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 23, 2024.

Complete the SETTA Application Form or GETSET Application Form and email the completed corresponding application cover page(s) (attached) to the Exceptional Student Services Recruitment and Retention Inbox, using the subject line [District or charter school name]: 2024 GETSET/SETTA Application.

Please note:

• PEAs can now 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, 2024.
• 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.

Call-for-Presentations

The IHD Evidence for Success Disability Conference showcases effective, evidence-based approaches, high-leverage practices, and research findings that result in improved services, supports, and outcomes for persons with disabilities across the lifespan.

Our 2024 conference will be held at the Wild Horse Pass Resort in Chandler, AZ on Monday & Tuesday, June 3-4, 2024. Presentations will be delivered in person.

We are seeking timely presentations that focus on innovative, evidence-based approaches to disability-related issues affecting children and adults across the broad areas of ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, COMMUNITY INCLUSION, EDUCATION, and EMPLOYMENT. We welcome presentations that address (but are not limited to):

Assistive Technology:

• Accessibility and Universal Design
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Assistive Technology Applications in Education, Employment, and Community Living
• AT for Specific Populations and Life Stages
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

Community Inclusion

• Behavioral and Mental Health Supports
• Disability and Justice
• Independence and Access in the Community / Independent Living
• Plain Language / Inclusive Language

Education

• College and Career Competencies
• Early Intervention / Early Childhood
• High-Leverage Practices for Students with Disabilities
• Inclusive Practices in Higher Education
• Secondary Transition

Employment

• Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
• Native American and State Vocational Rehabilitation Practices
• Supporting Workers with Disabilities across Employment Settings
• Transition & Workplace Accessibility

Proposals are due by Friday, February 9, 2024. Applicants will be notified of their proposal status by March 15, 2024.

Accepted presenters receive discounted registration fees. Commercial exhibitors selected to present must pay full exhibitor or sponsor registration fees.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL FOR A CONFERENCE PRESENTATION

For questions or assistance, contact Adi Schaeffer, IHD Events Manager, at [email protected] or [email protected]; 602-728-9537

Please share the following professional learning opportunities with general and special education teachers who teach mathematics.

Virtual Professional Learning Opportunities:

The following virtual sessions are offered via Zoom and are free to attend. Click the session link to view the session description and to pre-register.

Take a DIP into Estimation 180 (Grades K–12)
Thursday, February 1, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Math Language Routines that Help Students Understand Context (Grades K–12)
Thursday, February 8, from 4:00–5:30 p.m.
Take a DIP into Dot Talks (Grades K–12)
Tuesday, March 5, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Take a DIP into Growing Patterns (Grades K–12)

Tuesday, March 26 from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Note: Accommodations must be requested at least one week in advance of the webinar. Sessions will not be recorded. It is strongly recommended that you use a computer to access the webinar to enable full participation in the session.

Please email Rob Hilliker with any questions.

Please visit the ESS Math webpage to view more upcoming events and helpful resources. 

School Finance has manually calculated initial add-on payments for gifted students in accordance with Laws 2021, Chapter 404 and the files below describe the calculation process and details for each district and charter. The additional funding for districts and charters will appear as adjustments to the base support level in BSA55 reports. Calculations will be updated once in the spring and again after statewide recalculation in July to reflect final student data. 

FY 2024 Gifted Add-on Payment Summary

FY2024 Gifted Group B Funding.xlsx 

In the future, the gifted add-on weight is expected to be fully implemented in ADE student data and payment systems to appear in the BSA55 report along with other add-on funding, but the timeline for this enhancement is not yet known.

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

Thank you!

Districts (not charters) must submit transportation route data within 12 days of their 100th day (or 200th day where applicable) per A.R.S. § 15-922.  

Users must submit district transportation data through the ADEConnect application. Users who submit transportation data must be assigned the “TransportationInventory – LEA User” role in ADEConnect to access the new Transportation application. Entity Administrators can add this role to users in ADEConnect. Please get in touch with your Entity Administrator if you need assistance with role assignment.

The following resources are available to assist in submitting transportation data via the new application:

• Transportation Manual
• Transportation FAQ

Please review these resources before submitting your transportation data. If additional assistance is needed, please submit a HelpDesk ticket.

For immediate release: January 16, 2024
Contact: [email protected]
 

Horne’s calls on lawmakers to support bill with School Safety Task Force Recommendations

More safety enhancements suggested

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has joined forces with Arizona Representative Matt Gress in pursuing legislation that would allow the implementation of recommendations made by the 2023 ADE School Safety Task Force.

The Task Force consisted of both Democrat and Republican lawmakers, representatives from law enforcement, health care providers and community leaders who collaborated over a period of months to provide the proposals that form the basis for the legislation, HB 2400. 

Horne said, “Making sure schools are safe for students, educators and staff is one of my highest priorities. It would be an unspeakable tragedy to have a maniac storm a campus and harm people, so it is vital to have armed officers at schools.  Under prior legislation, districts could choose either officers or mental health professionals.”

Arizona Representative Matthew Gress said, “Schools must be places where all students, teachers and staff feel safe. This bill is the product of collaboration between educators, certified mental health professionals, law enforcement, legislators, and Superintendent Tom Horne to implement meaningful, common-sense school safety enhancements. I urge my fellow lawmakers to support this vital legislation.”

