Special Education Administrators,

The ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that registration for Teach Camp is now open!

Teach Camp is a year-long support system that includes professional learning specifically designed for beginning special educators. The goal of Teach Camp is to increase retention of special educators by providing our newest special education teachers with the tools they need to survive and thrive during their first years in the classroom.

Teach Camp is designed for special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in the fall of 2022. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, alternative certified teachers, and veteran general education teachers transitioning to special education are all welcome.

Teach Camp will be in person this summer! The cost is $175 per teacher and includes:

• 3-day summer “camp” to be held June 27–29, 2022 in Phoenix* (breakfast and lunch provided)
• Two 1-hour, virtual, after-school sessions, one in the fall and one in the spring, with national speakers
• A copy of The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children
• Additional valuable resources

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

Registration for Teach Camp is open until June 6, 2022, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Register for Teach Camp!

Please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox with any questions about Teach Camp. For more information about Teach Camp, pleasevisit the ESS Teach Camp webpage.

Special Education Directors,

Are you looking for Speech-Language Pathologists, Speech-Language Technicians, or SLPAs for the next school year? Or still looking for this school year?

This Friday and Saturday, ADE/ESS will be recruiting speech personnel on behalf of all Arizona school districts and charter schools at the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ArSHA) Annual Convention. We will have a booth in the exhibit hall where we will promote the advantages of working in a school setting, and we will distribute information about all current speech vacancies that our PEAs have posted on our free job board.  

If you would like us to promote your speech opening(s) at ArSHA, please post them on our job board this week.

See the list of current speech vacancies and add new speech vacancies on the Job Board website.

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

A.R.S. § 15-185(D) requires the reduction of the base support level and equalization assistance by the amount of federal and state monies received by a charter school that are intended for the basic maintenance and operations of the school. 

Monies intended for basic maintenance and operations (M&O) are those intended to support the educational program of the school. They do not include supplemental federal and state grants for specific purposes, such as ESEA Title I, IDEA Part B, and federal food program reimbursements. In addition, by statute, they do not include Federal Impact Aid (Title 8, P.L. 103-382) monies. The Auditor General will make the final determination of what monies are considered to be intended for basic maintenance and operations. 

To assist the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and the Auditor General in identifying the types of monies applicable to this reduction, charter holders who have monies to report must complete the form on page 2. An electronic copy of the form, including signature, must be sent by email to [email protected] on or before 4:30 p.m. on July 1, 2022. Charter holders with no monies to report should not complete or return the form. 

The full memo, along with the form that must be submitted, can be found by clicking here. 

Greetings, school leaders!

As we head towards the end of the school year, many of us are gearing up for summer learning. Each year, ADE is proud to support the high-quality summer learning happening at our public charter and district schools. This year, ESSER set-aside funding provided to the State has provided even more opportunities for LEAs. 

Educators, students, and families can visit Discovery Education's Summer Learning Activities Channel to find ready-to-use activities that cover a range of topics, subjects, and grades. This is part of Discovery Education's Summer of Learning, which Arizona teachers, students, and parents can access for free, thanks to federal recovery dollars. 

Through our partners at Arizona's Center for Recruitment and Retention of Mathematics Educators (CRR), the Re-Engaging Aspirational Learners program (Getting REAL) is offering summer school programming to provide exciting mathematic experiences that work alongside ELA and Science summer school curricula. The CRR will provide free program materials, training, and curriculum sessions for 1-6 weeks for summer school lengths. Contact Melissa Hosten at [email protected] to bring this exciting math program to your summer learners. 

Finally, LEAs are encouraged to apply for Governor Ducey's On Track Summer Camp grant funding to support summer learning activities at your school. Read a quick FAQ about this funding and apply through AZ OnTrack Summer Camp. The application closes on Monday, April 18. 

ESSER Updates and Deadlines

ESSER I, II, and III Data Collection – Due Friday, April 22.

This is a friendly reminder that LEAs must submit their ESSER data reports by Friday, April 22, as required by the US Department of Education (ED).

Please visit www.azed.gov/ESSER-Data for step-by-step information and resources to support you with this data reporting process. The ESSER Reporting Supplement may be accessed through the ADE Grants Management system at gme.azed.gov. The Supplement is named 'ESSER Reporting' and can be found under Fiscal Year 2022.

ESSER l, ll, and lll Programmatic Monitoring

Over the last few years, ADE has been proud to support the delivery of ESSER I, II, and III funding to our local education agencies. We know the process has involved many steps –-and we would like to learn more about where our LEAs are in their implementation journey!

 On May 4, ADE will notify sixty-two randomly selected LEAs of their participation via email. ED requires programmatic monitoring. These sixty-two LEAs represent all 15 counties, districts, and charters, small, mid-size, large, rural, and urban LEAs.

