The ADE/ESS Professional Learning and Sustainability unit is pleased to announce two “grow-your-own” opportunities for educators in Arizona public schools.

• The General Education Teacher to Special Education Teacher (GETSET) program provides tuition reimbursement to Public Education Agencies (PEAs) for certified general education teachers who want to pursue a career change to become special education teachers. Participants choose the Standard Teaching Certificate or the Full Special Education Teaching Endorsement in mild/moderate disabilities, moderate/severe disabilities, dead/hard of hearing, or visually impaired. Early childhood special education certification is only available via the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate.
• The Special Education Teacher Tuition Assistance (SETTA) program provides tuition reimbursement to PEAs for paraprofessionals and educational interpreters that leads to the Standard Teaching Certificate in mild/moderate disabilities, moderate/severe disabilities, deaf/hard of hearing, visually impaired, or early childhood special education.                                                                                                                                                             

If the candidate chooses the Standard Professional Teaching Certificate Pathway, the teacher shall enroll in an Arizona State Board of Education-approved educator preparation program (EPP) that leads to special education teacher certification (view the list of approved programs that lead to special education certification). Courses for the Full Special Education Endorsement must be taken from an Arizona institute of higher education on the list of approved programs and must be verified by the Arizona Department of Education Certification Unit. See the Special Education Teacher Certification Pathways for more information.

PEAs have an opportunity to submit one application per program per year. Applications earning the highest scores in the evaluation process will be approved until the funding that is set aside for the program is depleted. Applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 21, 2025.

Please review the location information page or the SETTA application information page or the GETSET application information page, and email the completed cover pages from the corresponding cover pages (attached) along with unofficial transcripts to the Exceptional Student Services Recruitment and Retention Inbox, using the subject line [Your District or Charter Name]: 2025 GETSET/SETTA Application.

Please note:

• PEAs can apply for the GETSET program for general education teachers who seek a full special education endorsement.
• Applicant must have been employed by the PEA for two full school years as of June 30, 2025.
• Applicant must agree to two full years of teaching in a special education capacity at the PEA once special education certification is achieved.
• GETSET and SETTA are tuition reimbursement programs. Potential expenses are pre-approved, and reimbursement is provided after each semester is completed and program requirements are met.

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

ADE/ESS is pleased to present “A Deep Dive into Speech Sound Disorders: Intervention Only” with Amy Graham, CCC-SLP, for a second time. This repeat presentation is intended for SLPs or SLTs who remained on the waiting list or could not attend the October 11, 2024, session. Thank you, Peoria Unified School District, for securing a great venue for this event.

“A Deep Dive into Speech Sound Disorders: Intervention Only”

Too often, professional development for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) covers everything but intervention. In this full-day course, school-based SLPs will learn how to provide effective intervention for articulation errors and motor, speech, and phonological disorders. There is no fee to attend this session. This professional development activity qualifies as recognized professional development hours (PDHs) under ASHA guidelines. You will receive a certificate of attendance that satisfies their documentation requirements. Hours are not submitted to the CE Registry.

Date:               Friday, January 31, 2025

Time:                8:30 a.m.−4:30 p.m.

Fee:                   Free (Space is limited, and lunch is on your own.)

Where:             Rio Salado Recreation Center

Address:          8866 W Thunderbird Rd, Peoria, AZ 85381

About Amy Graham, CCC-SLP

Amy is a speech-language pathologist, an international speaker, a frequent podcast guest, and a creator of speech therapy resources for SLPs who treat speech sound disorders. 

Register Now for A Deep Dive into Speech Sound Disorders.

The ADE/Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) unit, in collaboration with the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP), is pleased to announce its 10th Annual Summit. Improved Outcomes: Access. Connections. Belonging is scheduled for March 5—7, 2025. This two-and-a-half-day virtual conference will bring practitioners, families, administrators, and leaders together to share best practices for children with disabilities ages birth to eight. The summit will consist of presentations, panels, and vendors, all focused on improving outcomes for Arizona’s young children.

Please see the attached flyer for registration information. If you have any questions, please email ECSE Inbox or AzEIP.  

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].

Frees up accumulation of earlier funding

PHOENIX – State schools chief Tom Horne is announcing the release of nearly $48 million in accumulated school safety funding that will now be used to fund schools that request armed campus officers, counselors, and social workers. In compliance with state law, all requests for law enforcement officers are granted with remaining monies used for counselor and social workers.

The additional monies come from a buildup of dollars that the Department of Education had granted to schools but were not fully utilized resulting in a carryover from year to year. The State Board of Education, which includes Superintendent Horne, voted today to release those carryover funds so schools can apply for them.

Horne said, “It is unfortunate that in some cases, previously granted dollars were not utilized because of the ongoing shortage of law enforcement officers in many communities. In most cases where there has not been a single full time law enforcement officer available, the position was filled by multiple officers rotating overtime on their day off to ensure coverage for the full school week. Of course, we cannot afford to allow this vital funding to go unused, which means schools should contact the Department immediately to participate in this program.”

He added, “Making sure schools have armed officers on campus to protect students, educators and staff is one of my highest priorities. The sad reality is that we must ensure that if an armed maniac attacks a campus, there is a trained law enforcement officer on site to respond.”

Approximately $39.4 million of the funding will pay for 198 School Resource Officers or School Safety Officers and $8.5 million will pay for 66 new counselor or social worker positions.

Resource Officers are assigned to a campus on a full-time basis. Safety Officers utilize multiple personnel to ensure full-time coverage of a campus.

Schools throughout the state are eligible to apply.

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.