As introduced, the bill would add School Safety Officers and School Psychologists to the grant program, allow for retired officers to be eligible for the grant program, and permit schools to apply for the purchase of safety technology, safety training, and infrastructure improvements.

School Safety Officers are law enforcement professionals who are assigned to schools on an as-needed basis to provide full-time coverage at a school. School Resource Officers are assigned full-time to one campus.

In addition, the bill requires that schools must demonstrate they are unable fill a School Resource Officer position before they can receive funds for a School Safety Officer and submit a detailed plan to ADE to approve.

A school must submit a plan to ADE on how officers will be trained on FERPA, civil rights, and adolescent mental health issues.

The proposal also exempts school blueprints and floor plans from public records requests and adds a requirement for a school mental health professional guidance manual like the manual for School Resource Officers. The manual must be consistent with the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

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Click here to view HB 2400.

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

Supt. Horne statement on today’s English Language Learner hearing

Court does not issue a timeline for decision

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has issued his reaction to today’s Maricopa County Superior Court hearing on English Language Learner instruction.

Today’s Declaraty Judgement Action was brought by the defendants in a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Horne to require public schools to follow the voter-approved Arizona constitutional amendment that requires that “…all children in Arizona public schools shall be taught English by being taught in English, and all children shall be placed in English language classrooms.” Schools that do not follow this model are in violation of the law.

The defendants in this case include Governor Katie Hobbs, Attorney General Kris Mayes and ten Arizona school districts.

Horne stated, “My attorney, Dennis Wilienchik, did an excellent job in court. He demonstrated that the language of Proposition 203, the English immersion law that was overwhelmingly passed by voters, is clear. The actions of the Governor, Attorney General and ten school districts that are party to this lawsuit are in violation of that law by pursuing dual language programs, which Arizona voters overwhelmingly rejected. The lawsuit I have filed only seeks to have a declaration from the court of what the law states. There is no attempt to pursue any other legal remedy from anyone.

Conversely, if the Governor, Attorney General and the school districts persuade the judge in this matter to find in their favor, based on the technicalities that they asserted, the legal consequences for school district board members and superintendents are draconian.

The language of Proposition 203 allows for parents of public-school students in any Arizona district to sue any district – including other districts - in violation of this statute. If such a lawsuit is successful, the school board members and superintendent of a district found to be in violation of the law are removed from their positions and cannot run for any public office in education for five years. There are parents prepared to file such a suit, but I have asked them to wait for the decision of this court so that such a draconian penalty could be avoided.

What I cannot understand it why ten districts joined the Governor and Attorney General in urging a judge to dismiss this lawsuit on highly technical grounds. If that happens, board members and superintendents at districts violating Proposition 203 will be subject to those draconian consequences. By their position against my attempt to get clarification of the law, without any further consequences, they are seriously hurting themselves.”

The court did not suggest a timeframe for a decision.

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Data capture for the February 22nd payment is 1/15/24 at 5 pm.

Reminder: Payment 8 will be based on data captured that is passing integrity and generating ADM in AzEDS. Actual data in AzEDS will be used to calculate ADM for Payment 8.

Please ensure data is reconciled and free of integrity errors prior to the data capture date. Review the following reports in AzEDS:

• INTEG15 – ensure data is free and clear of membership ADM Integrity errors
• STUD10 – validate all students are listed in AzEDS
• ADM15 – ensure all students expected to generate funding are indicated as fundable
• ADM20, SPED20, and EL20 – ensure ADM amounts for each ADM type

Important Note: FY24 Calendars need to be submitted, approved, and certified for ADM and funding to be generated. 

Please submit a School Finance HelpDesk ticket if data assistance is needed.

The FY2023 Superintendent's Annual Financial Report (SAFR) has been posted. 

School Finance has posted Volume I and Volume II of the report and the digital copy of SAFR information on our website.

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

Thank you!

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

Horne requiring districts and charters to report on state-mandated Holocaust education

Sets late January deadline

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is asking that all Arizona district and charter schools report their compliance with state law that requires students to be taught about the Holocaust and other genocides. Horne set a deadline of January 24 for the information to be sent to the Department of Education.

Horne said, “During the past three months we have learned all-too-well how many people are ignorant about the realities of the Holocaust and other genocides of history. We have heard about pro-Hamas and anti-American propaganda being spread in a high school student club, students being intimidated because of their ethnicity, and we have seen pro-Hamas protests on college campuses.”

He added, “Expressions of hatred like this are unacceptable in an educational setting and a powerful way to combat this scourge is with learning. Students would not be vulnerable to antisemitic propaganda if they had received proper Holocaust instruction. I’m grateful state law exists to require instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides, and it is important to ensure that districts and charter schools are in compliance.

Here is the text of the email:

Please report us by close of business on January 24th, 2024, what you are doing to implement ARS section 15–701.02 regarding instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides. Please indicate how much time is devoted to the subject and what you use for curriculum.

The Arizona Department of Education provides resources, training, and support for educators in meeting House Bill 2241 requiring students to receive instruction in the Holocaust and other genocides at least once in middle school and once in high school through our Arizona Holocaust and Genocide Education Resource webpage - /standards-practices/holocaust-and-genocide.

This assistance is optional, but compliance with state statute is obligatory.

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Note: Holocaust photo credit: Eisenhowerlibrary.gov