The ADE/ESS is requesting your assistance in completing a brief survey to help us identify lead related service providers within your public education agency, including speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, school psychologists, and assistive technology specialists. 

This information is essential to our ongoing work to: 

·         Distribute timely and relevant professional learning opportunities

·         Facilitate the development of discipline-specific professional learning networks and communities of practice

·         Build a statewide pool of experienced practitioners who can support future initiatives, including identifying professional learning needs and providing content expertise for guidelines and policies

Your participation will help ensure that we are connecting with the right experts across the state and strengthening support for related services personnel and the students they serve. 

Survey link: Identification of Lead Related Service Providers in Arizona Districts 
Completion time: Approximately 5–10 minutes 
Deadline: Please complete this survey prior to August 7, 2026 

We greatly appreciate your time and continued partnership in supporting related service providers across Arizona. If you have any questions, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox. 

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

Beginning of the Year ESS Data Management Training

The Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Data Management team is pleased to announce Beginning of the Year ESS Data Management training for the 2026–2027 reporting year. This training will be offered virtually and recorded for those who cannot attend.

During this training, our team will provide updates on the annual IDEA 618 requirements, review reporting to AzEDS, give an overview of ESS data applications and surveys, and share where to find resources available to you.

Please register using this link:

Virtual Training via Zoom: Thursday, August 4, 2026, 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Please email ESS Data Management with any questions. 

We look forward to seeing you!

Thank you,

Data Management
Exceptional Student Services
Arizona Department of Education
Office: (602) 542-3962
ESS Data Management | Arizona Department of Education (azed.gov)
Data Management Alerts Signup | AzEDS Alerts Signup
“We are a service organization committed to raising academic outcomes and empowering parents.”
AH

Registration for Arizona's 2026 IDEA Conference: Stronger Systems, Better Outcomes—for Every Student is currently open and will remain open until July 27, 2026, or until conference capacity is reached. Once capacity is reached, interested attendees will be placed on a waitlist.

With strong interest already underway, we encourage you to submit your seat request as soon as possible.

Why Attend?

This year's conference features an outstanding lineup of nationally recognized speakers, including:

• Jeremy Poincenot, World Champion Blind Golfer and motivational keynote speaker
• Brandon Wright, nationally recognized IDEA and special education law expert
• Malcolm Mitchell, Super Bowl Champion and literacy advocate
• Winston Clements, accessibility consultant and advocate

Check out our full line up of keynote and premier speakers.

Attendees will have access to professional learning opportunities on:

• IDEA legal updates and compliance
• Inclusive practices and Universal Design for Learning
• AI and assistive technology
• Early childhood special education
• Secondary transition and employment
• Behavior supports
• Family engagement and leadership development

The conference will also feature:

• Specialized session tracks for educators, families, youth, and leaders
• Student and Young Adult Art Exhibit
• Secondary Transition Services Awards
• Networking opportunities, receptions, and special evening events

Conference Details

📅 August 18–20, 2026
📅 Preconference: August 17, 2026
📍 Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort
💲 $425 Professional Registration

Registration Process

1. Submit a seat request for review by the IDEA Conference Committee.
2. Upon approval, complete payment through APLD.
3. Complete any required supplemental registration information.

Don't wait—space is limited, and once capacity is reached, registrations will move to a waitlist.

For registration information, lodging details, and FAQs, please visit the IDEA Conference website.

We look forward to learning with you this August!

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Interpreting, Mentoring, Education & Training (IMET) self-paced online courses offered by Utah State University. These courses are designed to support continuous professional learning for educational sign language interpreters and are now available for self-enrollment. 

 The IMET Program offers comprehensive online learning opportunities specifically designed for educational sign language interpreters. Upon successful course completion, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion and may also earn RID CEUs upon request. Courses are provided at no cost to participants. 

  IMET Self-paced Online Course Catalog 

 Participants will attend weekly meetings, alternating between language coaching and interpreter mentoring. Meetings typically take place in the evenings using virtual platforms. Accepted participants must be available to meet during the evening meeting session times offered. Participants can expect to commit approximately 8-10 hours per week on mentor sessions, assessments, assignments, and reflection reports. The Educational Interpreter Mentorship Track has been specially designed for the work and exam for educational interpreters. The mentorship track is funded by the ADE and offered at no cost to the participant. Participants are responsible for paying for the EIPA exam registration fee. Space is limited, so apply early!

 The track will run September 2026 - May 2027           

Application Deadline: August 9th, 2026

Scan to Apply

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices or Jennifer Harvey [email protected]

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

Integrity Error -40059 Revised

Integrity Error -40059 has been revised to help ensure that all students receiving special education services who have been expelled or placed on long-term suspension (LTS) are receiving a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Prior Logic: Integrity error -40059 will fail if the student is not reported with the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) H within 6 days of the student being exited from their special education program with SPED exit code 11.

New Logic: Integrity error -40059 will fail if:

• The student is being exited from their special education program with SPED exit code 11;
• AND the following is true:
  • There is no discipline incident indicating that the parent declined services;
  • Special education services are not reported with an LRE following the SPED exit code 11.

To coincide with the new logic, the following changes have been made to the integrity error message and description:

• -40059
  • Updated Error Message: Unable to verify special education program status after exiting a Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) with SPED exit code 11.
  • Updated Error Description: Students with special education services are required to be provided special education services following a withdrawal for long-term suspension or expulsion, unless Parents have waived FAPE.

The revised integrity error message and description has been updated on our SPED-Related Integrity Rules tool published on our ESS AzEDS SPED Reporting web page.

We are currently working on updating our Discipline Data guidance document to provide further clarification regarding discipline reporting requirements and will try to have this available as soon as possible.                              

Please contact [email protected] with any questions regarding this update.