Do your students doubt their abilities when they experience challenges? Do they understand how to put forth effort and make progress toward their goals? Self-efficacy instruction can increase students’ belief in themselves and develop their ability to persist through learning challenges. 

The Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services, in collaboration with the University of Kansas Research Collaboration, is offering the following free course as part of the College and Career Competencies Project.

Instructional Activities for Teaching Self-Efficacy: Virtual, six-week, interactive course for Special Educators, K–12

The course is being offered twice in the 2024–2025 school year:

• Monday, September 16–Friday, October 25, 2024
• Monday, January 13–Friday, February 21, 2025

Course Description: This facilitator-led course is designed for special educators (including related services providers) of students in Grades K–12 to explore instructional activities that teach self-efficacy. This interactive course allows educators to gain knowledge of 10 Self-Efficacy Strategies and to apply self-efficacy instructional practices.

• Each week, a recognized trainer will review instructional activities and facilitate discussion board conversations between participants.
• Information on accessing the course materials will be provided via email one week before the start date.
• The course provides flexibility and asynchronous activities that fit your schedule.

Provided materials include:

• Three lesson sets of 26 instructional activities
• Student workbooks, templates, and posters
• Additional resources tailored to primary, intermediate, and secondary levels

Earn CEUs and Graduate Credit: Participants who complete the course will earn 18 CEUs from the University of Kansas with an option to receive one graduate credit hour from Baker University (an additional payment of $80 is required; details provided during the course).

Note: The maximum number of participants is 30. The course will be closed after capacity is reached. Participants can expect to spend 1 to 2 hours per week learning about self-efficacy.

Course Commitment: If you enroll, plan to participate fully by reviewing resources, completing discussion board posts, interacting with colleagues’ discussion board posts, developing instructional planning materials, and reviewing assessment instruments.

At the end of the course, educators will be able to:

1. Describe 10 Self-Efficacy Strategies.
2. Assess student self-efficacy knowledge and application using curriculum-referenced and performance-based assessment tools.
3. Implement and adapt student self-efficacy instructional activities for their specific role.
4. Provide feedback and practice opportunities to students related to their growth in self-efficacy.

Complete the Enrollment Form

View the self-efficacy infographic, which includes the definition of self-efficacy and student impacts resulting from instruction.

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.

The registration deadline for the 2024–2025 Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) has been extended to August 1, 2024.

The purpose of this professional learning opportunity is to prepare new special education directors for the practical operation of a special education system. Topics covered in SENDS include compliance and legal requirements, fiscal issues, assessment, general supervision, and ADE supports and resources. New special education directors employed by Arizona public education agencies (PEAs) in their first or second year of being a special education director (including any previous positions) in the fall of 2024 are eligible to attend SENDS.

The $150 registration fee for SENDS includes:

• Registration for the in-person kick-off session on Day 1 (September 4, 2024) of the IDEA Conference* (with an option to pay to attend Days 2 and/or 3 of the conference).
• Four virtual follow-up sessions scheduled throughout the 2024–25 school year  (November 7, December 5, January 16, and February 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.).
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and CEC’s Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) special interest division.

*Information regarding travel reimbursement from eligible PEAs will be provided once registration is completed.

Register for the Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) training!

If you have questions about SENDS, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.

The Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD) Certification opens today, July 22, 2024. Certification is due August 5, 2024, by 5:00 p.m. This is a requirement of all Public Education Agencies (PEAs), including those without qualifying data within the modules.

Please note: As of July 15, 2024, the data in SEDD is locked and cannot be edited. Visit School Finance’s Guidelines and Manuals web page for detailed guidance on requesting a prior-year data correction for student data.

Certification is accessible only to users with the ESS SEDD: LEA Signer role. Only local entity administrators can assign this role to an individual. For information on how to add an ADEConnect role, visit ADEConnect FAQs.

During this process, PEAs will certify the following:

1. Student Exit Data
   • This module displays exit data for Special Education (SPED) students based on specific exit codes, age ranges, and dates outlined in the SPED Exit Flow Chart.
2. Preschool Transition Data
   • Public School Districts with boundaries were required to enter data for students transitioning from the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AZEIP) to Part B. If not applicable, this module will be inactive.
3. Students Without Disabilities
   • This module captures data on students without disabilities with an expulsion (W3) exit code. During the review phase, PEAs indicated if such students received educational services during expulsion. If not applicable, this module will be inactive.
4. Discipline Data
   • This module displays discipline incidents for SPED students that resulted in removal from their educational environment.

Resources available to assist PEAs include:

• TA Manual: Special Education Data Dashboard
• FY 2024 SEDD Webinar
• FY2024 SEDD Presentation slides, 64–70

For additional information, please contact the ESS Data Management Inbox or call 602-542-3962.

For immediate release: July 22, 2024
Contact: [email protected]
 

Horne: Schools should get legal advice before following new Title IX rules

Controversial changes face multiple legal hurdles

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne says Arizona districts and charters should consult legal counsel to determine if they should delay implementing controversial new federal Title IX guidelines that may cause students to suffer damages.

The new regulations are set to take effect on August 1 and face multiple legal challenges.

In a letter sent to district and charter school administrators, Horne said, “This is your choice, but you may wish to delay implementing the new regulations until the legal situation is clarified. If the regulations are implemented and then later overruled by the courts, students may suffer damages in the meantime.”

Horne added, “In the past I’ve been asked by districts, as a policy matter, about their consideration of rules, permitting biological boys who have male genitalia being allowed in girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers. My response was that there should be unisex bathrooms available, and if there was no room for them, the faculty bathroom should be used for that purpose. That would preserve the dignity of biological boys who identify as girls. But if they were allowed in girls’ facilities, I thought parents might well remove the girls from the school and send them to another district, Charter School, or private school. So, this rule could significantly injure public education.”

