ADE/ESS is pleased to announce the release of a free K–12 Assertiveness Curriculum for Arizona educators. Developed by Drs. Gaumer Erickson and Noonan and disseminated in collaboration with ADE, the curriculum provides lessons and resources to help students develop assertiveness skills that support respectful communication, openness to constructive feedback, improved confidence, increased self-expression, and improved conflict-management skills.

ESS collects data annually through the Teacher Attrition Survey to support informed decision-making related to special education workforce recruitment and retention efforts in Arizona. Participation in the survey is mandatory for all public education agencies (PEAs) in Arizona.

The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) has been awarded a $5 million federal grant over five years to expand pathways into the special education teaching profession through registered teacher apprenticeship programs.

Earlier this month, ESS sent out information regarding free ESS/PSM in-person regional training opportunity being held throughout the school year. ESS has decided to add an additional training!

the following message was sent via the ESS Data Management Listserv and may be useful for you to review.

We’re asking for a few minutes of your time to participate in the Secondary Transition Training and Technical Assistance Needs Survey, designed to gather input on current strengths, gaps, and priorities related to professional development provided by the ADE/ESS Secondary Transition Team.

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.

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.

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 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.