The Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Data Management team is pleased to introduce Beginning of the Year ESS Data Management training for the 2024–2025 reporting year. We offer two options to attend: virtually or in person.

During this training, our team will provide updates on the annual IDEA 618 requirements, review reporting to AzEDS, and give an overview of ESS data applications and surveys. Please register for only one session.

1. Virtual Training via Zoom: Thursday, August 22, 2024, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
2. In-person training: Thursday, August 22, 2024, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

100 N 15th Ave. Phoenix AZ 85007

Please email ESS Data Management with any questions. 

We look forward to seeing you!

Under Section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004, State Education Agencies are required to make a determination for all Public Education Agencies (PEAs) on the PEA's performance in the implementation of special education. Each PEA's federal fiscal year (FFY) 2022 determination is now available for review through ADE Connect and posted on the ADE/ESS website.

Please visit Arizona's PEA Determinations Website for information on the notification letter, scoring criteria, and public results.

For questions regarding PEA Determinations, please email theESS Operations Inbox.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

FY24 Parentally Placed Private School Student Survey (PPPSS) required by all Public School Districts only (charter schools are excluded), due on August 14th, 2024.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 requires that each public education agency (PEA) maintain its records and provide to the State information related to parentally placed private elementary and secondary school students covered under §§ 300.130 through 300.144.

The application opened on May 15th, 2024 and will close for submissions on August 14th, 2024.

• A PEA’s Entity Administrator must assign the role of “ESS Data Surveys: User” at the district level in ADEConnect to the individual who will submit this survey.
• Instructions: Parentally Placed Private School Students
• FAQs: Parentally Placed Private School Students

Once the role is assigned, please log in to ADEConnect, navigate to the Exceptional Student Services Portal (ESS), and select the ESS Data Surveys application.

From there, click on the blue hyperlinked text “FY24 Parentally Placed Private School Students Survey” to start the survey. When the survey has been completed, the application will display a webpage with the message, “Thank you for submitting.”

Please direct any questions to the ESS Data Management inbox.

Registration for the 2024–2025 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.

The purpose of this professional learning opportunity is to prepare new special education directors for the practical operation of a special education system. Topics covered in SENDS include compliance and legal requirements, fiscal issues, assessment, general supervision, and ADE supports and resources. New special education directors serving Arizona public education agencies (PEAs) in their first or second year of being a special education director (including any previous positions) in the fall of 2024 are eligible to attend SENDS.

The $150 registration fee for SENDS includes:

• Registration for the in-person kick-off session on Day 1 (September 4, 2024) of the IDEA Conference* (with an option to pay to attend Days 2 and/or 3 of the conference).
• Four virtual follow-up sessions scheduled throughout the 2024–25 school year  (November 7, December 5, January 16, and February 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.).
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and CEC’s Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) special interest division.

Registration is open until July 19, 2024.

*Information regarding travel reimbursement from eligible PEAs will be provided once registration is completed.

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

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

ADE/ESS is excited to announce keynote speakers for Arizona’s 2024 IDEA Conference: Expect, Engage, Achieve. This year’s conference will be held from September 4–6, 2024, at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix. Please see the conference flyer to learn about Valerie C. Williams, Erik Carter, Perry Zirkel, and Pamela Schuller. Additional national speakers and exciting conference events will be shared soon.

Register for the 2024 IDEA Conference in the Arizona Professional Learning and Development System (APLD). The conference registration fee for professionals is $575 per person and can be paid by credit card, check, or purchase order. Please visit the IDEA Conference Registration web page to learn more about registration options, lodging, and frequently asked questions.

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you and looks forward to this year’s conference. Stay informed by visiting the IDEA Conference website for updates, including announcements about premier speakers and conference schedules. Questions can be emailed to the IDEA Conference inbox.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

INVITATION: ESS Data Management Office Hours for Special Education Data Dashboard

The ESS Data Management Team is pleased to offer virtual Office Hours to our Public Education Agencies (PEAs) to further assist in meeting the Special Education Data Dashboard (SEDD) data requirements.

Office Hours will be scheduled for one-hour increments and facilitated by a Specialist via Microsoft Teams. To schedule an Office Hours session, please visit our scheduling webpage. Sessions will be available until July 10, 2024, on a first-come, first-served basis. Only one session is available per PEA.

After scheduling a session, you will receive an email confirmation and a calendar invite containing the link to join the session at your meeting time. Please make sure you can access Microsoft Teams before your scheduled session.

If you did not attend the live webinar or an in-person SEDD training, reviewing the SEDD Webinar recording is a prerequisite for Office Hours attendees to ensure a productive session. 

These sessions are intended to assist our PEAs in meeting the data requirements of the SEDD application. Please direct any other ESS data-related questions to the ESS Data Management Inbox.

We look forward to meeting with you.

Please see the attached memo regarding English Learner (EL) requirements for students with disabilities. As required by the regulations that implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and English Learner requirements outlined specifically in A.R.S. 15-752, all EL students, including dual-labeled students, are entitled to EL services. These regulations include providing EL services to students who are publicly funded and placed in special education programs such as Emotional Disabilities-Public (ED-P) programs, Approved Private Special Education Schools, and Residential Treatment Centers.

If you have any questions, please email the ESS inbox.

Please see the attached flyer for information about ADE/ESS virtual math professional learning offerings that are available this summer. Questions can be directed to the contacts listed in the flyer.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

FY24 Parentally Placed Private School Student Survey (PPPSS) required by all Public School Districts only (charter schools are excluded), opened on 5/15/24.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004 requires that each public education agency (PEA) maintain its records and provide to the State information related to parentally placed private elementary and secondary school students covered under §§ 300.130 through 300.144.

The application opened on 5/15/24 and will close for submissions on 8/14/24.

• A PEA’s Entity Administrator must assign the role at the district level of ESS Data Surveys: User in ADEConnect to the individual who will submit this survey.

• Instructions: Parentally Placed Private School Students

• FAQs: Parentally Placed Private School Students

Once the role is assigned, please log in to ADEConnect, navigate to the Exceptional Student Services Portal (ESS), and select the ESS Data Surveys application.

From there, click on the blue hyperlinked text “FY24 Parentally Placed Private School Students Survey” to start the survey. When the survey has been completed, the application will display a webpage with the message, “Thank you for submitting.”

Please direct any questions to the ESS Data Management inbox.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

Special Education Data Updates Webinar: Wednesday, June 19, 2024

The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include (subject to change):   

• Reminders 

• Trending topics 

• Top Three Integrity Errors 

• Q&A    

Please register by clicking this link. Registration is required to attend. If you have any questions, please email the ESS Data Management inbox.