He notes that a Louisiana federal court ruling outlines the potential consequences to students if these news regulations are applied: “In Louisiana v. USDOE, the federal court described the impact of the August 1 rule as follows: ‘…requires students to be allowed access to bathrooms and locker rooms based on the gender identity [chosen, not at birth] requires schools to use whatever pronouns the student requests; and imposes additional requirements that will result in substantial costs to the school.’”

Horne concluded, “This is not legal advice. The Arizona Attorney General may disagree… We are a local control state, and it will be up to districts and charters to determine how to proceed in this situation. You need to consult with your lawyer. I am only providing information I think might be useful.”

For example, in an amicus brief to a Texas court considering whether to make its injunction against the new regulation nationwide, it was pointed out that "the Governing Board of the Dysart District in Arizona adopted a resolution on July 11, 2024, affirming its commitment to the pre-Final rule interpretation of Title IX, formally affirming that the Final Rule is contrary to the statutory text."

The full letter and appendix are attached.

###

Hello Educators,

Do your students doubt their abilities when they experience challenges? Do they understand how to put forth effort and make progress toward their goals? Self-efficacy instruction can increase students’ belief in themselves and can develop their ability to persist through learning challenges. 

The Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services, in collaboration with the University of Kansas Research Collaboration, is offering the College and Career Competencies Project, a free, one-year professional development series that includes:

• Free access to self-efficacy curricula at the primary, intermediate, and secondary levels with 25+ evidence-based instructional activities that teach 10 self-efficacy strategies.
• Virtual training across the school year to all staff, based on your PD calendar.
• Assessments to show student growth.
• Coaching support throughout the implementation process.

The College and Career Competencies Project is accepting 3 more schools (elementary, middle, or high) for the 2024–2025 school year!

To participate, have an administrator from your district complete the CCCs Project Interest Form, and schedule a 30-minute conference call about the project.

This professional learning experience will empower your students and enhance their learning journey. Act now to join!

View our self-efficacy infographic, which includes the definition of self-efficacy and student impacts resulting from instruction.

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.

ESS/Program Support and Monitoring (PSM) is proud to announce the release of the SY 2024–2025 Programmatic Monitoring Manual. This manual is intended to assist public education agencies (PEAs) in participating in and preparing for programmatic monitoring activities. The format of the manual changed last school year for ease of printing and locating information. The forms associated with programmatic monitoring activities can be found on the PSM website under Differentiated Monitoring Activities and are no longer located within the manual. 

Please contact your PEA’s assigned specialist with questions.

ADE/ESS, in partnership with the Center for Technical Assistance in Excellence for Special Education (TAESE), is pleased to announce that Saturday Mornings with the NRCP is available to paraeducators, related service providers, teachers, and administrators working in Arizona public education agencies.

The two-hour, virtual sessions will be hosted by the National Resource Center for Paraeducators, Related Service Providers, and Interveners (NRCP) on the second Saturday of each month from August 2024 through July 2025. The sessions will be based on the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Core Competencies for Special Education Paraeducators and will include topics such as paraeducator roles and responsibilities and effective behavior management strategies. See flyer here.

Upcoming webinars will include the following topics:

August 10, 2024

Understanding the ABCs and Function of Behavior

September 14, 2024

Ethical Practices Within Paraeducator Roles

October 12, 2024

Challenging Behavior and De-escalation

November 9, 2024

Strategies for Paraeducators Working in Secondary Settings

Teacher and paraeducator teams are encouraged to sign up together. The $100 registration fee includes 12 live webinars and extended access to the recordings via a Canva site until August 2025. Those who register will receive information on how to access the recordings.

Register for Saturday Mornings with the NRCP.

The attached flyer includes additional information about the professional learning series. Please email Laura Lema with any questions.

The Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Data Management team is pleased to introduce Beginning of the Year ESS Data Management training for the 2024–2025 reporting year. We offer two options to attend: virtually or in person.

During this training, our team will provide updates on the annual IDEA 618 requirements, review reporting to AzEDS, and give an overview of ESS data applications and surveys. Please register for only one session.

1. Virtual Training via Zoom: Thursday, August 22, 2024, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
2. In-person training: Thursday, August 22, 2024, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

100 N 15th Ave. Phoenix AZ 85007

Please email ESS Data Management with any questions. 

We look forward to seeing you!

Under Section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, State Education Agencies are required to make a determination for all Public Education Agencies (PEAs) on the PEA's performance in the implementation of special education. Each PEA's federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 determination is now available for review through ADE Connect and posted on the ADE/ESS website.

Please visit Arizona's PEA Determinations Website for information on the notification letter, scoring criteria, and public results.

For questions regarding PEA Determinations, please email theESS Operations Inbox.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

FY24 Parentally Placed Private School Student Survey (PPPSS) required by all Public School Districts only (charter schools are excluded), due on August 14th, 2024.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 requires that each public education agency (PEA) maintain its records and provide to the State information related to parentally placed private elementary and secondary school students covered under §§ 300.130 through 300.144.

The application opened on May 15th, 2024 and will close for submissions on August 14th, 2024.

• A PEA’s Entity Administrator must assign the role of “ESS Data Surveys: User” at the district level in ADEConnect to the individual who will submit this survey.
• Instructions: Parentally Placed Private School Students
• FAQs: Parentally Placed Private School Students

Once the role is assigned, please log in to ADEConnect, navigate to the Exceptional Student Services Portal (ESS), and select the ESS Data Surveys application.

From there, click on the blue hyperlinked text “FY24 Parentally Placed Private School Students Survey” to start the survey. When the survey has been completed, the application will display a webpage with the message, “Thank you for submitting.”

Please direct any questions to the ESS Data Management inbox.