ADE/ESS is thrilled to present three exciting opportunities connected to this year's IDEA Conference.

Arizona’s 2024 Conference Youth and Family Scholarship
​In partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services, Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Program, the ADE/ESS is offering scholarships to youths/young adults aged 14 to 26 and with a documented disability, family members of students with an IEP or 504 Plan, and providers accompanying a student or family member to participate in this year's conference. Recipients of the scholarship will have their conference registration fees covered and may qualify for lodging and mileage reimbursement. A limited number of scholarships are available. Apply for the Youth and Family Scholarship by June 30, 2024.

Call for Student Artwork
ADE/ESS will showcase student artwork during this year's conference. Any student, current or recent, between 3 and 26 years old with a disability, can submit a digital copy of their artwork to be considered for display at the 2024 IDEA Conference. Submit student artwork entries through May 31, 2024.

Secondary Transition Services Awards
Nominate educators and community members who provide exceptional transition services or students who have successfully navigated through the transition planning process for a Secondary Transition Services Award. Award winners will be recognized at the 2024 IDEA Conference. Make a Secondary Transition Services Award nomination through May 31, 2024.​

For more information, please download the flyer or visit the IDEA Conference web page. For questions, please e-mail the IDEA Conference Inbox.

Average Daily Membership (ADM) is calculated using data submitted in the Arizona Education Data Standards (AzEDS) system. Data capture stores a static copy of ADM every month on the data capture deadline. ADM is the basis of state aid funding. Monthly state aid payments are a percentage of the annual equalization assistance less previous payments year-to-date.

Ensure data is reconciled and free of integrity errors before the monthly data capture dates. Reports are published at School Finance Reports. 

The FY 2025 API is available from 06/01/2024 to 07/15/2025.

*Alternative to FY 2025 AzEDS data available for the first two payments only. Districts will be paid based on AzEDS prior-year student counts, which do not apply to Charters. Charter will be paid based on estimated counts submitted via the ADEConnect Charter Estimated Counts application.

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

Horne to US Ed Secretary: Quit threatening to shut down Grand Canyon University

Calls comments before Congress unjust and unwarranted

PHOENIX - Arizona schools chief Tom Horne has sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Michael Cardona urging him to abandon his threat to shut down Grand Canyon University and instead meet with school leadership to iron out their differences.

Horne describes Cardona's recent threat made before the U.S. House Appropriations committee as unworthy of his position as a Cabinet secretary who is sworn to uphold the Constitution.

Horne wrote, "In the U.S., anyone accused of wrongdoing is presumed innocent and entitled to their day in court. For a Cabinet-level official, one who is sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution, your threat against GCU is contrary to those constitutional guarantees and unworthy of your position."

In his testimony to Congress, Cardona repeated accusations leveled against GCU by the U.S. Department of Education as justification for shutting down the school. In his letter, Horne reminds the Secretary that the federal government has so far failed to provide GCU with evidence to support the allegations and Cardona's refusal to meet with GCU leadership is unreasonable.

Horne reiterates his support for the school, noting that GCU is "a major ally to my effort to raise academics in Arizona schools, and any harm you do to them would do harm to my goal of academic excellence. We also have a severe teacher shortage in Arizona, and the elimination of GCU would be a severe blow."

A copy of the letter is attached.

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DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT     

Special Education Data Updates Webinar: Wednesday, May 15, 2024

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include (subject to change):   

• Reminders 

• Trending topics 

• 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.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

FY24 Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD) Training Opportunities

We are thrilled to announce the inaugural training sessions for the Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD) hosted by the Exceptional Student Services Data Management team. These training sessions include both an in-person workshop and a live webinar.

SEDD serves as a comprehensive platform for Public Education Agencies (PEAs) to securely access federally mandated special education and statewide public data with redaction features. This training particularly benefits PEAs and secure care facilities seeking efficient data management solutions.

