DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Portal information icon added for select applications

To aid Public Education Agencies in their interaction with ESS applications, a new information icon is available for select applications in the ESS portal. Selecting the information icon will produce a pop-up window with more information about the application, roles required to access, contact information, and website links for more training or information.

The blue information icon can be found to the left of the application button if available for that application. Additional applications will have information icons added in the coming weeks.

For any questions regarding this new feature, please feel free to contact [email protected].

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

Upcoming change for Fiscal Year 2024 - Special Education Disabilities allowed for Preschool Programs for Students with Disabilities.

An update to allowable special education (SPED) disabilities for preschool programs will be introduced in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. This update is a continuation of our effort to further validate SPED reporting and ensure accurate data for the state.

Updates to integrity rules and validation matrices will take effect on 7/1/23 to allow all SPED disabilities to be reported for preschool programs except EDP. 

While disability codes DD, HI, PSD, SLI, and VI are only recognized for purposes of calculating Average Daily Membership (ADM), it does not restrict reporting other disability categories beyond those five codes for children with disabilities in preschool programs.

Integrity rules -40035 and -40029 validate the Concurrent Need and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Code Eligibility Matrix, and the Concurrent PEA and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Code Eligibility Matrix. Both matrices will be updated for this change closer to the start of FY24 and published on our ESS Data Management website.                                                               

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

Special Education Directors,

The Alternate Assessment Advisory Committee has developed a new resource for ALL parents and families, A Parent Guide to Understanding Arizona’s Statewide Assessments. From a parent’s perspective, this is information that is necessary and helpful in understanding Statewide Assessments. The document has also been translated into Spanish.

Schools can:

• Post or link this resource on their Assessment webpage
• Share this document (either electronically or printed) with their families during Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings
• Include this document in presentations on Curriculum Nights or when Statewide Testing kicks off in Spring

The English version resource document and the Spanish version resource document are available, but are also available on the Assessment website.

For questions, please contact the Testing Inbox.

Special Education Directors,

Please share the following math professional learning opportunities with general and special education teachers who teach mathematics.

Virtual Professional Learning Opportunities:

The following virtual sessions are being offered via Zoom and are free to attend. Click the session link to view the session description and to pre-register.

Count Me In! Exploring Adding and Subtracting Integers - Thursday, January 12, from 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Formative Assessment in Mathematics with Desmos (Grades 9–12) - Thursday, January 19, from 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Count Me In! Exploring Multiplying and Dividing Integers - Monday, January 30, from 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Take a D.I.P. into Esti-Mysteries (Grades K–6) - Wednesday, February 1, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Take a D.I.P. into Graphing Stories (Grades 6–12) - Thursday, February 2, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Empower Students to Use Universal Tools Through Instructional Routines - Wednesday, February 8, 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Introduction to Fluency with Whole Numbers (Grades K–6) - Choose one of the following dates:

Monday, March 27, from 3:30–5:00 p.m. - Register in advance for Introduction to Fluency with Whole Numbers (Grades K–6) on March 27

Wednesday, May 3, from 3:30–5:00 p.m. - Register in advance for Introduction to Fluency with Whole Numbers (Grades K–6) on May 3

Count Me In! Algebra Tiles Part 1: Exploration of Algebraic Expressions - Thursday, March 30, from 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Take a D.I.P. into Open Middle (Elementary Grades K–5) - Wednesday, April 12, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Take a D.I.P into Open Middle (Secondary Grades 6–12) - Thursday, April 13, from 4:00–5:00 p.m.

Literacy and Math Intertwined: Using Poetry to Engage All Learners - Monday, April 17, from 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Count Me In! Algebra Tiles Part 2: Exploration of Substitution and Solving Equations - Monday, April 24, from 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Count Me In! Algebra Tiles Part 3: Multiplying Binomials and Dividing Quadratic Equations - Tuesday, May 2, from 3:30–5:00 p.m.

Count Me In! Algebra Tiles Part 4: Factoring Quadratic Expressions - Wednesday, May 10, from 3:30.–5:00 p.m.

Note: Accommodations must be requested at least one week in advance of each webinar. These sessions will not be recorded. A computer or tablet is not required but is strongly recommended to enable full participation in each session.

Share the Spring 2023 ADE/ESS Math Professional Learning Offerings flyer.

Please email Jenifer Fernandez or email Rob Hilliker with any questions.

Special Education Directors,

The Arizona Education Job Fair & Career Expo will take place on February 4, 2023, from 8:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Phoenix Glendale Hotel & Conference Center.

The Job Fair and Career Expo is an excellent opportunity for you to recruit new employees to your school community.

Register for the Job Fair and Career Expo!

The registration deadline is December 5, 2022.

Email the Educator Recruitment and Retention fair inbox for more information.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT      

New Technical Assistance Document for Reporting Parentally-Placed Students on an ISP to AzEDS

The following information applies to school districts with a geographic boundary only.

School districts with a geographic boundary providing Special Education (SPED) services to parentally-placed students on an Individual Service Plan (ISP) are required to report SPED services to AzEDS.

A new technical assistance document has been developed to assist school districts with this reporting requirement.

Please review the SPED Student Reporting – Parentally-Placed Students that Receive Services on an Individual Service Plan document located under Tools & Resources on the AzEDS SPED Reporting webpage.

Additionally, for requirements reporting counts for parentally-placed students in private non-profit schools, please review the October 1 Data Collection Manual.

If you have questions regarding this guidance, please email [email protected].

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT       

October 1 Enrollment Data for Fiscal Year 2023  

Please review the October 1 Enrollment Data information below. This coincides with the ODC Phase II due date of January 18, 2023.

