The ADE/ESS Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices team is pleased to announce the K–12 State Braille Transcriber Project.

This no-cost professional learning opportunity provides virtual instruction, individualized coaching, and collaborative learning designed to prepare participants to become certified Braille transcribers. Through coursework aligned to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) curriculum, participants will build the knowledge and skills needed to support students with visual impairments through high-quality, accessible instructional materials.

Participants will deepen their understanding of:

• Braille transcription and production
• Special education requirements, including IDEA, FAPE, and LRE
• Individualized Education Program (IEP) considerations for students with visual impairments
• Effective practices for supporting access, participation, and progress

Professional development hours are available for participants who successfully complete program requirements.

If you have staff members interested in expanding their expertise and supporting students with visual impairments, we encourage them to apply. 

Application

For questions, please contact the Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices team.

Thank you for your commitment to ensuring equitable access and meaningful learning opportunities for all students.

Don't Miss This Summer Professional Learning Opportunity!

 ADE/ESS and STAR Autism Support are partnering to provide free professional learning opportunities for PEA staff this summer through in-person and virtual workshops.

 These hands-on learning experiences are designed to support educators working with students with autism and developmental disabilities. Participants will explore evidence-based instructional practices, engage in practical applications, and leave with tools, lesson plans, data systems, and strategies that can be implemented immediately.

 Participants will:

• Learn evidence-based practices that support student success
• Strengthen instructional planning and implementation
• Gain practical tools and resources for the classroom
• Connect learning to real-world classroom application
• Access opportunities for ongoing coaching and support

 School Team Coaching Opportunity

 Schools that participate as a team may qualify for STAR-certified coaching visits. To be eligible, teams must include:

• Special Education Teacher
• General Education Teacher or District Coach
• Related Service Staff or Paraprofessional

 Professional Learning Opportunities

 2-Day STAR Comprehensive Workshop (In-Person)
This two-day workshop provides detailed examples and practical applications of evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009). Participants will learn instructional methods related to discrete trial teaching, pivotal response training, and teaching through functional routines.

• June 22-23 | Phoenix

 2-Day STAR and Links Virtual Comprehensive Workshop  
This two-day virtual workshop focuses on implementing evidence-based practices for secondary students using the STAR and Links curriculum. Participants will learn assessment, instructional planning, and strategies for supporting students within daily routines and targeted skill instruction. During this session participants will be broken into either STAR or Links break out rooms to practice skills specific to STAR or Links

•  June 17-18 | Virtual
• July 14-15 | Virtual

 Register Today!

We are excited to partner with educators across Arizona to strengthen inclusive practices and improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

For registration, questions, or assistance, please contact Bekah Anderson at STAR Autism Support or email Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices team.

Are You Ready to Lead Inclusion? Let’s Make It Happen!

 Still wondering how to make inclusion thrive in your schools?

You don’t have to figure it out alone. The Way to Inclusion: Leadership Book Study gives you a clear, actionable roadmap to break down barriers and build systems that truly support every learner.

 Join Dr. Julie Causton and Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak, in partnership with the ADE ESS team, as they guide Arizona leaders through practical strategies to:
- Design systems that work for all learners
- Rethink schedules and staff roles
- Strengthen collaboration across teams
- Lead change with confidence and clarity

This is inclusion made doable- and it starts with you. Let’s reimagine what’s possible for educators and students across Arizona.

Sign up today!

 Learn more about the facilitators: https://inclusiveschooling.com/about

  For additional questions, please contact Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices.

What if you had a clear, actionable roadmap for making inclusion thrive? That’s what you’ll find in The Way to Inclusion: Leadership Book Study. If this question has been circling in your mind as a Special Education Director, School Administrator, Special Education Teacher, General Education Teachers, or Instructional Coach, this virtual book study is for you!

 Virtual Meetings will be held via Zoom from 3:30-5:00 pm.

• January 15
• February 5 and 19
• March 5
• April 1   

 Together, we’ll tackle barriers, strengthen collaboration, and create systems that work for educators and students.

 Join authors Dr. Julie Causton and Dr. Kristie Pretti-Frontczak in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education’s Exceptional Student Services Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices Team as they guide you through strategies that help you:

✅ Build systems that support all learners
✅ Redesign schedules and staff roles
✅ Strengthen collaboration
✅ Lead change with courage and clarity

This is inclusion made doable, and creating a space for Arizona leaders to reimagine what’s possible.

