The ADE/ESS is pleased to announce that registration for Teach Camp is now open! 

Teach Camp is a year-long support system that includes professional learning specifically designed for beginning special educators. The goal of Teach Camp is to increase retention of special educators by providing our newest special education teachers with the tools they need to survive and thrive during their first years in the classroom. 

Teach Camp is available to special education teachers who will begin their first, second, or third year of teaching special education in the fall of 2023. Recent graduates from traditional teacher preparation programs, alternative certified teachers, and veteran general education teachers transitioning to special education are all welcome. Please note, participants must be currently employed in a school district or charter as a special education teacher, and participants must have no more than two years of special education teaching experience in total (including previous positions) to be eligible to attend Teach Camp.  

Teach Camp will launch this summer! The cost is $250 per teacher and includes: 

• 3-day summer “camp” to be held June 26–28, 2023 in Phoenix* (breakfast and lunch provided) 
• One-day follow-up session in February 2024 in Phoenix* with national speaker Carol Kosnitsky (lunch provided)  
• A copy of The Survival Guide for New Special Education Teachers 
• A one-year membership to the Council for Exceptional Children 
• Additional valuable resources 

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

Registration for Teach Camp is open until June 5, 2023, on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration must be approved by the special education director and completed by the PEA, not the special education teacher. On-site registration is not available.  

Begin the registration process for Teach Camp! 

 Please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox with any questions about Teach Camp. For more information about Teach Camp, pleasevisit the ESS Teach Camp webpage. 

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

FY23 Statement of Assurances required by all PEAs opens on 4/3/23

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), the representative body for Special Education for Arizona, Exceptional Student Services, is required to obtain assurances from Public Education Agencies (PEAs) to attest that they are meeting the requirements under state and federal statute for special education in the state of Arizona.

It is a requirement for all entities defined as PEAs regardless if they get federal funds or not.

All PEAs must submit the IDEA Statement of Assurances (SOA) through the ESS Portal of ADEConnect.

The application will open on 4/3/23 and close for submissions on 6/15/23.

The SOA must be submitted by the Superintendent, Charter Holder, or Special Education Director of your organization before FY24 IDEA funding applications are approved in the Grants Management Enterprise system.

• The PEA must assign the role of ESS Special Education: Signer in ADEConnect to the individual that will review, sign, and submit the Statement of Assurances.
• PEAs that do not apply for IDEA funds are still required to submit the SOA.

Once the role is assigned, please log in to ADEConnect, navigate to the Exceptional Student Services Portal, and select the Statement of Assurances button under Surveys/Assurances.

The survey code will auto-populate for your PEA. Please select the “Yes” checkbox for each page to indicate your assurances for the requirements.

Upon completion, the SOA can be printed for your records. If your PEA wants to ensure the SOA was submitted, reaccessing the SOA will display the “Thank you for submitting” page.

Please direct any questions to [email protected].

Special Education Directors:

Are you concerned about the current rate of suspensions and expulsions at your school or district? Do you feel students are losing valuable class time due to disruptions and other behavior problems? Are teachers struggling to be successful with classroom management? Are administrators spending too much time dealing with discipline issues?  If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then you might find the solution in Multi-Tier Behavior Supports.

Multi-Tier Behavior Supports (MTBS) is a three-year training series that will assist district, charter, or school teams with the development of a school-wide approach for positive behavior management practices. This training is based on School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (SW-PBIS) evidence-based elements. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) notes that “the IEP team shall, in the case of a child whose behavior impedes the child’s learning or that of others, consider the use of positive behavioral interventions and supports, and other strategies, to address that behavior” (20 U.S.C. §1414(d)(3)(B)(i)). 

Several free informational webinars are being offered to outline additional details about the MTBS model, the three-year training sequence, the readiness requirements, and the process for applying. Attendance at one of the informational webinars is the first readiness requirement necessary for participation in the training series.

If you are interested in learning more and/or starting the readiness process, review this flyer and register to attend one of the following free webinars:

Register for March 27 from 12:00–1:00 p.m.

Register for March 27 from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Register for April 13 from 9:00–10:00 a.m.

Register for April 13 from 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Directions for applying for the training series will be provided during the webinar. Registration is limited to ten teams and only one team from each public education agency. Applications earning the highest scores in the evaluation process will be approved until all seats are filled. Completed applications must be submitted by April 27 at 5:00 p.m.

