Special Education Blog

INTERNAL PD INFO: Reserve your spot for the 2025–2026 Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) today!

  • Tue, Aug 12 2025  •
    • Updates
    • Professional Learning and Sustainability

Registration for the 2025–2026 Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS) is closing soon, so please be sure to register if you are beginning your first or second year as a special education director.

INTERNAL PD OPPORTUNITY: Remediating the Trickiest Speech Sound Disorders with Amy Graham

  • Fri, Aug 8 2025  •
    • Professional Learning and Sustainability

ADE/ESS is pleased to bring Amy Graham, CCC-SLP, back to Arizona this fall for a brand-new topic. This intensive, full-day workshop will equip speech-language pathologists, speech-language technicians, and speech-language pathology assistants with advanced strategies for effectively and efficiently addressing challenging speech sound disorders.

INTERNAL PD OPPORTUNITY: Assistive Technology and Universal Design for Learning with Kelli Suding

  • Fri, Aug 8 2025  •
    • Updates
    • Assistive Technology Upcoming Events
    • Assistive Technology

The ADE/ESS Assistive Technology (AT) team is pleased to announce our first 2025-26 national presenter: Kelli Suding, M.Ed. Kelli will present two virtual after-school sessions designed for special and general education teachers, school administrators, IT and Ed Tech staff, and related service providers.

EXTERNAL PD INFO: STAR Autism Support 2025-26 Professional Learning Opportunities

  • Fri, Aug 8 2025  •
    • Updates
    • Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices

The ADE/ESS Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices Unit and STAR Autism Support are collaborating to offer resources and professional learning opportunities to support PEA staff with free Virtual Learning Opportunities for the 25-26 School Year. 

MONITORING UPDATE: SY 2025-2026 Programmatic Monitoring Manual Now Available

  • Mon, Aug 4 2025  •
    • Updates
    • Program Support and Monitoring

ESS/Program Support and Monitoring (PSM) is proud to announce the release of the SY 2025–2026 Programmatic Monitoring Manual

EXTERNAL PD INFO: Professional Learning to Support Arizona Paraeducators, RSPs, Teachers, and Administrators

  • Thu, Jul 31 2025  •
    • Updates
    • Professional Learning and Sustainability

Back by popular demand beginning August 2025, 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, have organized a new year of monthly, low-cost professional learning webinars for paraeducators, related service providers (RSPs), teachers, administrators, etc.

SPED DATA UPDATE: Special Education Data Collections Required for Transporting School Districts in Fiscal Year 2026

  • Thu, Jul 31 2025  •
    • Operations
    • Updates
    • Program Management

ADE/ESS recently notified Transporting School Districts in fiscal year (FY) 2025 that they will be required to complete the Statement of Assurances annually.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT: Upcoming change for FY26 – Modification to Exit Code W3: Expelled or long-term suspension

  • Mon, Jul 28 2025  •
    • Updates
    • Data Management

Upcoming change for FY26 – Modification to Exit Code W3: Expelled or long-term suspension

IDEA CONFERENCE INFO: Don't Miss Out on Arizona's 2025 IDEA Director's Preconference!

  • Tue, Jul 22 2025  •
    • Updates
    • IDEA Conference

Registration is closing soon for the 2025 IDEA Director’s Preconference—Leadership in Action: Expanding Access, Cultivating Opportunity. This is your opportunity to collaborate, learn, and lead alongside peers who are shaping the future of special education across the state. The Director’s Preconference is an exclusive, invite-only event designed for Arizona’s special education leaders.

INTERNAL PD OPPORTUNITY: Assistive Technology Community of Practice

  • Tue, Jul 22 2025  •
    • Assistive Technology
    • Updates

The ADE/ESS Assistive Technology (AT) Team is excited to announce a year-long professional learning opportunity focused on Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessible Educational Materials (AEM).