INTERNAL PD INFO: Special Education Check-In Meeting - Thursday, March 21 - 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m.

Please join ADE/ESS for the next Special Education Professionals Check-In on Thursday, March 21, 2024, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. 

Select the link to join this Microsoft Teams event: Join Special Professionals Check-In on March 21, 2024

This month's Check-In will address two topics:

Topic 1

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires states to develop a State Performance Plan and Annual Performance Report (SPP/APR). This report includes indicators that evaluate the State’s efforts to implement the requirements of IDEA and describes how the state will improve its special education programs. These indicators measure child and family outcomes and other indicators that measure compliance with IDEA requirements.

Participants attending the Special Education Professional Check-In will hear the most recent progress on the SPP/APR indicators. This event is an opportunity for ADE to hear from special education directors and other educators if they have feedback on our state's direction to improve outcomes for children with disabilities.

Indicators 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13

• Indicator 4: Indicator 4 looks at incidents of discipline in excess of 10 days among students with disabilities across different races/ethnicities.
• Indicators 9 and 10: Indicator 9 compares the races/ethnicities of students with disabilities to the races/ethnicities of students without disabilities in a school district. Indicator 10 is similar but looks at the disability category of students.
• Indicator 11: Indicator 11 measures the percentage of students who received an initial evaluation for special education within 60 days of a parent giving consent.
• Indicator 12: Indicator 12 looks at children (ages 0–2) who may qualify for special education services. Indicator 12 measures the percentage of students who have a formal plan ready by their third birthday if they qualify.
• Indicator 13: Indicator 13 calculates the percentage of students with disabilities (ages 16+) with certain components in their educational plan. Their plan must include appropriate goals, transition information, services, and courses. 

Topic 2

The second topic of this month’s Check-In is ESS Proportionate Share Obligations & Equitable Services. Arizona public school districts are required to count parentally placed private school students and report the number of eligible special education students attending non-profit private schools and homeschools within the district boundaries. These counts are used to determine the Proportionate Share Obligations for equitable services under the IDEA. ESS Program Management will discuss the calculation for the fiscal year 2025 proportionate share obligations and give districts an opportunity to review data for the upcoming grant cycle.

SY 2023–2024 Check-In Schedule: 2023–2024 Special Education Professionals Check-Ins occur monthly, on the third Thursday of every month, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

If you have questions or suggestions for content for Check-Ins, feel free to send them to the ESS Inbox.