In anticipation of the application opening on May 8, 2024, we are conducting training sessions. Please register only once, as each session will cover the same material. Below, is the schedule for the upcoming SEDD training sessions:

Online Training via Zoom:
Date: Thursday, May 23, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

In-Person Training:
Location: 100 N. 15th Ave. 
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Date: Monday, June 3, 2024
Time: 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Please note that registration is mandatory. Click the respective link (on the date) for the session that best aligns with your schedule to complete your registration.
Should you have any questions or require further assistance, please contact ESS Data Management.

Teach Camp registration is filling up fast! It is hard to believe that this summer, we will launch Teach Camp for the fifth year! Teach Camp provides professional learning and supports that are specifically designed for beginning special education teachers. Teach Camp aims to increase the retention of special educators by providing our newest special education teachers with the tools that they need to survive and thrive during their first years in the classroom. Of this year’s participants, 97.5 % reported that their work-related knowledge had increased because they attended camp, and 100% reported an increase in their work-related motivation!

Teach Camp is available to special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in Fall 2024. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, alternative certified teachers, and veteran general education teachers transitioning to special education are all welcome. Please note that participants must be currently employed in a school district or charter as a special education teacher for the 2024-2025 school year, and participants must have no more than two years of special education teaching experience in total (including previous positions) to be eligible to attend Teach Camp.   

The cost is only $250 per teacher and includes:  

• 3-day summer “camp” to be held July 9–11, 2024, at the Rio Salado Conference Center in Tempe* (breakfast and lunch provided)  
• One-day follow-up session in February 2025 in Phoenix* (lunch provided)   
• A copy of The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers  
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children  
• Additional valuable resources   

Here are some of the things this year’s campers had to say about their experience at camp:

“This is one of the BEST conferences I have attended. Not just because of all the valuable resources provided, knowledgeable and accessible presenters, materials given... Mainly because of all the Teach Camp representatives who were so kind, inspiring, happy, motivating, encouraging, and attentive!! To me, this was the best part of the training. I felt cared for!”

“The information provided was invaluable. Learned many new things and especially loved the resource toolbox. The whole training was worth it just to have that info to tap later.”

“Too many to mention just one. All the individual sessions! Carol Kosnitsky's knowledge, experience, passion and energy just lights a fire under you and gets you excited. Great to meet so many of you that work at Dept of Ed in ESS, gave me a great understanding of where the support system starts.  LOVE the Survival Guide book, I'm on the last chapter and there are so many great resources in there. It reinforces and supports Teach Camp!”

“The best thing was the staff who planned and executed the camp. They thought of everything. BEST seminar I ever attended, and the follow-up day was very anticipated. It did not disappoint. Practicality of information presented; I absolutely enjoyed Carol Kosnitsky!”

Registration for Teach Camp is open until June 25, 2024*, on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration must be approved by the special education director and completed by the PEA, not the special education teacher. On-site registration is not available.

*To be considered for travel reimbursement, participants must register at the link below by May 17, 2024.

Begin the registration process for Teach Camp!

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

School Finance has posted the BUDG-25 reports for all school districts to the School Finance website. The FY 2024 April BUDG-25 reports have been calculated using the FY 2024 April BSA-55 information.

The FY2023 Over-Expenditures have been included in the Unrestricted Capital (UNR) and Maintenance and Operations (M&O) funds. FY24 FRPL Add-On ADM has also been included in the base support level calculation (BSL).

The following forms are available:

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

• District FY23 BUDG-75 reports are available to download from the School Finance website:
  • Select the “Start Fiscal Year” as 2023
  • Optionally, select the “Execution Date” as 11/21/2023
  • Click “Apply.”
  • If a 915 was submitted, please download the latest BUDG75 report without using the execution date drop-down.

• District BSA-55 reports are available to download from the School Finance website:
  • First, select a school district and then click “View Reports.”
  • Next, scroll down the page to the “School District Reports” section.
  • Finally, click the April “PDF” button. The April BSA-55 report will appear.

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

Thank you!