 Sign up now!

 Learn about the facilitators: https://inclusiveschooling.com/about.

 For additional questions, please contact Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices.

Registration Now Open: Interpreting, Mentoring, Education & Training (IMET) Online Courses
ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the Interpreting, Mentoring, Education & Training (IMET) self-paced online courses offered by Utah State University. These courses are designed to support continuous professional learning for educational sign language interpreters and are now available for self-enrollment.

The IMET Program offers comprehensive online learning opportunities specifically designed for educational sign language interpreters. Upon successful course completion, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion and may also earn RID CEUs upon request. Courses are provided at no cost to participants.

We are excited to share that the newest course is ASL Depiction: An Introductory Guide. This is the first course in the catalog developed by one of our Arizona-based coaches and focuses on key features of ASL. A shorter, alternative version of the course is also available, allowing participants to earn credit for different units.
IMET Self-paced Online Course Catalog

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices.  

We invite all educators to our upcoming free virtual professional learning series on Universal Design for Learning (UDL).

 This series is an excellent opportunity to deepen your understanding of UDL principles and how they can be applied to create more inclusive, accessible learning environments for all students.

 These virtual sessions will focus on providing practical strategies that can be implemented across diverse classroom settings, supporting the success of all learners. We encourage your schools to take advantage of these no-cost virtual learning sessions to deepen knowledge and understanding and enhance instructional practices to ensure every student succeeds.

 The registration links are in the attached PDF flyer, or you can use the links below.
You may find the flyer here.

The Beginner’s Guide to UDL: Simple Strategies, Powerful Impact (NEW!)

Choose one:
September 11, 4:00–5:30 p.m.
October 30, 4:00–5:30 p.m.

Leading for Inclusion: UDL Essentials for School Administrators
September 24, 4:00–5:00 p.m.

AT and UDL: A Conversation About Technology, Tools, and Teaching
September 29, 4:00–5:00 p.m.

UDL & EdTech: Smarter Tools for Inclusive Classrooms (NEW!)
Choose one:
October 1, 4:00–5:00 p.m.
November 13, 4:00–5:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices.  

The ADE/ESS Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices Unit is pleased to offer a variety of resources and professional learning opportunities on Autism. These free sessions are offered virtually during the 2025–2026 school year and are designed for general and special education teachers.

Session 1: Positive Behavior Supports
Be introduced to the foundations of Positive Behavior Support (PBS) in inclusive classrooms. Participants will explore practical tools such as token boards, First-Then visuals, choice boards, and power cards/social stories. Emphasis is placed on the role of communication in behavior support. Through interactive activities and real-time feedback, attendees will leave with ready-to-use strategies.

September 25, 2025, 3:30-4:30 pm

Session 2: Routines and Schedules
Learn how structured routines and predictable schedules can reduce disruptions and support positive behavior. Explore visual tools like schedules, timers, and task strips, and walk away with strategies you can use immediately to improve transitions and unstructured time in the inclusive classroom setting.

November 20, 2025, 3:30-4:30 pm

Session 3: Structured Work Systems
Discover how structured work systems promote independence and support diverse learners. Learn to set up clear, organized workspaces using visual schedules, task cards, and color coding. Walk away with practical tools to help students start tasks, transition smoothly, and self-regulate in inclusive settings.

January 29, 2026, 3:30-4:30 pm

Session 4: Inclusion Supports
Explore the principles of inclusive education and how collaboration with families and staff enhances student success. Learn to use STAR resources and data to support individualized learning, foster belonging, and implement inclusive practices with confidence.

April 16, 2026, 3:30-4:30 pm

We are delighted to offer these opportunities to collaborate with your teams in support of student success.

Please contact the Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices inbox for questions or assistance. 

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. 

 2-Day STAR Comprehensive Workshop 
This comprehensive two-day workshop provides participants with detailed examples and practice activities on how to implement the evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009). The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco, and Krug, 2015), a research-based curriculum, is used to provide examples. Appropriate content connected to the common core curriculum is presented, and detailed information on the three evidence-based instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training, and teaching through functional routines is shared. 