Initial monitoring will cover ESSER I, II, and III funded activities that have been implemented or planned through summer 2022. During June, July, and September, our team will meet virtually with the LEA teams to learn more about your LEA's implementation journey, the decision-making process, stakeholder involvement, and how the funds address current needs and impact immediate and long-term student outcomes. Most importantly, we want to know what strategies or activities you are most proud of. 

We look forward to these conversations! If you have any questions, please contact Devon Isherwood at [email protected], Allison Barbor at [email protected], or [email protected].

ESSER III

Thank you to all our administrators and school leaders who applied for your LEAs ESSER III allocation by the federal deadline of February 1, 2022.

If you have not yet submitted your application, please do so as soon as possible. 

Safe Return to In-Person Learning

Safe Return to In-Person Learning Plans are due in EMAC by May 6, 2022.  Thank you to those LEAs that have already submitted their plan.

How to access EMAC

1. Sign into ADEConnect (adeconnect.azed.gov)
2. Go to View Applications
3. Click Applications
4. Click EMAC from your ADEConnect application menu

How to assign a user role

1. Go to azed.gov
2. Select the EMAC Link
3. Then follow the directions in this link How to add new users in EMAC or in the EMAC application, select Support/Help (upper right-hand corner of the home screen), and watch the video on how to assign roles

How to complete the task

Once someone in your LEA is assigned the EMAC role, please complete the Safe Return to In-Person Learning task.  It is a form that needs to be completed in EMAC.  Once completed, please make sure to click the submit button.  Your specialist will then be able to review your plan. 

Resources: EMAC Portal User Guide

LEA Assigned Specialist Alphabetical by LEA Name and Group Number

If you need further assistance, please email Allison Barbor or call at  602-542-3068. 

Upcoming ESSER Set-Aside Opportunities

The following opportunities are funded and supported by the Arizona Department of Education’s ESSER set aside investments:

UArizona’s CRR’s Re-Engaging Aspirational Learners (Getting REAL) Before and After School Programming

The goal of this before and after school program is to re-engage learners and reconnect them to their education community, support their developing understanding of foundational mathematics, and provide the basic needs for these learners to thrive. The CRR will provide participating schools with:

• Program materials and training to reengage these learners
• Each session begins with a nutritious snack and community connection activity
• Mathematical exploration activities or problems that are culturally relevant and interesting

This program is targeted at students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Please contact Melissa Hosten at [email protected] to enroll.

ASU Math Momentum

ASU Math Momentum program elevates math achievement by partnering with the Arizona school communities to address both schools that have strong math teachers and would like to improve student performance and schools that have math staffing gaps.

ASU Math Momentum is offering live, virtual sessions after school and on Saturdays. Some featured sessions we are running include Trauma-Informed Teaching, Financial Literacy, Fostering College Readiness, Engaging Students in Collaboration and Fostering a Growth Mindset. Late April will also feature our Saturday Workshop Series on Promoting Equity and Access. 

Additionally, ASU Math Momentum offers asynchronous training courses and resources that teachers can access at any time. Educators can register for a free account here https://training.asuprepdigital.org/ and earn professional development hours.

Arizona’s PAX Good Behavior Game

Are your teachers overwhelmed? Do your students have difficulty readjusting to the classroom? Is a lack of focus and attention hurting academic outcomes?

The Arizona Department of Education is providing training in the evidence-based, trauma-informed PAX Good Behavior Game to all Arizona educators at no cost. The PAX Good Behavior Game provides educators with proven and effective strategies to improve SEL outcomes, student behavior, academic outcomes, and teacher wellness. 

PAX Good Behavior Game training is offered in virtual and self-paced online formats for your entire staff. All participants receive certificates for 6 contact hours of professional development.

Please contact [email protected] to schedule a site-specific training for your staff.

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 one time after statewide recalculation in July to reflect final student data. 

FY 2022 Gifted Add-on Payment Summary

FY2022 Gifted Group B Funding.xlsx

Please refer to our September Hot Topic about reporting gifted students for more information.

In FY 2023, the gifted add-on weight is expected to be fully implemented in ADE student data and payment systems and will appear in the BSA55 report along with other add-on funding

Special Education Directors,

The ADE/ESS Dispute Resolution (DR) unit recognizes the value of that ensuring collaborative, student-focused IEP teams are equipped to make sound decisions in the development of IEPs. We are pleased to offer professional learning opportunities, free of charge, to PEAs seeking to establish or strengthen a Facilitated IEP culture. Our current presentations emphasize three key components of effective facilitated IEP meetings: knowledge of the IEP process under the IDEA, standardized meeting practices, and the use of meeting management skills that aid in minimizing conflict and maximizing collaboration. As you prepare your professional development calendar for the summer and upcoming school year, our Alternative Dispute Resolution Specialist would be happy to make arrangements to work with your team. Submit your Facilitated IEP Training Request soon to secure your preferred date(s)!