For immediate release: April 12, 2024
Contact: [email protected]
 

Horne criticizes Governor’s classroom cell phone ban veto

Bill addressed invasion of mobile devices in schools

State schools chief Tom Horne criticized Governor Katie Hobbs’ veto of a bill he supported that would allow local districts and charters to set a policy restricting the use of mobile devices while students are in class. He pointed out that under the bill, local school authorities would set policies to accomplish that goal.

Horne stated, “Anyone with a minimum of empathy would empathize with teachers who try to teach while students are scrolling on their cell phones. Every instructional method is precious. A teacher should not have to put up with that interference with instruction.”

He added, “Cell phones have also become the major way in which students are bullied. It is enough that they get bullied on their cell phones when they’re away from school. It should not be happening while they are in school trying to learn, so that the bullying occurs 24 hours a day. To permit that bullying to go on 24 hours a day shows a lack of empathy for the students.”

A recent poll of Arizona parents on this subject only five percent were unsure.  Of the remaining 95 percent, 62.75 percent supported the ban, with 71 percent of those saying it would increase focus on studies and reduce distractions.

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ADE/ESS and STAR Autism Support are collaborating to offer PEAs free resources, in-person and virtual professional learning, and additional coaching and technical assistance this summer.

2-Day STAR Comprehensive Workshop 

This comprehensive two-day workshop provides participants with detailed examples and practice activities on implementing the evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009). The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco, and Krug, 2015), a research-based curriculum, is used to provide examples. Appropriate content connected to the State Standards is presented, and detailed information on the three evidenced-based instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training, and teaching through functional routines will be shared.  If registered as a team, you will also be eligible to apply for free coaching hours. 

2-Day Links Comprehensive Workshop 
This two-day workshop provides participants with information on implementing evidence-based practices for secondary students using the Links Curriculum (Arick, Hoffman, and Magee-Arick, 2012). Participants will learn to use a process for assessing and teaching functional routines documented in the research. Extensive information will be given on selecting and individualizing routines and teaching specific skills to support success during routines. Participants will be given access to the Links Curriculum for the 2024-2025 school year. If registered as a team, you will also be eligible to apply for free coaching hours. 

PEAs are also encouraged to contact STAR Autism Support if they want additional individualized support for their teachers, related service staff members, and paraprofessionals.

Click here to learn more about these additional support opportunities.

We are excited to offer these opportunities to work with your teams to support students! 

Questions: Contact Bekah Anderson [email protected] or Christy Hegebush [email protected]

For immediate release: April 9, 2024
Contact: [email protected]
 

Horne corrects false information about federal funds in letter from legislators

State schools chief Tom Horne is responding to state legislators who made inaccurate assertions in a letter about the Department of Education’s disbursement of federal education dollars.

Here is his statement:

“We received a letter from six Democrat legislators, including the minority whip, stating the following: ‘In light of recent information about the Arizona Department of Education’s plan to withhold federal funding allocations to Title I schools…’ That is a false statement. The Department of Education never had, and never would have, a plan to withhold federal funding allocations. The Department of Education‘s sole role is to distribute funds that come in from the federal government according to a formula received from the federal government and we are doing that.

If it were up to us, we would increase Title I funding. The letter is unnecessarily insulting in lecturing us on the importance of Title I funds, and we at the department spend a lot more time on helping schools improve academic results for high poverty students than anyone in the legislature. Where they get the audacity to lecture us on the importance of Title I funding is beyond me.

In estimates that were clearly marked as preliminary, we estimated 20 percent less based on what we were hearing about possible cuts in Title I funding, and a significant cut in Arizona’s share because of decreasing levels of poverty compared to other states. It was clear for anyone bothering to read the email that that was preliminary only. The schools will have the actual numbers before the end of this week. That will be in plenty of time to avoid any negative impact of the preliminary numbers.

We will, of course, furnish all the information that the letter requests. We always do that. There was no need to send an irrationally insulting letter.”

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