 1-Day STAR Consistency of Implementation Workshop
This one-day workshop provides participants with a review of how to implement the evidence-based instructional strategies identified by the National Standards Project (2009) using the curriculum content and lesson plans from the research-based STAR Program. The focus of the workshop is on the fidelity of implementation of the evidence-based practices and the use of data collection for instructional decision-making. Participants will also be provided with detailed handouts to assist them in obtaining fidelity of implementation in their school programs. Participants at this workshop should have attended the two-day STAR comprehensive workshop or be very familiar with the implementation of the strategies included in the STAR Program

2-Day Links Comprehensive Workshop 
This two-day workshop provides participants with information on how to implement evidence-based practices for secondary students using the Links Curriculum (Arick, Hoffman, and Magee-Arick, 2012). Participants will learn to use a process for assessing and teaching functional routines that has been documented in the research. Extensive information will be given on selecting and individualizing routines and teaching specific skills to support success during routines.

1-Day Links Consistency of Implementation Workshop
This one-day workshop provides participants with a review of how to implement the evidence-based instructional strategies identified by the National Standards Project (2009) using the curriculum content and lesson plans from the research-based Links Curriculum. The focus of the workshop is on the fidelity of implementation of the evidence-based practices and the use of data collection for instructional decision-making. The workshop will engage participants in hands-on practice activities to become fluent in the instructional strategies of discrete trial training and teaching functional routines as described in the Links Curriculum. Participants will also be provided with detailed handouts to assist them in obtaining fidelity of implementation in their school programs. Participants at this workshop should have attended the two or three-day Links comprehensive workshop or be very familiar with the implementation of the strategies included in the Links Curriculum.

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. 

2-Day STAR Comprehensive Workshop 

This comprehensive two-day workshop provides participants with detailed examples and practice activities on how to implement the evidence-based practices identified in the National Standards Report (2009). The STAR Program (Arick, Loos, Falco, and Krug, 2015), a research-based curriculum, is used to provide examples. Appropriate content connected to the common core curriculum is presented, and detailed information on the three evidence-based instructional methods of discrete trial training, pivotal response training, and teaching through functional routines is shared. 

1-Day STAR Consistency of Implementation Workshop

This one-day workshop provides participants with a review of how to implement the evidence-based instructional strategies identified by the National Standards Project (2009) using the curriculum content and lesson plans from the research-based STAR Program. The focus of the workshop is on the fidelity of implementation of the evidence-based practices and the use of data collection for instructional decision-making. Participants will also be provided with detailed handouts to assist them in obtaining fidelity of implementation in their school programs. Participants at this workshop should have attended the two-day STAR comprehensive workshop or be very familiar with the implementation of the strategies included in the STAR Program

2-Day Links Comprehensive Workshop 
This two-day workshop provides participants with information on how to implement evidence-based practices for secondary students using the Links Curriculum (Arick, Hoffman, and Magee-Arick, 2012). Participants will learn to use a process for assessing and teaching functional routines that has been documented in the research. Extensive information will be given on selecting and individualizing routines and teaching specific skills to support success during routines.

1-Day Links Consistency of Implementation Workshop
This one-day workshop provides participants with a review of how to implement the evidence-based instructional strategies identified by the National Standards Project (2009) using the curriculum content and lesson plans from the research-based Links Curriculum. The focus of the workshop is on the fidelity of implementation of the evidence-based practices and the use of data collection for instructional decision-making. The workshop will engage participants in hands-on practice activities to become fluent in the instructional strategies of discrete trial training and teaching functional routines as described in the Links Curriculum. Participants will also be provided with detailed handouts to assist them in obtaining fidelity of implementation in their school programs. Participants at this workshop should have attended the two or three-day Links comprehensive workshop or be very familiar with the implementation of the strategies included in the Links Curriculum.

PEAs are also encouraged to contact STAR Autism Support if they would like additional individualized support during this time for their teachers, related service staff members, and paraprofessionals! Click here to see the full list of offerings for the school year. 

We are excited to offer these opportunities to work with your teams to support our students!  Please contact Bekah Anderson [email protected] or Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices inbox for questions or assistance. 

 Click here to see the full list of offerings for the school year. 

 We are excited to offer these opportunities to work with your teams to support our students!  Please contact Bekah Anderson [email protected] or Academic Achievement & Inclusive Practices inbox for questions or assistance.