The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.

All school districts, charter schools, secure care facilities, and the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) are required to annually administer the State Performance Plan Indicator 8 Parent Involvement Survey to parents of students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP).

ADE/ESS is here to help with professional development designed to support your staff, engage families, and bring more collaboration (and less stress!) to the IEP process. Each facilitated IEP training is offered at no cost, and is customized to your school or district’s needs, focused on communication and problem-solving.

Don’t miss this opportunity to sign up your new special education teachers for Teach Camp!

Effective April 21, 2026, a new special education (SPED) data integrity rule will be implemented to validate preschool outcomes assessment scores (COS) reported to AzEDS.

We’re excited to invite you to an exclusive event designed for Arizona’s special education leaders: the 2026 IDEA Leadership Preconference.

We are thrilled to announce that professional registration is now open for Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference: Stronger Systems, Better Outcomes—for Every Student.

The ADE/ESS Special Education Program Approval system for the 2026–2027 school year will open on April 13, 2026.

As of March 30, 2026, a new special education (SPED) data integrity rule was implemented to validate and capture student exits from SPED services. Under IDEA, students are eligible for SPED services through 21 years of age unless they have graduated with a regular high school diploma. Students who turn 22 years of age during the school year are eligible to complete the year with services; however, they have effectively reached the maximum age allowable for services.

Section 618 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public education agencies (PEAs) to report specific data each year, including discipline incidents for students receiving special education services, expulsions of students not receiving special education services, and students who exited special education during the reporting year. PEAs review, validate, and certify these data using the Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD).