The Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ArSHA) will hold its annual convention on March 27–28 in Mesa. Hundreds of Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs), Speech-Language Technicians (SLTs), Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs), and students enrolled in SLP graduate programs will be attending this event. 

The ADE/ESS sponsors the public school strand at the convention to support high-quality, relevant, professional learning for school-based speech personnel. This year’s sponsored topics include Secondary Transition Planning, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Special Education Compliance, and Artificial Intelligence Tips and Tricks.

ADE/ESS also plans to have a recruiting booth in the exhibit hall. We will highlight all SLP/SLT/SLPA vacancies posted on the Arizona Education Employment Board (AEBB). The AEEB is a free, online special education job board provided by ESS. To be included in this recruitment effort, please post your speech vacancies (current or anticipated for 2026-27 school year) by March 16.

Prior to posting your speech position(s), you may wish to review our  “Develop Effective Job Postings” guidance document.

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

“Tell Me All About it!”  

Dynamic Assessment in the Schools with Janani Webb, CCC-SLP and Melissa White, CCC-SLP 

Date:  February 26, 2026 

Time:  3:30 PM–5:00 PM 

Our Presenters: 

Janani Webb, MS, CCC-SLP, is an experienced speech-language pathologist with a focus on multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), executive functioning, language disorders, and speech sound disorders.  

Melissa White, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and doctoral student at the University of Arizona, where she studies child language. She is especially interested in language and connections to literacy, assessment, and school-based issues. 

Register now for this FREE, virtual, after-school session. You’ll leave with free resources, tools, and strategies you can use right away to strengthen your practice of using Dynamic Assessment in the school setting.  

FAQs: 

Will it be recorded? No. 

Are ASHA CEUs provided? ASHA CEUs are not provided; however, you will receive a certificate of completion for 1.5 Professional Development Hours (PDH), which count toward CCC maintenance. You can find more information from ASHA about PDHs on the ASHA certification FAQs webpage.  

Diverse Ability Incorporated (DAI) is thrilled to announce that it will host the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) in July 2026 for Arizona students ages 14–22 who have a documented disability.

AZYLF is a dynamic, inclusive leadership conference designed to empower youth and young adults who have disabilities. Participants build leadership and self‑advocacy skills, explore the disability experience, set personal goals, and connect with peers and community resources in a supportive environment.

Watch the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum highlight video

2026 AZYLF Details

Who: Arizona students ages 14–22 who have a documented disability
When: July 13–17, 2026
Where: University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Cost: Free for all participants
If selected, participants must complete a Pre‑Employment Transition Services (Pre‑ETS) Form.

Applicants may submit an online application through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should:

• Have a documented disability*
• Be 14–22 years of age
• Be enrolled in high school or a higher education or post‑secondary training program**
• Live in Arizona

*Documented disability may include an IEP, 504 Plan, or medical documentation of a disability or diagnosis.
**Post‑secondary examples include colleges, universities, certificate programs, and other training programs.

To learn more about AZYLF, please visit DAI's AZYLF web page, email DAI, or call 602-425-5135.

Thanks to DAI's diverse funding and collaborative partnerships, including with ADE/ESS and RSA/VR Services, students can participate in AZYLF at no charge.

Are you overwhelmed by professional development? Don’t have time for a 90-minute webinar? We got you! Join the ADE/ESS Assistive Technology Team for our spring series, Assistive Technology: Just One Thing (JOT). In these quick 30-minute sessions, we will highlight a single assistive technology tool or strategy that you can use to support your students.  

 Title:                            JOT: The Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Referral Maze: A School Team’s Roadmap 

Presenters:               Danika Stampfel, M.S., CCC-SLP (NAU IHD AAC Evaluation and Training Program); Rui Hernandez M.A., CCC-SLP (Bilingual SLP and AAC Specialist- Sunnyside Unified School District); and J. Drew Barsness, M.S., CCC-SLP (Arbor Therapy) 

Date:                            Wednesday, March 25, 2026 

Time:                           11:30 AM-12:00 PM 

Description:    Navigating the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) AAC referral process can feel like moving through a maze, but school-based professionals don’t have to figure it out on their own. This JOT session highlights how educators, therapists, and service providers can work together with families to understand the steps, roles, and responsibilities involved. We’ll broaden the focus beyond the classroom to consider the whole “service team,” including the DDD Support Coordinator, and explore how collaborative communication and coordinated documentation can streamline the referral journey. In this 30-minute session, you’ll gain practical strategies to support families as partners and strengthen the team’s collective approach to navigating the DDD/Arizona Long-Term Care System (ALTCS) process. 

 Register for AT JOT: The Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Referral Maze  

 If you have questions regarding this professional development opportunity, please email [email protected]. 

