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Contact Us

Exceptional Student Services Logo

Exceptional Student Services Logo

General Contact Information

Mailing Address

1535 W. Jefferson Street, Bin 24, Phoenix, AZ 85007

 

Main Phone and Email

Tel: (602) 542-4013

TDD: (602) 542-1410

Fax: (602) 542-5404

Email: ESS Inbox 

 

Contact ESS Webmaster

Email the ESS Inbox to report a broken link or to make a suggestion for improving the ESS website. 

 

Physical Addresses

Phoenix 100 N. 15th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007  Phoenix Map 

Tucson 416 W. Congress, Suite 100, Tucson, AZ 85701  Tucson Map 

Flagstaff 1701 N. 4th Street Flagstaff, AZ 86004  Flagstaff Map

 

Request Assistance

Raising Special Kids (RSK)

RSK is a nonprofit parent organization that provides support and information for parents of children with a full range of disabilities and health care needs from birth to age 26. Programs are offered at no cost to families and are available in English and Spanish.

Request Assistance

ESS offers Request Assistance, an email inbox that is available for you to submit any of your special education questions for prompt reply. You may email us your questions, and someone will contact you during regular weekday work hours within 24 hours of your posting the question.

Contact Your School's Program Specialist

Program Support and Monitoring program specialists are assigned to each Arizona district and charter school to provide program assistance. Program specialists offer technical assistance and monitor special education programs in school districts and charter schools throughout the state.

Contact Program Areas

Name and EmailTitlePhone Number
Becky Raabe AZ FIND Coordinator(928) 637-1871

 

 

 

Name and EmailTitlePhone Number
Jeff Studer Director of Dispute Resolution(602) 364-4011
Laura Boever Dispute Resolution Analyst(602) 542-3084
Chris Lane Complaint Investigator/Compliance Coordinator(602) 542-3545
Amanada Allen Complaint Investigator(602) 364-2195
Bethany Brown Complaint Investigator(602) 364-2447
John Roland Complaint Investigator(602) 364-2453
Heather Schlemmer Alternate Dispute Resolution Specialist(602) 542-7579

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name and EmailTitlePhone Number
Suzanne Perry Director of ECSE(602) 542-1113
Camille Verdugo Project Specialist(602) 542-8747
Erika Argueta Early Childhood Special Education Specialist(602) 542-3160
Elizabeth Hamilton Early Childhood Special Education Specialist(602) 364-1948
Tami Philips Early Childhood Special Education Specialist(602) 542-3183
Lenka Studnicka Early Childhood Special Education Specialist(602) 542-1134

 

 

 

 

 

 

EmailTitlePhone Number
Chris Brown Director of Operations(602) 542-3854
VacantAdministrative Support 
LaThea Nevills Office Manager(602) 542-4083
Jason Baggs Compliance and Process Specialist(928) 637-1880
Victoria Naser ED-P and Approved Private Day Specialist(602) 364-4016
Heather Dunphy SPP/APR Coordinator(602) 542-5584

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Data Management

EmailTitlePhone Number
Peggy Staples Lead Data Management Specialist(602) 364-4024
Maria Durazo Data Management Specialist(602) 542-3057
Louie Reyes Data Management Specialist(602) 542-4806
Adam Zogut Data Management Specialist(602) 542-5080
Eric Ashenfelter Program and Business Liaison(602) 542-4102

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Program Management

EmailTitlePhone Number
Candice Trainor Lead Program Management Specialist(602) 542‐3398
Carol Bush Program Management Specialist(602) 542-4615
Nancy Chavarin Program Management Specialist(602) 542-3270
Tanya Rodriguez Program Management Specialist(602) 542-4610
Program Management Inbox   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ESS Projects

EmailTitlePhone Number
Judy Olaiz Lead Projects Specialist(602) 542-7882
Rocio Munoz Program Management Specialist(602) 542-0610
Abby Sanchez Program Management Specialist(602) 364-3026
Cindy Steward Program Management Specialist(602) 542-2807

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential and Institutional Vouchers

EmailTitlePhone Number
Eva Martinez Cruz Residential and Institutional Voucher Specialist(602) 542-4831
Jeff Rhodes Residential and Institutional Voucher Specialist(602) 542-4387

 

 

 

