The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will host the next live Special Education Data Updates webinar on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:00 pm.

What makes this webinar different is that our team has invited Monica Paz, School Finance Director of Operations Support, to join us! We are aware that many data collection topics overlap between membership and special education reporting, and we wanted to offer an opportunity for both of our teams to present to public education agencies (PEAs) on these issues and clear up any misinterpretations.

This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include:      

• ADM Funding vs. Federal Funding
• 915 Process vs. ESS Data Management Data Correction Process
• PEA Calendars and Establishing Relationships for Tuition-Out Schools
• Home Placement Reporting 

Please register by clicking this link. Registration is required to attend. Note that this webinar will be recorded if you are unable to attend.

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

ESS collects data annually through the Teacher Attrition Survey to make informed decisions about recruitment and retention efforts in Arizona. Participation in the survey is mandatory for all public education agencies in Arizona. 

  The survey opens on November 1, 2025, and will close on January 31, 2026. Please see the attached memo for further details.

Answers to frequently asked questions regarding the survey can be located online. If you have additional questions, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.  

  Thank you for completing the Teacher Attrtion Survey. 

ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that the High-Cost Child Claims have opened for the FY 2026 school year as of October 1, 2025. Respecting the amount of funding currently available for High-Cost Child Claims, ADE/ESS will ask each PEA to limit submissions to one claim per submission round, with a total of $75,000 cap per PEA for FY 2026. The cutoff date for the first submission is next Friday, October 31, 2025. If additional funding becomes available, ADE/ESS will communicate this with PEAs.

 The funding mechanisms for High-Cost Child Claims have moved from Grants Management into the ESS Vouchers Application. Please ensure your PEA staff have been given the appropriate role to access the application: ESS High Cost: PEA User. If you have any questions, please send them to the ESS Program Management inbox: [email protected].

 High-Cost Child Claims Quick Reference Guide

Under Section 616 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA 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) 2024 (FY 2025) determination is now available for review through ADE Connect and posted on the 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 the ESS Operations Inbox.

 DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

October 1 Data Collection Phase II Trainings for FY 2026

Annually, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is required to report special education (SPED) data to the federal government. The October 1 Data Collection (ODC) is part of that process and is required by all Public Education Agencies (PEAs). ODC has three phases:  

1. Child Count Verification and Personnel  
2. Child Count Reconciliation 
3. Child Count Non-Reconciliation (if applicable)  

During Phase II, PEAs must submit and reconcile student-level data for students with disabilities participating in a Special Education program over the October 1 child count date through AzEDS. The primary goal of Phase II is to ensure that these students align with the verification count submitted during Phase I.  

ESS Data Management is excited to offer training opportunities to assist with Phase II, including an in-person workshop and a live webinar! Listed below is the schedule for the ODC Phase II training. Please note that registration is required. Click the link on the date that best fits your schedule to register. 

Online Training via Microsoft Teams:  

Date                                                                  Time 

Thursday, November 13th, 2025,       10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Please email ESS Data Management with any questions.

The Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services (ADE/ESS), recognizes the uncertainty that recent federal reductions in force within the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs may bring to education leaders across the state. We want to acknowledge the concern these national changes may cause and provide reassurance and clarity regarding Arizona’s unwavering commitment to children and youth with disabilities.

There have been no changes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or its implementing regulations. State Education and Public Education Agencies remain fully responsible for upholding all federal and state special education requirements. This includes ensuring every eligible child receives a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, conducting timely evaluations, safeguarding procedural rights, and maintaining all assurances tied to federal special education funding.

While administrative shifts may be occurring at the federal level, the rights of Arizona’s students with disabilities—and the responsibilities of our schools—remain firmly intact.

ADE/ESS is closely monitoring these developments and actively collaborating with the National Association of State Directors of Special Education and other national partners to stay informed and responsive. Our priority is to maintain timely updates, technical assistance, and support to ensure continuity and compliance during this time.

We deeply value the dedication of Arizona’s special education professionals—teachers, administrators, support staff, and service providers—who continue to serve our students and families with compassion, consistency, and excellence. Your work is vital to our shared mission: ensuring that every child with a disability in Arizona can access the services and supports they need to learn, grow, and thrive.

