What does meaningful inclusion look like in practice and how do we make it work for students, educators, and systems?

Across Arizona, PEA leaders, principals, special education leaders, instructional coaches, and teachers are navigating similar questions:

• How do we shift beliefs about including students with disabilities?
• What scheduling structures make inclusive services possible?
• How do we strengthen co-teaching and intervention systems?
• How do we build a culture where every student experiences belonging?

These are complex challenges, but they are not challenges leaders and educators have to solve alone.

The ADE/ESS Academic Achievement and Inclusive Practices (AA&IP) team invites you to join Arizona’s Community of Practice on Inclusion, a statewide learning community designed to connect leaders and educators committed to learning from one another and advancing inclusive systems for all students.

What to Expect:

Participants will meet virtually for 60 minutes to:

✅ Connect with colleagues across Arizona

✅ Learn from districts and schools implementing inclusive practices

✅ Problem-solve real challenges and practices together

✅ Explore practical tools, resources, and High Leverage Practices

✅ Leave with actionable ideas to apply in your own setting

Why Join?

Because sustainable inclusive practices are built together. This community creates space to learn from one another, ask honest questions, examine challenges, celebrate progress, and turn ideas into action.

Ready to join the community? Register Here!

Meetings will be held virtually from 3:30-4:30 on the following dates:

October 22nd, November 19th, January 14th, February 18th, March 4th, April 8th, May 13th.

Attend even if you cannot attend every date!

We hope you'll join us as we learn, problem-solve, share ideas, and strengthen inclusive practices together.

We look forward to learning alongside you!

The Academic Achievement and Inclusive Practices (AA&IP) Team

Questions? Contact AA&IP

Learn more: Community of Practice on Inclusion (2026-2027)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to develop a State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR). This evaluates the State’s efforts to implement the requirements of IDEA and describes how the state will improve its special education programs. The SPP/APR includes indicators that measure child and family outcomes, as well as other indicators that measure compliance with IDEA requirements.

Participants will hear the most recent progress on the SPP/APR indicators and be shown how to access the public comment page. This is an opportunity for ADE to hear from special education directors and other educators working in public schools if they have feedback on the direction our state takes to improve outcomes for children with disabilities.

The indicators that will be presented during the September 17 Check-In are Indicators 1, 2, and 5.

• Indicator 1: Provides information on the percentage of students with disabilities who graduate with a regular high school diploma.
• Indicator 2: Provides information on the percentage of students with disabilities who drop out of school.
• Indicator 5: Identifies the extent to which students with disabilities ages 6 through 21 receive special education services alongside their nondisabled peers in regular educational environments.

The Check-In will also offer updates from the ADE/ESS Recruitment and Retention Team, including revisions to the FY27 Teacher Attrition Survey, a Joint Guidance Memo on Personnel Requirements, and new retention-related resources, and from the ADE/ESS Finance team who will provide updates, upcoming deadlines, and details about the next Finance Office Hours.

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://azed-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/qKLlUgJcSiyZ2wAPSrXY0g

SY 2026–2027 Check-In Schedule: 2026–2027 Special Education Professionals Check-Ins occur monthly, on the third Thursday of every month, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The ADES/Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP), along with the ADE/ESS Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) unit and Encircle Families are pleased to announce that the 2027 EI/ECSE Summit will be held on February 24, 2027. The theme of Summit, “Supporting Children’s Growth – Birth to Five Partnerships: Connections and Collaborations,” speaks to the importance of building collaborations between all partners working toward increased outcomes for young children with disabilities in Arizona.  

The Summit coordinators are looking for presenters to offer learning opportunities in 60- or 75-minute sessions. Sessions should focus on real world skills for working with children, their families, or within the early intervention/early childhood special education systems. Sessions will be presented live and within the conference platform at the same time, and as such, presenters need to be in Phoenix to present. The call for papers closes on September 18, and accepted presenters will be notified by October 5.

Please click here to submit a proposal.

We look forward to receiving your proposal. There are so many great things happening in Arizona – let’s show off!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the ECSE Inbox.

The ADE/ESS Assistive Technology (AT) team is pleased to announce our second installment of the 2026–27 national presenter series: Luis Perez, Ph. D 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. Join us for one, or both engaging sessions.

