Special Education Directors:

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, then 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 Education 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 this flyer and register to attend one of the following free webinars:

Register for March 27 from 12:00–1:00 p.m.

Register for March 27 from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Register for April 13 from 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Register for April 13 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 public education agency. Applications earning the highest scores in the evaluation process will be approved until all seats are filled. Completed applications must be submitted by April 27 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.

For information regarding MTBS, please contact Celeste Nameth.

Greetings,

The ADE/ESS is pleased to announce the 2023 Seminar for School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists: Expanding​ ​Expression​ ​Training: ​ A​ ​Multi-Sensory​ ​Approach​ ​for​ ​Improved​ ​Writing,​ ​Oral Expression,​ ​and​ ​Comprehension​ Across​ ​the​ ​Curriculum with Sara​ ​L.​ ​Smith,​ ​MS,​ ​CCC-SLP​ ​​(and founder​ ​of​ ​EET). The intended audience for this seminar is Speech-Language Pathologists, Speech-Language Technicians, and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants.

Sponsored by the ADE/ESS

Hosted by Alhambra Elementary School District

Date:                  Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Time:                  8:30 a.m.–4:40 p.m.

Fee:                    $40.00 (lunch on your own)

Where:              4510 N 37th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85019

Course​ ​Description:

This training will focus on helping students ​comprehend​ ​curriculum​ ​materials,​  ​write using​ ​details,​ ​and​ ​express​ ​themselves​ ​using​ ​multisensory,​ ​brain-based​ ​techniques.​ ​Participants will​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​to​ ​target​ ​general​ ​descriptions,​ ​writing​ ​from​ ​prior​ ​knowledge, biographies/autobiographies​, ​and​ ​summarizing​ ​using​ ​simple​ ​strategies.​ ​Multiple​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​target language​ ​processing​ ​skills​ ​will​ ​be​ ​provided​ ​as​ ​well.​ ​Student​ ​samples​ ​and​ ​hands-on​ ​activities​ ​are included.​ ​The​ ​strategies​ ​discussed​ ​are​ ​being​ ​used for ages​ ​preschool​ ​through​ ​adult​ ​in​ ​both​ ​general​ ​and special​ ​education​ ​settings.

Learner​ ​Outcomes:

Participants​ ​will​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to:

1. ​Teach​ ​students/clients​ ​a​ ​multi-sensory​ ​approach​ ​for​ ​including​ ​more​ ​details​ ​in​ ​their​ ​definitions and​ ​descriptions.
2. ​Explain​ ​how​ ​to​ ​use​ ​strategies​ ​to​ ​target​ ​the​ ​following​ ​areas:​ ​categorization,​ ​function, appearance,​ ​composition,​ ​associated​ ​parts,​ ​location,​ ​and​ ​similarities​ ​and​ ​differences.
3. ​Use​ ​and​ ​teach​ ​a​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​improved​ ​organization​ ​in​ ​writing​ ​from​ ​prior​ ​knowledge​ ​and biographies/autobiographies.
4. ​Explain​ ​how​ ​to​ ​collect​ ​baseline​ ​data​ ​and​ ​monitor​ ​progress​ ​using​ ​the​ ​program.
5. ​Complete​ ​a​ ​therapeutic​ ​or​ ​curriculum-based​ ​lesson​ ​using​ ​a​ ​language​ ​tool.

About the Presenter:

Sara​ ​L.​ ​Smith,​ ​MS,​ ​CCC-SLP,​ ​is​ ​an​ ​ASHA​ ​certified​ ​speech-language​ ​pathologist​ ​and​ ​founder​ ​of​ ​the Expanding​ ​Expression​ ​Tool​ ​(EET).​ ​She​ ​began​ ​her​ ​career​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Bay​ ​City​ ​Public​ ​Schools​ ​(Michigan),​ ​where she​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​developing​ ​and​ ​teaching​ ​language​ ​strategies​ ​to​ ​facilitate​ ​academic​ ​success.​ ​Her​ ​interest and​ ​continued​ ​study​ ​of​ ​language​ ​processing​ ​and​ ​multisensory​ ​approaches​ ​to​ ​learning​ ​have​ ​led​ ​to​ ​her development​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Expanding​ ​Expression​ ​Program​ ​for​ ​improved​ ​oral​ ​and​ ​written​ ​language.​ ​As​ ​a​ ​national speaker,​ ​Sara​ ​provides​ ​insight​ ​into​ ​learning​ ​and​ ​demonstrates​ ​strategies​ ​to​ ​use​ ​with​ ​all​ ​children.​ ​She received​ ​her​ ​Bachelor’s​ ​Degree​ ​from​ ​Central​ ​Michigan​ ​University​ ​and​ ​her​ ​Master’s​ ​Degree​ ​from​ ​Bowling Green​ ​State​ ​University.

