Updates

Please see below for the IDEA Conference offerings in May

On Monday, April 26, 2021 the Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Annual Special Education (SPED) Data Collection application for FY 2021 will be available to all public education agencies (PEAs). PEAs are expected to complete this data collection requirement electronically, utilizing ADEConnect to access the online application via the ESS Portal. 

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 Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) evidence-based elements.

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that preregistration for Teach Camp 2.0 is now open!

Teach Camp is a year-long support system that includes professional learning specifically designed for beginning special education teachers. The goal of Teach Camp is to increase retention of special educators by providing our newest special education teachers with the tools they need to survive and thrive during their first years in the classroom.

Effective Fiscal Year 2022, two Integrity Rules will be upgrading from a warning to a failure.

Please be aware you can identify students receiving these warnings in FY21 to prepare for your reporting in FY22.  Please check your INTEG15 report in the AzEDS Portal to determine if your entity is failing any Integrity Rules. The INTEG15 report can filter by warnings only.

The ADE School Safety and Social Wellness and ADE/ESS Secondary Transition teams, in partnership with the Mayo Clinic, are excited to announce a virtual professional learning opportunity on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 from 2:30–3:30 p.m. for school nurses, school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors. Although the focus will be specific to students in grades 6–12, please share with any other stakeholder who is interested in this topic. 

Students with Chronic Health Conditions: A Proactive Approach to Transition 

You can register by selecting sessions listed above or please visit the IDEA Conference web page:

• The Professional sessions will take place on Thursday afternoons from 2:45–4:00 p.m.
• Youth and Family sessions will take place on Tuesday afternoons from 4:00–5:00 p.m.
• Participants must register 48 hours in advance to guarantee needed accommodations.

ESS is excited to announce a third professional learning opportunity with Lauren Enders, CCC-SLP, on Tuesday, March 30, 2021 from 4:00–5:15 p.m. for special educators and related service providers.

A new SPED integrity rule will be introduced into the integrity process for FY21 shortly. This new rule is a continuation of our effort to further validate Tuition Payer codes to ensure clean data for the state. A new one-sheet Integrity Tool is available on our AzEDS SPED Reporting webpage for troubleshooting tips, and the rule has been added to our SPED Integrity Rules Reference document. This rule has been updated from the upcoming section in the FY 2021 ESS Data Reporting Updates document. 

Integrity Rule -40085 

 A new Average daily Membership (ADM) integrity rule will be introduced into the integrity process for FY21 shortly. Integrity Rule -10133 Students reported with Tuition Payer Code 7 (Students funded through other state formula programs) must have a SPED Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) reported for all dates of the Tuition Payer Code 7.