Session 1:         Building the Foundation: UDL, Accessibility, and Designing for Learner Variability
Date:                 Tuesday, November 17, 2026
Time:                3:30 p.m.−5:00 p.m. (MST, Arizona Time)  
Fee:                   Free
Where:             Virtual (Zoom)

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and accessibility are often discussed together, but how do they complement one another in creating learning experiences that work for all learners? In this interactive session, participants will explore the core concepts of UDL, the importance of designing for learner variability, and the role accessibility plays in reducing barriers to learning. Through real-world examples and reflection activities, participants will develop a shared understanding of how UDL moves beyond compliance to create flexible, engaging, and meaningful learning opportunities for all learners.

Register for Building the Foundation: UDL, Accessibility, and Designing for Learner Variability

Session 2:        Bringing UDL to Life: Practical Lesson Planning and Implementation Strategies
Date:                Thursday, November 19, 2026
Time:               3:30 p.m.−5:00 p.m. (MST, Arizona Time)
Fee:                  Free
Where:            Virtual (Zoom)

Translating UDL principles into everyday practice can feel challenging, but small design decisions can have a significant impact on learner success. Building on the concepts introduced in Session 1, this hands-on workshop focuses on practical strategies for planning lessons, activities, and assessments using a UDL lens. Participants will apply UDL guidelines to real instructional scenarios from their own contexts, explore planning tools and templates, and leave with actionable strategies they can immediately implement in their own learning environments. 

Register for Bringing UDL to Life: Practical Lesson Planning and Implementation Strategies

Luis Perez, Ph. D., Special Education, University of South Florida 
M. Ed., Instructional Technology, University of South Florida 
B.A., Political Science, Haverford College 
 
As the Senior Director of Disability & Accessibility for CAST, Luis promotes the creation, delivery and use of high-quality accessible educational materials and technologies to support learning opportunities for all students. He is embedded with the Postsecondary and Workforce Development group at CAST, and in this role works to increase access to middle- and high-income careers for everyone. Luis is also a co-host of the CAST podcast, The Learning Experience, with new episodes launching monthly. His perspective is informed by his own experiences as a user of assistive technology.

Luis is the Principal Investigator for the Center for Inclusive Technology and Education Systems (CITES) at CAST, which aims to empower school districts to build and maintain technology systems that include every student, particularly children and youth with disabilities who require assistive technology and accessible materials. Outside of CAST, Luis is also a co-Principal Investigator on the Resource Collaborative for Immersive Technologies (RECITE) and its related project KonnectXR. These two National Science Foundation-funded projects seek to improve STEM technician education through the accelerated integration of cutting-edge extended reality technologies into technician classrooms.

If you have questions, please email [email protected]. 

The ADE/ESS Secondary Transition Team is pleased to announce the release of the Secondary Transition Course of Study (CoS) Planning Worksheet. This worksheet was developed to support IEP teams in creating meaningful, intentional, multi-year Course of Study plans that align with Arizona graduation requirements, the student's measurable postsecondary goals, and identified IEP needs.

The CoS Planning Worksheet is a technical assistance resource designed for use prior to or during IEP meetings where secondary transition planning is discussed. It assists teams in documenting and reviewing the alignment between a student's measurable postsecondary goals, course selections, community-based experiences, graduation planning, and individualized needs. This resource is intended to support planning and compliance efforts; however, each student's Course of Study should be developed based on their unique strengths, preferences, interests, needs, and postsecondary goals.

Please view and download this worksheet on the ADE/ESS Secondary Transition webpage, under “Trending Topics.” We hope that this resource assists PEAs in strengthening secondary transition planning and ensuring that students have a coordinated pathway toward postsecondary education, employment, and independent living outcomes.

Questions about secondary transition planning or the CoS Planning Worksheet can be directed to the ESS Secondary Transition Inbox.

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). The Assistive Technology Community of Practice (ATCoP) will convene six times throughout the 2026–2027 school year, offering a collaborative space for joint activities, discussions, problem-solving, information sharing, and relationship building. 