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT    

Special Education Data Updates Webinar: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include:    

• Reminders  

• Trending topics  
  • • Parent Involvement Survey
    • Preschool Outcomes

• Top Three Integrity Errors 
• Out of scope Topics

• Q&A     

Please register by clicking this link. Registration is required to attend. If you have any questions, please email the ESS Data Management inbox.  

The National Resource Center for Paraeducators (NRCP) and the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE), in partnership with the ADE/ESS, are offering monthly, low-cost professional learning webinars for paraeducators, related service providers (RSPs), teachers, administrators, and other educators.

Join the NRCP on the second Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for exciting topics and presenters. Upcoming live webinars and previously recorded webinars include the following topics:

Upcoming live webinars:

• Feb 7, 2026—Paraeducator Career Growth
• Mar 14, 2026—Empowering Independence: Supports for Low Incidence Disabilities
• Apr 11, 2026—Paraeducator Roles & Responsibilities
• May 9, 2026—Visual Supports for Communication
• Jun 13, 2026—The Trauma-Responsive Paraeducator
• Jul 11, 2026—Teamwork & Collaboration in Schools

Previously recorded webinars:

• Oct 11, 2025—Differentiation in Action
• Nov 8, 2025—Accommodations & Modifications
• Dec 13, 2025—Behavior Management
• Jan 10, 2026— Artificial Intelligence 101

Teacher and paraeducator teams are encouraged to sign up together. The $100 registration fee per person includes 6 remaining live webinars and access to the previous four recorded webinars and extended access to the recordings until August 2026. There is a limited number of seats at this discounted price, so register now to save your spot!

Register for Saturday Mornings with the NRCP!

Please see the Saturday Mornings with the NRCP flyer for additional information about the professional learning series, and email Laura Lema with any questions.

The Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services (ADE/ESS) is thrilled to announce the 2026 IDEA Conference will take place at the Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort from August 18–20, 2026 with Preconference sessions on August 17. This year's theme, Stronger Systems, Better Outcomes—for Every Student, reflects the critical role of robust coordinated systems in driving meaningful outcomes for students with disabilities. 

This event is designed for special education administrative staff, youths and young adults with disabilities, family members and caregivers, state agency staff, educators, related service providers, and community members who are all dedicated to student success. Participants can expect numerous professional learning opportunities on topics ranging from IDEA legal issues, special education compliance, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, preschool special education, and secondary transition.  

Call for Papers: 
ADE/ESS is pleased to request this year’s conference proposals that showcase your innovative and research-based work.  Review the Call for Papers Guidelines and submit your session proposal(s) for Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference. The deadline for session proposals is March 4, 2026. 

ESS values this opportunity to learn with each of you and looks forward to the year ahead.  

Visit the IDEA Conference website for more details. Stay informed by signing up for the IDEA Conference email list for updates and registration information. Questions can be emailed to the IDEA Conference inbox.  

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, 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 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 the attached flyer and register to attend one of the following free webinars:

Register for February 12 from 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Register for February 12 from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Register for February 25 from 12:00–1:00 p.m.

Register for February 25 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 district. Applications earning the highest scores in the evaluation process will be approved until all seats are filled. Completed applications must be submitted by April 3 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.

Please see the MTBS 2026 flyer for additional information. If you have questions, please contact Celeste Nameth.

In partnership with ADE/ESS, the College and Career Competencies (CCCs) Project invites you to participate in a free professional learning opportunity. 

Title: Building Confidence and Persistence through Self-Efficacy Instruction 

Description: Students who don’t have confidence in their abilities give up easily when they experience obstacles. They struggle to understand the connection between putting forth effort and making progress. Self-efficacy is an individual’s perception of their ability to complete challenging tasks. Students with strong self-efficacy understand that learning new things is a process that includes multiple attempts, analyzing each attempt, and applying feedback to improve.  

Target Audience: Special education directors, special educators, individual service providers, general education professionals, and professional development coordinators. 

Dates: Tuesday, 2/3 12:00–3:00 pm  & Wednesday, 2/18 9:00 am–12:00 pm 

Sign up now for an interactive, virtual, 3-hour training where educators will learn about self-efficacy, the ten student strategies, and the process for embedding self-efficacy instruction into individualized supports and intervention for students (each session capped at 30 participants).  

Participants will receive: 

• FREE Self-Efficacy Curricula (primary, intermediate, and secondary) 

• Training on supporting individual students in self-efficacy instruction through the intervention process 

• A CEU certificate for completing the training issued by ADE for 5 contact hours. 

Register for Building Confidence and Persistence through Self-Efficacy Instruction 

We hope you can join us! 

View our self-efficacy infographic to see the Self-Efficacy definition and student impacts resulting from instruction. 

For any questions, email Pattie Noonan.