The ADE/ESS Secondary Transition Team is excited to continue our 2025-2026 Transition Tuesday webinar series! This engaging webinar series is designed to empower students, educators, and families by connecting them with community resources and experts who support the secondary transition planning process. 

We’ve curated an enriching lineup of guest speakers for the 2025–2026 series, all focused on enhancing postsecondary success for youth and young adults with disabilities. 

Mark your calendars! 
December 2, 2025, at 2:30 PM 

Title: Putting the Transition Plan Course of Study into Action 

Description: Join us for an engaging session that demystifies the process of developing a meaningful course of study. See how the transition course of study unfolds in real-world student scenarios that integrate student schedules, transition goals, and activities. Through examples and discussion, participants will explore how to individualize coursework pathways throughout high school that support each student’s future goals. 

Presenter: Heidi Sinkovic – Director of Student Services, Tempe Union High School District 

Presenter Bio: Heidi Sinkovic is the Director of Student Services for the Tempe Union High School District and has over 20 years of experience in education, including 14 years as a Special Education Director. She serves as co-chair of the Arizona Department of Education’s Special Education Advisory Panel and has expertise in special education, school improvement, and federal grant management. 

Don’t miss out! 
Join us to gain valuable insights, build connections, and strengthen your transition planning efforts. 

Please note: This Zoom session will not be recorded. Live attendance is encouraged to benefit fully from the presentation and resources. 

Please email the ADE/ESS Secondary Transition team with any questions. We look forward to your participation! 

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 fall 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: "Building Capacity through Digital Content"

Presenter:    Matthew Press, DAD2, MHS, OTR/L, ATP

                       Peoria USD, Assistive Technology Specialist

Date:             Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Time:            11:30 AM-12:00 PM

Description: Do you serve a lot of staff and are trying to figure out efficient ways to support them all? Can't get in front of them for regular professional development (PD) and training?  Peoria Unified School District uses a number of strategic options, including weekly targeted emails, digital tutorials, and online classes. Come discover practical resources and strategies you can implement and adapt to enhance your own PD offerings and better support your colleagues—efficiently and sustainably.

Registtration has closed. 
Please note that JOTs are not recorded.

Revised 1.23.2026

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

SPED07 Report Now Available 

The SPED07 report is now available within the October 1 Data Collection (ODC) application for Phase II: Reconciliation.  

The SPED07 report displays a list of students ages 3-21 identified in AzEDS as receiving special education services over the October 1 child count date as of the most recent integrity run.

The SPED07 report is updated every morning at 10:00 am.

Each PEA is expected to ensure their verification count submitted in Phase I matches the count on the SPED07 report to reconcile their SPED October 1 Count for FY26. 

Please review the steps outlined in the October 1 Data Collection Manual – Phase II to assist in the reconciliation process. There are other resources available on the ESS Data Management October 1 Data Collection Page.   

The Phase II Reconciliation process is due Wednesday, December 10, 2025, by 5:00 pm.

For questions, please email the ESS Data Management inbox. 

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.

What makes this webinar different is that our team has invited Monica Paz, School Finance Director of Operations Support, to join us! We are aware that many data collection topics overlap between membership and special education reporting, and we wanted to offer an opportunity for both of our teams to present to public education agencies (PEAs) on these issues and clear up any misinterpretations.

This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include:      

• ADM Funding vs. Federal Funding
• 915 Process vs. ESS Data Management Data Correction Process
• PEA Calendars and Establishing Relationships for Tuition-Out Schools
• Home Placement Reporting 

Please register by clicking this link. Registration is required to attend. Note that this webinar will be recorded if you are unable to attend.

If you have any questions, please email the ESS Data Management inbox.  

ESS collects data annually through the Teacher Attrition Survey to make informed decisions about recruitment and retention efforts in Arizona. Participation in the survey is mandatory for all public education agencies in Arizona. 

  The survey opens on November 1, 2025, and will close on January 31, 2026. Please see the attached memo for further details.

Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the survey can be located online. If you have additional questions, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.  

  Thank you for completing the Teacher Attrtion Survey. 

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that the High-Cost Child Claims have opened for the FY 2026 school year as of October 1, 2025. Respecting the amount of funding currently available for High-Cost Child Claims, ADE/ESS will ask each PEA to limit submissions to one claim per submission round, with a total of $75,000 cap per PEA for FY 2026. The cutoff date for the first submission is next Friday, October 31, 2025. If additional funding becomes available, ADE/ESS will communicate this with PEAs.

 The funding mechanisms for High-Cost Child Claims have moved from Grants Management into the ESS Vouchers Application. Please ensure your PEA staff have been given the appropriate role to access the application: ESS High Cost: PEA User. If you have any questions, please send them to the ESS Program Management inbox: [email protected].

 High-Cost Child Claims Quick Reference Guide

Under Section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004), State Education Agencies are required to make a determination for all Public Education Agencies (PEAs) on the PEA’s performance in the implementation of special education. Each PEA’s federal fiscal year (FFY) 2024 (FY 2025) determination is now available for review through ADE Connect and posted on the website.

Please visit Arizona's PEA Determinations Website for information on the notification letter, scoring criteria, and public results.

For questions regarding PEA Determinations, please email the ESS Operations Inbox.

 DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

October 1 Data Collection Phase II Trainings for FY 2026

Annually, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is required to report special education (SPED) data to the federal government. The October 1 Data Collection (ODC) is part of that process and is required by all Public Education Agencies (PEAs). ODC has three phases:  

1. Child Count Verification and Personnel  
2. Child Count Reconciliation 
3. Child Count Non-Reconciliation (if applicable)  

During Phase II, PEAs must submit and reconcile student-level data for students with disabilities participating in a Special Education program over the October 1 child count date through AzEDS. The primary goal of Phase II is to ensure that these students align with the verification count submitted during Phase I.  

ESS Data Management is excited to offer training opportunities to assist with Phase II, including an in-person workshop and a live webinar! Listed below is the schedule for the ODC Phase II training. Please note that registration is required. Click the link on the date that best fits your schedule to register. 

Online Training via Microsoft Teams:  

Date                                                                  Time 

Thursday, November 13th, 2025,       10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Please email ESS Data Management with any questions.

The Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services (ADE/ESS), recognizes the uncertainty that recent federal reductions in force within the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs may bring to education leaders across the state. We want to acknowledge the concern these national changes may cause and provide reassurance and clarity regarding Arizona’s unwavering commitment to children and youth with disabilities.

There have been no changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or its implementing regulations. State Education and Public Education Agencies remain fully responsible for upholding all federal and state special education requirements. This includes ensuring every eligible child receives a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, conducting timely evaluations, safeguarding procedural rights, and maintaining all assurances tied to federal special education funding.

While administrative shifts may be occurring at the federal level, the rights of Arizona’s students with disabilities—and the responsibilities of our schools—remain firmly intact.

ADE/ESS is closely monitoring these developments and actively collaborating with the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and other national partners to stay informed and responsive. Our priority is to maintain timely updates, technical assistance, and support to ensure continuity and compliance during this time.

We deeply value the dedication of Arizona’s special education professionals—teachers, administrators, support staff, and service providers—who continue to serve our students and families with compassion, consistency, and excellence. Your work is vital to our shared mission: ensuring that every child with a disability in Arizona can access the services and supports they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

If you have questions or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact our office. ADE/ESS will continue communicating updates as they become available and stands ready to support you.