Each session will center around a key topic related to AT or AEM, facilitated by an ADE/ESS Assistive Technology Specialist. Meetings will include dedicated time for member questions and open discussion to foster deeper engagement and shared learning. 

Eligibility Requirements: Membership is open to professionals employed by a public education agency (PEA) in Arizona who directly serve students with disabilities. This includes AT specialists, special education teachers, related service providers, and others with responsibilities related to AT and/or AEM. 

To apply, please complete the ATCoP Membership Application. Once submitted, applicants will receive additional details regarding meeting dates and times. Most sessions will be held virtually to maximize accessibility.  Members can join at any time during the 2026-2027 school year.  

Please note: if you applied to participate in ATCOP for the 2025–2026 school year, you’ll need to reapply for the 2026–2027 school year. 

We look forward to your participation in the Assistive Technology Community of Practice! For questions or concerns, please contact ADE/ESS Assistive Technology at [email protected]. 

Please see the attached joint memo from the ADE Exceptional Student Services (ESS) and ADE Educator Preparation and Certification sections. The memo provides guidance to PEAs regarding federal requirements for special education personnel and Grow Your Own (GYO) programs. 

The memo will also be available under the “Hot Topics/Memos” section of the ADE/ESS Program Support & Monitoring webpage. 

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

Updated AzEDS SPED11 – Preschool Outcomes Report CSV Download

The SPED11 – Preschool Outcomes Report found in the AzEDS Reports Portal has been updated to enhance data transparency for Public Education Agencies (PEAs). The CSV download now includes a new CreatedDate column, which indicates the date each preschool outcomes record was reported to AzEDS. This report provides a compilation of preschool outcomes scores for students receiving special education services that have been submitted to the Arizona Department of Education.

To access the SPED11 report in AzEDS, users must have the AzEDS Data Coordinator: SPED Reports role in ADEConnect. If you do not have this role assigned, please contact your local ADEConnect Entity Administrator for assistance. You can locate your PEA’s entity administrator through the ADEConnect website.

Please contact [email protected] with any questions regarding this update.   

Are you in your first or second year as a special education director? If so, don’t miss this opportunity to register for the 2026–2027 Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS)!

The purpose of this professional learning opportunity is to support new special education directors in effectively navigating federal and state special education requirements, accessing ADE/ESS resources, and building a strong professional network. The SENDS series addresses key areas of ADE/ESS oversight and support including compliance and legal requirements, funding, data management, dispute resolution, assessment, and professional learning opportunities.

Eligibility
New special education directors directly employed by Arizona public education agencies in their first or second year of being a special education director (including any previous positions) in the fall of 2026 are eligible to attend SENDS.

Registration
The $100 registration fee for SENDS includes:

• Registration for the in-person kick-off session on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at ADE North,100 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007 
• Follow-up webinars scheduled during the 2026–27 school year 
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and CEC’s Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) special interest division as well as the Arizona Council for Exceptional Children (AZCEC) and the Arizona Council of Administrators of Special Education (AZCASE)

Registration is open until Wednesday, September 9, 2026.

Travel Reimbursement
Funding is available to support travel costs for districts and charter organizations traveling 50 miles or more from the district, charter, or school work location of the special education director to ADE North, 100 N. 15th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85007.  Reimbursements will be issued to the district or charter organization, not the special education director, through the Arizona Procurement Portal. Please note that APP registration is required.  Additional information regarding travel reimbursement for eligible PEAs will be provided upon completion of registration. 

Register for the Special Education New Director Symposium (SENDS)!

If you have questions about SENDS, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce the launch of the state October 1 Special Education Count Dashboard (Federal - Child Count and Educational Environments), the first publicly available ESS dashboard for featuring federally reported IDEA Section 618 data. It provides interactive access to annual special education child count data, allowing users to explore information by disability category, age, demographics, and other characteristics.

The October 1 Special Education Count Dashboard represents an important milestone in the agency’s commitment to making special education data more accessible, meaningful, and user-friendly for educators, administrators, families, policymakers, researchers, and the public.

View the dashboard: Federal Child Count and Educational Environments Data | Department of Education

Please explore the dashboard and share this resource with colleagues and stakeholders who may benefit from access to these data. ESS looks forward to continuing to expand public access to special education data in the future.