The special education director is required to attend the readiness webinar for a PEA/district team. The principal is required to attend the readiness webinar for a school team.

For information regarding MTBS, please contact Celeste Nameth.

Greetings,

The ADE/ESS is pleased to announce the 2023 Seminar for School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists: Expanding​ ​Expression​ ​Training: ​ A​ ​Multi-Sensory​ ​Approach​ ​for​ ​Improved​ ​Writing,​ ​Oral Expression,​ ​and​ ​Comprehension​ Across​ ​the​ ​Curriculum with Sara​ ​L.​ ​Smith,​ ​MS,​ ​CCC-SLP​ ​​(and founder​ ​of​ ​EET). The intended audience for this seminar is Speech-Language Pathologists, Speech-Language Technicians, and Speech-Language Pathology Assistants.

Sponsored by the ADE/ESS

Hosted by Alhambra Elementary School District

Date:                  Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Time:                  8:30 a.m.–4:40 p.m.

Fee:                    $40.00 (lunch on your own)

Where:              4510 N 37th Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85019

Course​ ​Description:

This training will focus on helping students ​comprehend​ ​curriculum​ ​materials,​  ​write using​ ​details,​ ​and​ ​express​ ​themselves​ ​using​ ​multisensory,​ ​brain-based​ ​techniques.​ ​Participants will​ ​learn​ ​how​ ​to​ ​target​ ​general​ ​descriptions,​ ​writing​ ​from​ ​prior​ ​knowledge, biographies/autobiographies​, ​and​ ​summarizing​ ​using​ ​simple​ ​strategies.​ ​Multiple​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​target language​ ​processing​ ​skills​ ​will​ ​be​ ​provided​ ​as​ ​well.​ ​Student​ ​samples​ ​and​ ​hands-on​ ​activities​ ​are included.​ ​The​ ​strategies​ ​discussed​ ​are​ ​being​ ​used for ages​ ​preschool​ ​through​ ​adult​ ​in​ ​both​ ​general​ ​and special​ ​education​ ​settings.

Learner​ ​Outcomes:

Participants​ ​will​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to:

1. ​Teach​ ​students/clients​ ​a​ ​multi-sensory​ ​approach​ ​for​ ​including​ ​more​ ​details​ ​in​ ​their​ ​definitions and​ ​descriptions.
2. ​Explain​ ​how​ ​to​ ​use​ ​strategies​ ​to​ ​target​ ​the​ ​following​ ​areas:​ ​categorization,​ ​function, appearance,​ ​composition,​ ​associated​ ​parts,​ ​location,​ ​and​ ​similarities​ ​and​ ​differences.
3. ​Use​ ​and​ ​teach​ ​a​ ​tool​ ​for​ ​improved​ ​organization​ ​in​ ​writing​ ​from​ ​prior​ ​knowledge​ ​and biographies/autobiographies.
4. ​Explain​ ​how​ ​to​ ​collect​ ​baseline​ ​data​ ​and​ ​monitor​ ​progress​ ​using​ ​the​ ​program.
5. ​Complete​ ​a​ ​therapeutic​ ​or​ ​curriculum-based​ ​lesson​ ​using​ ​a​ ​language​ ​tool.

About the Presenter:

Sara​ ​L.​ ​Smith,​ ​MS,​ ​CCC-SLP,​ ​is​ ​an​ ​ASHA​ ​certified​ ​speech-language​ ​pathologist​ ​and​ ​founder​ ​of​ ​the Expanding​ ​Expression​ ​Tool​ ​(EET).​ ​She​ ​began​ ​her​ ​career​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Bay​ ​City​ ​Public​ ​Schools​ ​(Michigan),​ ​where she​ ​focused​ ​on​ ​developing​ ​and​ ​teaching​ ​language​ ​strategies​ ​to​ ​facilitate​ ​academic​ ​success.​ ​Her​ ​interest and​ ​continued​ ​study​ ​of​ ​language​ ​processing​ ​and​ ​multisensory​ ​approaches​ ​to​ ​learning​ ​have​ ​led​ ​to​ ​her development​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Expanding​ ​Expression​ ​Program​ ​for​ ​improved​ ​oral​ ​and​ ​written​ ​language.​ ​As​ ​a​ ​national speaker,​ ​Sara​ ​provides​ ​insight​ ​into​ ​learning​ ​and​ ​demonstrates​ ​strategies​ ​to​ ​use​ ​with​ ​all​ ​children.​ ​She received​ ​her​ ​Bachelor’s​ ​Degree​ ​from​ ​Central​ ​Michigan​ ​University​ ​and​ ​her​ ​Master’s​ ​Degree​ ​from​ ​Bowling Green​ ​State​ ​University.