Registration:

Registration for this event must be completed in the Arizona Professional Learning and Development (APLD) registration system. You must be logged in to your ADE Connect account to complete the registration. If you do not have an ADE Connect account, you will need to create one before you register for the course.

Register for “Expanding Expression Training: A Multi-Sensory Approach for Improved Writing, Oral Expression, and Comprehension Across the Curriculum.”

If you have questions, please contact [email protected]

School Finance has manually calculated initial add-on payments for the new FRPL Group B weight in accordance with Laws 2022, Chapter 317 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 one time after statewide recalculation in July to reflect final student data. 

FY 2023 FRPL Add-on Payment Summary

FY2023 FRPL Group B Funding.xlsx

Special Education Stakeholders,

Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s Arizona Secondary Transition Services Awards!

On behalf of the Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services, and other partnering agencies, you are invited to submit your nominations for this year's Secondary Transition Services Awards, which will be presented at Arizona's 2023 IDEA Conference.

Your nomination is important to recognize the secondary transition contributions and successes happening across Arizona. 

 Nomination categories:

1.  Youth/Young Adult: A youth or recently graduated young adult who has benefited from successful secondary transition services.
2.  Community Member: An individual (employee, manager, owner of a community business, etc.) who provides exemplary support for students and/or young adults with disabilities to enhance community-based experiences and opportunities.
3.  Educator: A Public Education Agency or Secure Care school certified staff, classified staff, support staff member, related service provider, or administrator who provides remarkable secondary transition services.

For each nomination, you must provide basic demographic information about the candidate’s background, strengths, and his or her outstanding participation in the secondary transition process.

We encourage you to nominate multiple individuals across all categories. Please do not nominate programs or groups for any of the award categories, as we wish to recognize people for their individual efforts.

All nominations submitted on or before Wednesday, May 31, 2023, will be considered. Award winners will be selected and notified in June.

If you have any questions, please email the IDEA Conference inbox.

Please download our Secondary Transition Services Awards Flyer.

Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s Arizona Secondary Transition Services Awards!
 
On behalf of the Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services, and other partnering agencies, you are invited to submit your nominations for this year's Secondary Transition Services Awards, which will be presented at Arizona's 2023 IDEA Conference. 

Your nomination is important to recognize the secondary transition contributions and successes happening across Arizona.

 Nomination categories: 
 
1.    Youth/Young Adult: A youth or recently graduated young adult who has benefited from successful secondary transition services.
 
2.    Community Member: An individual (employee, manager, owner of a community business, etc.) who provides exemplary support for students and/or young adults with disabilities to enhance community-based experiences and opportunities.
 
3.    Educator: A Public Education Agency or Secure Care school certified staff, classified staff, support staff member, related service provider, or administrator who provides remarkable secondary transition services.

For each nomination, you must provide basic demographic information about the candidate’s background, strengths, and his or her outstanding participation in the secondary transition process.

We encourage you to nominate multiple individuals across all categories. Please do not nominate programs or groups for any of the award categories, as we wish to recognize people for their individual efforts.
                
All nominations submitted on or before Wednesday, May 31, 2023, will be considered. Award winners will be selected and notified in June.
 
If you have any questions, please email the IDEA Conference inbox. 

Please download our Secondary Transition Services Awards Flyer.
 

Arizona’s 2023 IDEA Conference: Creating Connections and Strengthening Systems, will be held in person from August 21–23, 2023 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

ADE/ESS is requesting proposals that represent your creative and research-based work. The conference will feature numerous professional learning opportunities, including IDEA legal issues, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, and content for related service providers. 

Session proposals are due Wednesday, March 22, 2023. See the Call for Papers guidelines for information on how to submit. 

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you. Questions can be sent to the IDEA Conference inbox.

