and related service providers.  

  Our booth includes Arizona Department of Tourism brochures showcasing the diverse beauty of our state, materials pointing attendees to our job board, and, of course, the famous cactus pencils. 

  Following our attendance at national conventions, we typically see a dramatic uptick in Arizona Education Employment Board visitors. Please make sure that your special education positions are posted on our free job board as soon as possible to take advantage of this opportunity. 

 For additional information, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox. 

There is still time to register for this spring’s virtual series on Universal Design for Learning.

The ADE/ESS Academic Achievement and Inclusive Practices unit invites educators to its upcoming free virtual professional learning series on Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This series is an excellent opportunity to deepen your understanding of UDL principles and how they can be applied to create more inclusive, accessible learning environments for all students. These virtual sessions will focus on providing practical strategies that can be implemented across classroom settings, supporting the success of all learners. We encourage your schools to take advantage of these no-cost virtual learning sessions to deepen knowledge and understanding and enhance instructional practices to ensure every student succeeds.

Don’t miss the next session on March 6, 2025. The registration links can be found in the attached flyer.

If you have any questions, contact Academic Achievement and Inclusive Practices at [email protected].

For immediate release: February 18, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
 

Horne praises federal government for opposition to DEI programs

Joins fight Horne began in 2007

PHOENIX – State schools chief Tom Horne is praising a letter sent by the U.S. Department of Education to educators nationwide warning that DEI racial discrimination by educational institutions imperils federal funding and constitutes civil rights violations.

Horne said, “I am glad the world is catching up to me. In 2007, I opposed the Ethnic Studies program in the Tucson district because it was based on racial discrimination using Critical Race Theory. In recent years, the use of CRT and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs have embedded discriminatory practices and attitudes among our school children. This is unacceptable. We are all individuals, entitled to be judged by what we know, what we can do and our character, not the color of our skin, but CRT and DEI programs promote racial division, which has no place in society, including the classroom.”

He added, “Since taking office in 2023, I have required that grant and contract recipients getting money from this department affirm that they do not use DEI. I also require every public school to publicly attest on their school report card whether or not they respect all students as individuals, avoiding concepts like Critical Race Theory and protect instructional time from excessive distractions labeled as Social Emotional Learning. I also reiterated my opposition to these divisive practices in my most recent State of Education speech where I drew a conclusion between people like me who value the American tradition of individual merit and those who would substitute racial entitlements. I stated, ‘…the focus on racial entitlements does nothing to encourage hard work, conscientiousness, or creativity. If our country adopts that philosophy, we will become a mediocre third world nation.’ I am grateful that the federal government is now committed to fighting this discriminatory phenomenon.”

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The ADE/ESS Program Support & Monitoring (PSM) unit and the Secondary Transition team are collaborating to provide training in response to the Arizona State Board Rule Change for Secondary Transition Services. Join this in-person-only Professional Development opportunity to gain clarity on the rule change and how to apply effective practices for stronger transition plans.  

Attendees will receive an overview of transition planning requirements, implications for the 2024 Arizona State Board of Education rule changes, and effective practices. These trainings are geared towards school administrators, teachers, and other staff integral to transition planning and service delivery.

Please choose one of the following dates/times at your convenience, as it will not be recorded, and each session covers the same content. 

Title: Getting Ahead to Go Beyond: Secondary Transition Changes and Considerations 
Dates: Wednesday, April 2, and Thursday, April 3, 2025 
Times: 9:00–11:30 a.m. and 12:30–3:00 p.m. (select one) 
Where: ADE South Campus 
Address: 1535 W Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85007 

Title: Getting Ahead to Go Beyond: Secondary Transition Changes and Considerations 
Date: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 
Times: 9:00–11:30 a.m. and 12:30–3:00 p.m. (select one) 
Where: State of Arizona Complex  
Address: 400 W Congress, Tucson, AZ 85701 

Space is limited! Please register now for Getting Ahead to Go Beyond: Secondary Transition Changes and Considerations.

If you have questions about this training, please email Veronica Reza.  

In accordance with A.R.S. §15-905(L), the FY 2024 BUDG-75 Expenditure Analysis Letters are now published. Letters are based on the most recent FY 2024 BUDG-75 Over Expenditure reports, which have been calculated using the latest of FY 2024 BSA55 SRC or FY 2024 BSA55 915 information.  These letters serve as official notification of any over expenditure for FY 2024, and how Budget Balance/Over Expenditure values should be recorded on the next FY 2025 budget revision.

The expenditure analysis letters are addressed to the district's governing board in care of the district superintendent. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the district to inform the district's governing board members accordingly. 

Reports are available on the School Finance Reports website.

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

Thank you!

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 with the development of a school-wide approach for 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)). 

Several free informational webinars are being offered to outline additional details about the MTBS model, the three-year training sequence, the readiness requirements, and the process for applying.  Attendance at one of the informational webinars is the first readiness requirement necessary for participation in the training series.

If you are interested in learning more and/or starting the readiness process, review the attached flyer and register to attend one of the following free webinars:

Register for February 19 from 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Register for February 19 from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Register for February 25 from 12:00–1:00 p.m.

Register for February 25 from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Directions for applying for the training series will be provided during the webinar. Registration is limited to ten teams and only one team from each district. Applications earning the highest scores in the evaluation process will be approved until all seats are filled. Completed applications must be submitted by April 2 at 5:00 p.m.

