Updated Discipline Data Guidance Document Now Available

The ESS Data Management team would like to inform you that an updated version of our Discipline Data Reporting Guidance is now available on the AzEDS SPED Reporting page. The updated guidance offers clarification, specifying the required discipline incident reporting to align with the reporting requirements set forth by the United States Department of Education and the Office of Special Education Programs.

Questions related to required discipline incident reporting for special education data collection purposes can be directed to the ESS Data Management inbox.

Please see the attached memo, which contains ADE guidance to assist public education agencies (PEAs) in planning compliant and effective graduation pathways for students with disabilities. The ADE Exceptional Student Services (ESS), Academic Standards, Accountability, and School Finance sections collaborated in the development of this document. This memo is also being added to the “Trending Topics” section of the ADE/ESS website.

For additional information, please refer to the contact details provided in the memo.

Are your staff looking for new professional learning on current special education topics? We have an excellent opportunity for them!

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.

Review the NAU SELECT Spring At-A-Glance flyer to view classes in each of the three sessions, or click the links below to register. Registration closes when classes are full or two weeks before the start of class.

Register for the January 12 – February 13, 2026 Session

• Exceptional Children in General Education Programs: Inclusion in Early Childhood
• Behavioral Management in Special Education: Trauma-Informed Practices
• Methods and Materials in Special Education: High Leverage Practices: Collaboration
• Administration and Supervision of Special Education: Legal Aspects and Compliance

Register for the February 16 – March 27, 2026 Session

• Administration and Supervision of Special Education: Conflict Resolution
• Behavioral Management in Special Education: Advanced Tier 2 PBIS & MTSS Problem-Solving Systems
• Methods and Materials in Special Education: High-Leverage Practices: Data-Driven Planning
• Methods and Materials in Special Education: Principles and Practices of Effective Co-Teaching

Register for the March 30 – May 1, 2026 Session

• Exceptional Children in General Education Programs: Autism and Communication Skills
• Diagnosis and Assessment of Exceptional Children: Psycho-Educational Assessment and Interpretation for Special Education Administrators
• Foundations of Special Education: Secondary Transition for Students with Disabilities
• Assistive Technology Applications: Literacy

Course Options

• Read more about professional growth contact hours: Free for those seeking professional development.
• Read more about university credit: Ideal for teachers or administrators who need official transcripts.

For more information, please email the SELECT Inbox.

Help your team grow their expertise—share this opportunity today!

ESS/PSM is excited to announce that in-person regional training opportunities will be available this school year. These trainings are free for participants and will cover two key topics: completing a mock student file review and accessing resources for crafting a compliant Prior Written Notice.

Dates, times, and locations are listed below. To register, please email Veronica Reza directly. Please register by December 19, 2025.

If you have any further questions, please contact your PEA-assigned PSM specialist.

The SPED School Concurrency vs Federal Primary Need Indicator Guidance has been modified to reflect updates for the 2025-2026 reporting year.

Direct questions to the ESS Data Management Inbox.

Office Hours 

To help you be more successful in the Reconciliation (Phase II), ESS Data Management is offering PEA’s the opportunity to meet 1-on-1 with an ESS Data Management Specialist via Microsoft Teams. Feel free to register for an appointment by visiting our Bookings page.

The FY26 training for the October 1 Data Collection – Phase II was held on Thursday, November 13, 2025. If you were unable to attend, you still can view the recorded webinar. For your convenience, you can access the webinar on Vimeo, or the ODC Webpage. 

Be sure to watch the Phase II training video prior to signing up for an appointment. 

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

For the Special Education Data Updates (SEDU) webinar scheduled for tomorrow, November 19, at 2:00 PM, please note that Monica Paz from School Finance will be unable to present due to illness. While this is unfortunate, we have rescheduled this special session for Tuesday, December 2, at 2:00 PM. Save your School Finance questions for the rescheduled SEDU session with Monica Paz.  

You can register for the rescheduled session here: December 2026 SEDU.

Meanwhile, tomorrow’s SEDU webinar is still happening! With the October 1 Data Reconciliation Phase underway, we would like to use this time to provide the field the opportunity to ask general, troubleshooting questions about data reporting issues they may have. No personally identifiable information (PII), please.

For your convenience, we’ve attached a condensed version of tomorrow’s presentation for reference.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this additional SEDU session and join us!

The ADE/ESS Secondary Transition Team is excited to continue our 2025-2026 Transition Tuesday webinar series! This engaging webinar series is designed to empower students, educators, and families by connecting them with community resources and experts who support the secondary transition planning process. 

We’ve curated an enriching lineup of guest speakers for the 2025–2026 series, all focused on enhancing postsecondary success for youth and young adults with disabilities. 

Mark your calendars! 
December 2, 2025, at 2:30 PM 

Title: Putting the Transition Plan Course of Study into Action 

Description: Join us for an engaging session that demystifies the process of developing a meaningful course of study. See how the transition course of study unfolds in real-world student scenarios that integrate student schedules, transition goals, and activities. Through examples and discussion, participants will explore how to individualize coursework pathways throughout high school that support each student’s future goals. 

Presenter: Heidi Sinkovic – Director of Student Services, Tempe Union High School District 

Presenter Bio: Heidi Sinkovic is the Director of Student Services for the Tempe Union High School District and has over 20 years of experience in education, including 14 years as a Special Education Director. She serves as co-chair of the Arizona Department of Education’s Special Education Advisory Panel and has expertise in special education, school improvement, and federal grant management. 

Don’t miss out! 
Join us to gain valuable insights, build connections, and strengthen your transition planning efforts. 

Please note: This Zoom session will not be recorded. Live attendance is encouraged to benefit fully from the presentation and resources. 

Please email the ADE/ESS Secondary Transition team with any questions. We look forward to your participation! 

Are you overwhelmed by professional development? Don’t have time for a 90-minute webinar? We got you! Join the ADE/ESS Assistive Technology Team for our fall series, Assistive Technology: Just One Thing (JOT). In these quick 30-minute sessions, we will highlight a single assistive technology tool or strategy that you can use to support your students.

Title:              JOT: "Building Capacity through Digital Content"

Presenter:    Matthew Press, DAD2, MHS, OTR/L, ATP

                       Peoria USD, Assistive Technology Specialist

Date:             Wednesday, December 10, 2025

Time:            11:30 AM-12:00 PM

Description: Do you serve a lot of staff and are trying to figure out efficient ways to support them all? Can't get in front of them for regular professional development (PD) and training?  Peoria Unified School District uses a number of strategic options, including weekly targeted emails, digital tutorials, and online classes. Come discover practical resources and strategies you can implement and adapt to enhance your own PD offerings and better support your colleagues—efficiently and sustainably.

Registtration has closed. 
Please note that JOTs are not recorded.

Revised 1.23.2026

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT

SPED07 Report Now Available 

The SPED07 report is now available within the October 1 Data Collection (ODC) application for Phase II: Reconciliation.  

The SPED07 report displays a list of students ages 3-21 identified in AzEDS as receiving special education services over the October 1 child count date as of the most recent integrity run.

The SPED07 report is updated every morning at 10:00 am.

Each PEA is expected to ensure their verification count submitted in Phase I matches the count on the SPED07 report to reconcile their SPED October 1 Count for FY26. 

Please review the steps outlined in the October 1 Data Collection Manual – Phase II to assist in the reconciliation process. There are other resources available on the ESS Data Management October 1 Data Collection Page.   

The Phase II Reconciliation process is due Wednesday, December 10, 2025, by 5:00 pm.

For questions, please email the ESS Data Management inbox.