What is October 1 Enrollment Data?
To ensure compliance with federal reporting and program requirements for the fiscal year 2023, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) is compiling data for students enrolled on October 1, 2022. Reports will be prepared using enrollment data that has been submitted by Arizona school districts, charter schools, and other public education agencies (PEAs) via their respective student information systems to ADE and has Passed Integrity in AzEDS accordingly.

Student-level enrollment and program data reported by public education agencies are critically important to funding and program determinations for all education programs. ADE uses the data to manage eligibility, calculate funding of limited federal dollars, comply with federal reporting requirements, and serve as the basis for general population statistics about Arizona schools.

October 1 data is used for many internal and external accountability reports, such as statewide dropout rate, and to identify students in certain subgroups. Therefore, schools must review and, if applicable, correct this data as soon as possible so we can produce accurate numbers for federal reporting.
 

What are the important deadlines?
Arizona school districts, charter schools, and other PEAs should have submitted most student-level enrollment and program data as of now. The final October 1 enrollment data deadline is Wednesday, January 18, 2023. Between now and January 18, PEAs are strongly encouraged to review and correct data submissions, using ADE program area staff for support.

What are the consequences of not submitting accurate, valid, and timely October 1 Enrollment Data?
Information submitted after 5:00 PM on January 18, 2023, will not be included in the grants or reports indicated in the chart below. Incomplete, inaccurate, or late reporting may result in a delay of state and/or federal funds, possible sanctions, and in some cases, a loss of potential funding for these grants and systems. The following chart shows the type of student-level enrollment and program data required for each federal reporting and program determination requirement, along with the ADE contact who can be accessed to assist with data reporting questions:

*In order to submit Title I Support Program data to AzEDS your ESEA Consolidated application must be Director approved within GME. Title I Support Program data can continue to be submitted throughout the data capture dates posted by School Finance.

**Validations for the SPED data are done through the ESS October 1 Data Collection process that is also captured on Friday, January 18, 2023. It works in tandem with the October 1 enrollment process.

***In AzEDS, school districts and charter schools can verify their EL Program Participation data by reviewing the EL71 - EL Program Participation Report, which is available via the AzEDS Portal application in ADEConnect, and by clicking the Reports tab and selecting English Learner from the menu.

We appreciate your help optimizing funding for all the education programs benefitting students and teachers of Arizona.

Looking for self-paced professional learning on current special education topics of interest?

Special Education Learning Experiences for Competency in Teaching (SELECT) is a federally funded program sponsored by ADE/ESS and offered through the Institute for Human Development at Northern Arizona University. SELECT courses are recommended for special and general education teachers, administrators, related service personnel, paraeducators, and other interested individuals.

Certified school personnel can take SELECT classes for renewal hours.

• SELECT classes can be taken for university credit for those teachers or administrators who are required by their school districts to have official transcripts and for those who may need to transfer hours out of state (tuition and associated fees apply).
• The classes can also be taken for professional growth contact hours for free.

Register at the NAU SELECT webpage. Courses are offered in 5-week and 8-week sessions. Registration closes when classes are full or two (2) weeks before the start of class.

For more information, please email the ESS Recruitment and Retention Inbox.

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT 

Special Education Data Updates Webinar Wednesday, November 16th 

 The Exceptional Student Services Data Management team will be hosting the next Special Education Data Updates live webinar on Wednesday, November 16th from 2pm – 3pm. This session will cover a variety of data topics that will include (subject to change):   

• Reminders 
  • October 1 Data Collection Phase I due date
  • FY23 Important Dates Document
• Trending topics 
  • Calculating LRE and LRE Flowcharts
  • Integrity Rules mid-year introductions and type updates
  • Foundation for Blind Children: Private Day vs Voucher students
• Topics Not in Scope
  • Homebound
• Top 3 Integrity Errors 
• Q&A    

Registration is required to attend: Register for Special Education Data Updates webinar.   

 For questions, please contact ESS Data Management via email at [email protected].    

Special Education Directors,

The ADE/ESS Assistive Technology (AT) team is excited to announce our next 2022–23 national presenter: Therese Willkomm, PhD. Dr. Willkomm’s workshop is designed for special educators and related service providers.

Making AT for Educational Success: A “Hands On” Make and Take Workshop

Date: Thursday, December 8, 2022

Time: 8:00 a.m.−3:30 p.m.

Fee: $26 (breakfast and lunch included)

Where: Roosevelt School District Wellness Center

Address: 1030 E Baseline Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85042

About Therese Willkomm

Dr. Therese Willkomm, PhD, is the Director of New Hampshire's State Assistive Technology Program with the Institute on Disability at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Dr. Willkomm is a clinical associate professor emeritus in the Department of Occupational Therapy. She developed, coordinated, and taught the assistive technology courses for the Graduate Certificate Program in Assistive Technology for 23 years. She is known nationally and internationally for her innovative strategies for creating solutions in minutes. She has designed and fabricated over two thousand solutions for individuals with disabilities. She has presented her work in forty-two states, ten foreign countries, and three U.S. Territories and has authored over twenty publications, including her recent book, Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes Book 3: "Make Stuff and Love People."

Workshop Description:

This workshop will explore hundreds of assistive technology solutions that can be made in minutes using everyday tools and materials. Each participant will make ten different multi-use assistive technology solutions, including solutions for reading, writing, communicating, vision, physical access limitations, life skills, self-regulation, and tabletop mounting/stabilizing solutions. Attendees will receive a copy of Dr. Willkomm's latest book, Assistive Technology Solutions in Minutes Book 3: "Make Stuff and Love People."

Register for “Making AT for Educational Success: A “Hands On” Make and Take Workshop.”

If you have questions regarding this training, please email our AT inbox.