Registration:

Registration for this event must be completed in the Arizona Professional Learning and Development (APLD) registration system. You must be logged in to your ADE Connect account to complete the registration. If you do not have an ADE Connect account, you will need to create one before you register for the course.

Register for “Expanding Expression Training: A Multi-Sensory Approach for Improved Writing, Oral Expression, and Comprehension Across the Curriculum.”

If you have questions, please contact [email protected]

Special Education Stakeholders,

Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s Arizona Secondary Transition Services Awards!

On behalf of the Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services, and other partnering agencies, you are invited to submit your nominations for this year's Secondary Transition Services Awards, which will be presented at Arizona's 2023 IDEA Conference.

Your nomination is important to recognize the secondary transition contributions and successes happening across Arizona. 

 Nomination categories:

1.  Youth/Young Adult: A youth or recently graduated young adult who has benefited from successful secondary transition services.
2.  Community Member: An individual (employee, manager, owner of a community business, etc.) who provides exemplary support for students and/or young adults with disabilities to enhance community-based experiences and opportunities.
3.  Educator: A Public Education Agency or Secure Care school certified staff, classified staff, support staff member, related service provider, or administrator who provides remarkable secondary transition services.

For each nomination, you must provide basic demographic information about the candidate’s background, strengths, and his or her outstanding participation in the secondary transition process.

We encourage you to nominate multiple individuals across all categories. Please do not nominate programs or groups for any of the award categories, as we wish to recognize people for their individual efforts.

All nominations submitted on or before Wednesday, May 31, 2023, will be considered. Award winners will be selected and notified in June.

If you have any questions, please email the IDEA Conference inbox.

Please download our Secondary Transition Services Awards Flyer.

Nominations are now being accepted for this year’s Arizona Secondary Transition Services Awards!
 
On behalf of the Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services, and other partnering agencies, you are invited to submit your nominations for this year's Secondary Transition Services Awards, which will be presented at Arizona's 2023 IDEA Conference. 

Your nomination is important to recognize the secondary transition contributions and successes happening across Arizona.

 Nomination categories: 
 
1.    Youth/Young Adult: A youth or recently graduated young adult who has benefited from successful secondary transition services.
 
2.    Community Member: An individual (employee, manager, owner of a community business, etc.) who provides exemplary support for students and/or young adults with disabilities to enhance community-based experiences and opportunities.
 
3.    Educator: A Public Education Agency or Secure Care school certified staff, classified staff, support staff member, related service provider, or administrator who provides remarkable secondary transition services.

For each nomination, you must provide basic demographic information about the candidate’s background, strengths, and his or her outstanding participation in the secondary transition process.

We encourage you to nominate multiple individuals across all categories. Please do not nominate programs or groups for any of the award categories, as we wish to recognize people for their individual efforts.
                
All nominations submitted on or before Wednesday, May 31, 2023, will be considered. Award winners will be selected and notified in June.
 
If you have any questions, please email the IDEA Conference inbox. 

Please download our Secondary Transition Services Awards Flyer.
 

Arizona’s 2023 IDEA Conference: Creating Connections and Strengthening Systems, will be held in person from August 21–23, 2023 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

ADE/ESS is requesting proposals that represent your creative and research-based work. The conference will feature numerous professional learning opportunities, including IDEA legal issues, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, and content for related service providers. 

Session proposals are due Wednesday, March 22, 2023. See the Call for Papers guidelines for information on how to submit. 

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you. Questions can be sent to the IDEA Conference inbox.

Special Education Stakeholders,

Arizona’s 2023 IDEA Conference: Creating Connections and Strengthening Systems, will be held in person from August 21–23, 2023 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge in Phoenix.

ADE/ESS is requesting proposals that represent your creative and research-based work. The conference will feature numerous professional learning opportunities, including IDEA legal issues, instructional practices, national trends and hot topics, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, and content for related service providers.

Session proposals are due Wednesday, March 22, 2023. See the Call for Papers guidelines for information on how to submit.

ESS appreciates this opportunity to learn with each of you. Questions can be sent to the IDEA Conference inbox.