The special education director is required to attend the readiness webinar for a PEA/district team. The principal is required to attend the readiness webinar for a school team.

Please see the MTBS 2025 flyer for additional information. If you have questions, please contact Celeste Nameth.

The FY23 9th grade CTED funding adjustment has been calculated and included in the FY25 February state aid payment. This adjustment has been included in the Adjusted Base Support Level. Please see the attached spreadsheet for more information.

Please note that there will be a final adjustment to this funding based on final FY25 ADM during the SRC payment period.

If you have any questions regarding the funding adjustment, please contact the School Finance Payment Team at [email protected]. If you have any questions regarding the ADM, please open a Help Desk ticket with the School Finance Account Analyst Team.

Thank you!

FY23 CTED Funding Adjustment

Grade 9 students enrolled in a Career and Technical Education District (CTED) and in a Regionally Identified High Need program* must be reported to AzEDS with Tuition Payer code 9.

Tuition Payer Code 9:
•    A 9th-grade student enrolled in a Regionally Identified High-Need program.

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 and validate the data reported to the CTE Data Portal to calculate the appropriate ADM payment in the subsequent fiscal years. For example, if the 9th grade student in FY2025, remains enrolled in the program in FY2027 as an 11th grader, the ADM will be calculated in FY2027. 

*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.
 

For immediate release: February 6, 2025
Contact: [email protected]
 

Heroic Tucson PD School Safety Officer honored by Supt. Horne

Officer prevented tragedy last month at east side school

TUCSON – A heroic effort by School Safety Officer William Bonanno of the Tucson Police Department to protect children from an armed intruder at an east side school last month was recognized by state schools chief Tom Horne today.

Horne presented Bonanno with a certificate of commendation and noted that his actions at the Legacy Charter School, in which he confronted and arrested an armed intruder, saved lives. Bonanno had been recently assigned to the school because in December, Supt. Horne released $48 million in added school safety funds that had not been fully utilized. Legacy Charter was among the first schools to apply for and receive funding to hire a School Safety Officer.

Horne said, “Officer Bonanno prevented the nightmare I have often talked about. 20 students and additional adults would have lost their lives, and the student’s parents would have had their lives ruined by uncontrollable grief. I know about this because I have lost a child. Those who have been opposing police in the schools need to rethink this issue. Think of the unimaginable tragedy that would have occurred if that School Safety Officer had not been there, or if he had been hired a little later.”

School Safety Officers are law enforcement officers assigned to schools that do not have a dedicated School Resource Officer. Several such officers are used to ensure full-time coverage of a school during the week. In 2023, the department began a public-private partnership with Off Duty Management, a company that assists in the placement of officers from multiple police jurisdictions statewide. Officer Bonanno was placed at the school under this partnership.

Brian Manley, President of Off Duty Management said, “The Off Duty Management Team is grateful that Officer Bonanno’s immediate action protected the lives and wellbeing of the children, school staff, and others present at the school that day. Without Officer Bonanno’s commitment to service, the excellence of Tucson Police Department under Chief Kasmar’s leadership, and the vision of Superintendent Tom Horne and Director Mike Kurtenbach of the Arizona Department of Education in putting this program and our partnership in place, this event would likely have ended in tragedy.”

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In partnership with ADE/ESS, the College and Career Competencies (CCCs) Project invites you to tune into a Spring 2025 professional learning opportunity for educational leaders and educators, Developing and Improving Students’ Persistence and Confidence Through Self-Efficacy.

Students who don’t have confidence in their abilities give up easily when they experience obstacles. They struggle to understand the connection between putting forth effort and making progress. Self-efficacy is an individual’s perception of their ability to complete challenging tasks. Students with strong self-efficacy understand that learning new things is a process that includes multiple attempts, analyzing each attempt, and applying feedback to improve. They view mistakes and setbacks as opportunities to learn and utilize calming techniques when learning becomes challenging. Educators who support students in developing self-efficacy observed increased confidence and the ability to view mistakes as learning opportunities in their students. Academic and behavioral outcomes are improved when educators are supported in developing students’ self-efficacy.

For K-12 Educational Leaders
Title: Improving Students’ Persistence and Confidence Through Self-EfficacyTarget
Audience: School and district administrators, special education directors, curriculum directors, directors of teaching and learning, professional development coordinators, and other school administrators.
Date: Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Time: 9:00–9:45 a.m.

Please join us for this interactive 45-minute webinar as we explore these topics: 

• Accessing free professional learning for your staff
• Teaching self-efficacy with free curriculum
• Systematic approaches to implementing self-efficacy instruction
• Coaching educators as they provide self-efficacy instruction

Register for Improving Students’ Persistence and Confidence Through Self-Efficacy.

For K-12 Special Educators and Interventionists

Title: Developing Students’ Persistence and Confidence Through Self-Efficacy
Target Audience: Special educators, school counselors, social workers, related services providers, instructional coaches, and interventionists
Date: Thursday, February 13, 2025
Time: 3:00–3:45 p.m.

Please join us for this interactive 45-minute webinar as we explore these topics: 

• Teaching self-efficacy with free curriculum
• Measuring students’ self-efficacy
• Individualized support for developing students’ self-efficacy
• Accessing free self-efficacy courses for special education professionals

Register for Developing Students’ Persistence and Confidence Through Self-Efficacy.

For more information, see www.cccframework.org.