Department of Education launches “Empower Hotline”

Encourages reports of school lessons that detract from teaching academic standards

PHOENIX – Arizona schools chief Tom Horne has launched the Department of Education “Empower Hotline” so that Arizonans can report inappropriate public school lessons that detract from teaching academic standards. These include those that focus on race or ethnicity, rather than individuals and merit, promoting gender ideology, social emotional learning, or inappropriate sexual content.

The hotline provides the opportunity for constituents to provide feedback, concerns or complaints, which is a standard service offered by multiple government agencies and private-sector businesses. It is available at 602-771-3500. The phone line will be staffed during normal business hours, but after-hours phone calls will be accepted at any time and followed up appropriately.

Horne explained, “Some say critical race theory (CRT) is a graduate study, not taught in K-12 schools. The evidence is to the contrary. I have a list of 250 Arizona teachers who signed a shocking statement promoted by the national teachers’ union, that if critical race theory were banned, they would defy the law. They would not have signed if they were not already teaching it. They come from 25 school districts, including the largest ones. Teachers must teach academics, not use their power over a captive audience, to promote their personal ideology. That is unprofessional conduct.”

Horne added, “I promised to establish this hotline so that anyone could report the teaching of inappropriate lessons that rob students of precious minutes of instruction time in core academic subjects such as reading, math, science, history and the arts. That promise is being kept.”

“I believe we are all individuals, brothers and sisters under the skin, entitled to be judged by what we know, what we can do, our character, and ability to appreciate beauty,” Horne explained. “Race is irrelevant to anything. Critical race theory teaches the opposite, that race is primary. They divide students into ‘oppressors’ and ‘oppressed’ based on what race they were born into, which is irrational,” he concluded.

Special Education Stakeholders,

Arizona’s 2023 IDEA Conference: Creating Connections and Strengthening Systems, will be held in person from August 21–23, 2023 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

ADE/ESS is requesting proposals that represent your creative and research-based work. The conference will feature numerous professional learning opportunities, including IDEA legal issues, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, and content for related service providers.

Session proposals are due Wednesday, March 22, 2023. See the Call for Papers guidelines for information on how to submit.

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you. Questions can be sent to the IDEA Conference inbox.

March's data capture for the April 21st payment is 3/15/23 at 5pm. 

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: FY23 Calendars need to be submitted, approved, and certified for ADM and funding to be generated.

If you’ve experienced closures due to winter weather, please review this Hot Topic regarding calendar revisions.

The following videos provide general information related to the data reconciliation process:

Introduction to Data Verification Reports: https://youtu.be/ou9Jst9qnsg

Introduction to Data Verification Reports 2: https://youtu.be/_m3uEo3OGRI

Introduction to Integrity: https://youtu.be/PYzBAEZmiSs

Prior payment reports can be found here: https://schoolfinancereports.azed.gov/.

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

For Immediate Release 
March 7, 2023
Contact: [email protected]

Horne asks State Board of Ed. to strengthen operation of ESA program

Improving services, changes to state law among factors

PHOENIX – State schools chief Tom Horne has sent the State Board of Education four proposals for changes to the handbook regarding the administration of the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program. This is with an eye toward improving service for parents and students and to comply with updates to state law.

Horne said, “The mission of the Arizona Department of Education is a service organization committed to raising academic outcomes and empowering parents. The four updates that I am asking the State Board of Education to consider for the operation of the ESA program ensure compliance with the original ESA law.”

The proposed updates cover four areas:

Allowable education-related expenses: This program is subject to audit and the Department is committed to ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being used only for educational purposes as authorized by the law.

Accreditation for tutors and teaching services: Currently, these services are intended to be provided by a person or facility accredited by an accrediting organization. However, in terms of facilities, this was not enforced in prior years. Because accreditation of facilities was not enforced in previous years requiring a college degree would be disruptive to parents and students.

Access to ESA funds and debit card use: There are four ways to arrange payments to vendors. One of these is debit cards. Contrary to some impressions, those who have debit cards and have been in compliance with the law, can keep them. However, debit cards create a much higher administrative burden than the other three methods of payment. As the program expands, issuing more debit cards would make it impossible to pay vendors within a reasonable amount of time. The department is recommending that it sticks only with those who now have debit cards and ask new ESA participants to use the other three payment methods.

Change to Third Party payment vendor: Many ESA parents have complained about the performance of Class Wallet. A Request For Proposal (RFP) for other providers is being prepared and the department expects to have a new vendor under contract near the end of May.

A copy of the email sent to ESA families and the State Board of Education is attached.

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