For more information regarding alternative dispute resolution supports available through ADE/ESS/DR, please visit the Facilitated IEP website and/or join the FIEP listserv.  Completing the FIEP Program Survey will help us to improve our process and to identify areas of interest for advanced training topics.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

FY23 Discipline Data Collection Update

To learn about updates to the ESS Discipline Data Collection (DDC) application for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2023, please review this memo which outlines upcoming changes. 

It is important to note that while reporting discipline data into AzEDS has been made available for FY23, this is a pilot year. All discipline data submissions for SPED students resulting in a removal will be required to be submitted into the ESS Discipline Data Collection application for FY23.

For any questions regarding these changes, feel free to contact us at [email protected].

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

Special Education Data Updates Webinar Wednesday, April 20th  

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will be hosting the next Special Education Data Updates live webinar on Wednesday, April 20th from 2pm – 3pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include (subject to change):      

• Reminders
  • October 1 Data Collection Phase III: Non-Reconciliation
  • FY23 Statement of Assurances
• Trending topics
  • Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD)
  • Home-Based vs Homeschooled vs Homebound Guidance Document
  • Discipline Data Collection Training webinar recording
• Top 3 Integrity Errors
  • -40080                   
  • -40069                   
  • -40062                   
  • -40055 - Upcoming 5/1 activation
• Q&A   

Registration is required to attend: Register for Special Education Data Updates webinar.     

For questions, please contact ESS Data Management via email at [email protected].   

BUDG-25 reports for all school districts have been posted to the School Finance website.  FY 2022 April BUDG-25 reports have been calculated using the FY 2021 BUDG-75 report and FY 2022 April BSA 55-1 information.  Please note, the reduction for any over-expenditure amount in M&O and/or Unrestricted as reported on the FY 2021 BUDG-75 will be included on the FY 2022 April BUDG-25 Reports.

• District BUDG-25 reports are available to download from the School Finance website:
  • First, select a school district and then click “Go!”
  • Next, click “Switch to Budgets” from the top right corner of the menu bar and then click “Reports” from the middle of the menu bar.
  • Finally, select fiscal year 2022 and then click “Go!”. The BUDG-25 report will appear.

• District BUDG-75 reports are available to download from the School Finance website:
  • First, select a school district and then click “Go!”
  • Next, click “Switch to Budgets” from the top right corner of the menu bar and then click “Reports” from the middle of the menu bar.
  • Finally, select fiscal year 2021 and then click “Go!”. The BUDG-75 report will appear.

Please note, BUDG-75 reports have been updated and Budget Balance Carry Forward amounts have been recalculated based on FY21 AFR.

• District BSA 55-1 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 November “PDF” button. The April BSA 55-1 report will appear.

BUDG-25 reports will be available until the Budget Team performs the next update (typically after each State Aid distribution). Once the updating process has begun, all BUDG-25 reports will become unavailable at that time.  Please save a copy for future reference.

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

Thank you!

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

FY23 Statement of Assurances required by all PEAs opens on 4/13/22

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the representative body for Special Education for Arizona, Exceptional Student Services, is required to obtain assurances from public education agencies (PEAs) to attest that they are meeting the requirements under state and federal statute for special education in the state of Arizona.

It is a requirement for all entities that are defined as public education agencies (PEAs) regardless if they get federal funds or not.

All PEAs must submit the IDEA Statement of Assurances (SOA) through the ESS Portal of ADEConnect.

The application will open on 4/13/22 and close for submissions on 6/17/22.

The SOA must be submitted by the Superintendent, Charter Holder, or Special Education Director of your organization before FY23 IDEA funding applications are approved in the Grants Management Enterprise (GME) system.

• The PEA must assign the role of ESS Special Education: Signer in ADEConnect to the individual that will review, sign, and submit the Statement of Assurances.
• PEAs that do not apply for IDEA funds are still required to submit the SOA.

Once the role is assigned, please login to ADEConnect, navigate to the Exceptional Student Services Portal and select the PEA Statement of Assurances button under Surveys/Assurances:

The survey code will auto-populate for you PEA. Please proceed and select the “Yes” checkbox for each page to indicate your assurances for the requirements.

Upon completion, the SOA can be printed for your records. If your PEA wants to ensure the SOA was submitted, accessing the SOA again will display the “Thank you for submitting” page.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].