EmailTitlePhone Number
Tracey Sridharan Director of Professional Learning and Sustainability(602) 364-2066
Sherri Schwindt Program Project Specialist(602) 542-4006
Tiffany Brisco Program Project Specialist(602) 364-3026
Stacy Riccio AZSPDG Project Coordinator
Lead Professional Learning Specialist
(602) 364-2440

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behavior

EmailTitlePhone Number
Celeste Nameth Multi-Tiered Behavior Supports Specialist(602) 542‐5445
Lauren Blocher Behavior/Mental Health Project Coordinator(602) 542-3124

 

 

 

 

Literacy and Math

EmailTitlePhone Number
Sandra Figueroa Literacy Specialist(602) 364-3358
Rob Hilliker Math Specialist(520) 638-4295
Jenifer Hutchinson Math Specialist(520) 628-6331

 

 

 

 

 

Recruitment and Retention

EmailTitlePhone Number
Kim Rice Lead Recruitment and Retention Specialist(602) 771-4299
Mary Keeney Recruitment and Retention Specialist(602) 542-4058

 

 

 

Find your district/charter specialist

EmailTitlePhone Number
Angela Odom Director of Program Support and Monitoring(602) 364-4009
Veronica Reza Program Project Specialist(602) 542-5021
Heather Raithel Secure Care Specialist(602) 364-2442

 

 

 

EmailTitlePhone Number
James Rivera Director of Special Projects(602) 542-2810
VacantAdministrative Support 
Sam Klein Special Projects Lead Specialist(520) 770-3363
Christy Hegebush Autism and Low Incidence Specialist(602) 542-3209
Becky Raabe Family Engagement Specialist(928) 637-1871

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assistive Technology

EmailTitlePhone Number
Margaret Egan Assistive Technology Specialist(520) 628-6665
Mitch Galbraith Assistive Technology Specialist(602) 542-4016
Mary Keeney Assistive Technology Specialist(602) 542-4058
Laura Wooten-LaFranier Assistive Technology Specialist(602) 542-2185
Arlene Sanchez Program Project Specialist and
Accessible Education Materials
(602) 542-3852

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secondary Transition and Post School Outcomes

EmailTitlePhone Number
Ana Núñez Lead Transition Specialist (Tucson)(602) 542-4195
Elizabeth Brunk Secondary Transition Specialist(602) 542-3153
Lisa Livesay Secondary Transition Specialist(602) 542-8718
Liz Merkle Secondary Transition Specialist(602) 542-8778
Megan Reddell Secondary Transition Specialist(602) 542-0875
Elida Acosta Program Project Specialist(602) 542-2817

 

 

 

 

 

EmailTitlePhone Number
Stefanie Sharkey Surrogate Parent Program Coordinator(520) 770-3175

 

 

Contact Executive Team

EmailTitlePhone Number
Alissa Trollinger Deputy Associate Superintendent(602) 542-5446
Bekah Arrowsmith Executive Assistant(602) 542-5446

 

 

 

EmailTitlePhone Number
Colette Chapman Associate Superintendent(602) 542-4352
VacantExecutive Assistant 

 

 

 

 

 

Page revised 3/24/23

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Contact

  • ESS Reception Desk
  • (602) 542-4013
  • [email protected]
  • Public Comment

From the Exceptional Student Services Blog

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT: FY24 Statement of Assurances required by all PEAs opens on 4/3/23 Mon, Mar 20 2023 Data Management, Updates

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

FY23 Statement of Assurances required by all PEAs opens on 4/3/23

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the representative body for Special Education for Arizona, Exceptional Student Services, is required to obtain assurances from Public Education Agencies (PEAs) to attest that they are meeting the requirements under state and federal statute for special education in the state of Arizona.

It is a requirement for all entities defined as PEAs regardless if they get federal funds or not.

All PEAs must submit the IDEA Statement of Assurances (SOA) through the ESS Portal of ADEConnect.

The application will open on 4/3/23 and close for submissions on 6/15/23.

INTERNAL PD INFO: Multi-Tier Behavior Supports (MTBS) Year 1 Mon, Mar 20 2023 Professional Learning and Sustainability, Updates

Special Education Directors:

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, then you might find the solution in Multi-Tier Behavior Supports.

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