Special Education Blog

INTERNAL PD INFO: Don't Miss Out on Facilitated IEP Trainings and Services

  • Thu, Apr 30 2026  •
    • Updates

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.

INTERNAL PD INFO: Reserve Your Spots for Teach Camp Today!

  • Mon, Apr 27 2026  •
    • Updates
    • Professional Learning and Sustainability

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

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT: NEW INTEGRITY RULE, -40105

  • Mon, Apr 20 2026  •
    • Updates
    • Data Management

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.

IDEA CONFERENCE INFO: You're Invited to Arizona's 2026 IDEA Leadership Preconference

  • Fri, Apr 17 2026  •
    • Updates
    • IDEA Conference

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

IDEA CONFERENCE INFO: Registration Now Open for Arizona’s 2026 IDEA Conference

  • Wed, Apr 15 2026  •
    • Updates
    • IDEA Conference

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

OPERATIONS UPDATE: FY27 Special Education Program Approvals

  • Tue, Apr 14 2026  •
    • Operations
    • Updates

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

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT: SOA Training Video

  • Wed, Apr 8 2026  •
    • Updates
    • Data Management

The ESS Data Management team is pleased to announce the release of a new training video designed to support public education agencies (PEAs) in submitting the required FY27 Statement of Assurances (SOA) by the June 10, 2026, deadline.

The SOA training video is located on ESS Data Management’s Surveys and Assurances

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT: NEW INTEGRITY RULE, -40104

  • Mon, Apr 6 2026  •
    • Updates
    • Data Management

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.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT: Special Education Data Dashboard Webinar

  • Mon, Apr 6 2026  •
    • Updates
    • Data Management

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).

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT: April SEDU Alert

  • Fri, Apr 3 2026  •
    • Updates
    • Data Management

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.