If you have questions or need clarification, please don’t hesitate to contact our office. ADE/ESS will continue communicating updates as they become available and stands ready to support you.

The ADE/ESS Assistive Technology (AT) team is pleased to announce our second 2025-26 national presenter: “AAC Essentials: What Every Educator Needs to Know” with Rachel Madel M.A., CCC-SLP. This presentation is intended for SLPs, special education teachers, and related service providers who work with students who use Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC).

Date/Time:                    Friday, November 14, 2025 - 8:30 a.m.– 3:30 p.m.
Fee:                                  Free  (Lunch on your own) Limited availability, Please, only register if you are committed to attending.
Where:                            ADE South Campus Conference Room
                                            1535 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, AZ 85007

Rachel Madel, M.A., CCC-SLP, is an LA-based speech-language pathologist dedicated to coaching parents and professionals on incorporating technology to best support speech and language development. Rachel presents nationally and abroad on the use of AAC and coaches parents, clinicians, and teachers on integrating assistive technology in classrooms and at home to support communication. She co-hosts a weekly podcast called “Talking With Tech” and creates educational resources, therapy materials, and courses to help support parents and professionals.

Course Description: 

This interactive learning experience explores innovative approaches to facilitate language acquisition in students of all ages. By creating enriched environments, all learners have ample opportunities to engage in meaningful language practice within their everyday routines. Participants will gain insights into current best practices for AAC principles, including supporting language learning, selecting appropriate vocabulary, and fostering engagement among AAC users. Additionally, the presentation will cover advanced-level topics, such as strategies to overcome barriers in AAC (both assessment and implementation). Through the integration of interactive technologies, educators can design educational experiences that empower both learners and their support networks to achieve lifelong language goals. The session will also focus on building the skills of communication partners and demonstrate how coaching-centered training can empower educators to promote AAC system usage consistently throughout the day and in various environments.

Register for “AAC Essentials: What Every Educator Needs to Know”

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

The National Resource Center for Paraeducators (NRCP) and the Center for Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE), in partnership with the ADE/ESS, are offering monthly, low-cost professional learning webinars for paraeducators, related service providers (RSPs), teachers, administrators, and other educators.

 Join the NRCP on the second Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for exciting topics and presenters, including the following:

 Oct 11, 2025—Differentiation in Action

• Nov 8, 2025—Accommodations & Modifications
• Dec 13, 2025—Behavior Management
• Jan 10, 2026— Artificial Intelligence 101
• Feb 7, 2026—Paraeducator Career Growth
• Mar 14, 2026—Empowering Independence: Supports for Low Incidence Disabilities
• Apr 11, 2026—Paraeducator Roles & Responsibilities
• May 9, 2026—Visual Supports for Communication
• Jun 13, 2026—The Trauma-Responsive Paraeducator
• Jul 11, 2026—Teamwork & Collaboration in Schools

 Teacher and paraeducator teams are encouraged to sign up together. The $100 registration fee per person includes 12 live webinars and extended access to the recordings until August 2026. There is a limited number of seats at this discounted price, so register now to save your spot!

 Register for Saturday Mornings with the NRCP!

 Please see the Saturday Mornings with the NRCP flyer for additional information about the professional learning series, and email Laura Lema with any questions.

Each year, ESS updates our contact lists of Lead Speech-Language Pathologists, Lead Occupational Therapists, Lead Physical Therapists, Lead School Psychologists, Assistive Technology Specialists, and Adaptive Physical Education Teachers. We use these contact lists to:

• Keep related service providers informed of relevant professional learning
• Facilitate opportunities for developing discipline-specific professional learning networks or communities of practice
• Develop a pool of expert, experienced, school-based practitioners we may call upon for such things as surveying the need for particular topics in professional learning and providing content expertise to inform or review guidelines and policies developed by ADE/ESS

Please complete this brief survey, even if your PEA has had no changes in personnel since last year or has no designated leads for related service providers.

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