Special Education Special Education Assistance for Charter Assistance for Charter

Schools in ArizonaSchools in Arizona

Arizona Department of Arizona Department of EducationEducation

November 2006November 2006

Assistance from ADE-ESSAssistance from ADE-ESS ADE-ESS Program Specialists offer assistance and ADE-ESS Program Specialists offer assistance and

support to all charter schools throughout the yearsupport to all charter schools throughout the year– onsite visits and phone consultationsonsite visits and phone consultations– individualized trainingsindividualized trainings– resourcesresources– follow-up to corrective action (e.g., complaints)follow-up to corrective action (e.g., complaints)

Program Specialists monitor for procedural Program Specialists monitor for procedural requirementsrequirements– provide assistance for close-out during the following yearprovide assistance for close-out during the following year

Outreach training opportunities for all PEAs, including Outreach training opportunities for all PEAs, including charter schoolscharter schools– all trainings presented at sites throughout the stateall trainings presented at sites throughout the state

Outreach training opportunities targeting charter Outreach training opportunities targeting charter schoolsschools

Website Website www.ade.az.gov/ess/www.ade.az.gov/ess/

Assistance from ASBCSAssistance from ASBCS Arizona State Board for Charter Arizona State Board for Charter

Schools provides technical assistance Schools provides technical assistance related to statutory and contractual related to statutory and contractual obligationsobligations– new applicantsnew applicants– all charter schoolsall charter schools– parentsparents– members of the publicmembers of the public– other agenciesother agencies

Website Website www.asbcs.state.az.uswww.asbcs.state.az.us

Collaborative PartnershipCollaborative Partnership AZ State Board for Charter Schools AZ State Board for Charter Schools

(ASBCS) and AZ Dept. of Education-(ASBCS) and AZ Dept. of Education-Exceptional Student Services (ADE-ESS) Exceptional Student Services (ADE-ESS) have positive working relationshipshave positive working relationships

Both agencies strive to provide Both agencies strive to provide consistent information to charter consistent information to charter schoolsschools– each agency provides support and each agency provides support and

resources in specific areasresources in specific areas ESS and ASBCS work to bring schools ESS and ASBCS work to bring schools

into compliance and utilize available into compliance and utilize available sanctions when necessarysanctions when necessary

Collaborative PartnershipCollaborative PartnershipIn ActionIn Action

ASBCSASBCS Include a special Include a special

education education component in the component in the applicationapplication

Require ESS Require ESS training prior to training prior to signing contractsigning contract

Sanctions for non-Sanctions for non-compliance compliance

ADE-ESSADE-ESS Provide the scoring Provide the scoring

criteria for the criteria for the application application componentcomponent

Provide the Provide the mandated trainingmandated training

Monitor complianceMonitor compliance

Charter TrainingCharter Training Purpose is to provide introduction to basics of Purpose is to provide introduction to basics of

special education within a short period of timespecial education within a short period of time– gives participants many resourcesgives participants many resources

Designed for new charter schools that will open Designed for new charter schools that will open in Augustin August

Annual day-long session in June or JulyAnnual day-long session in June or July Charter holder and special education Charter holder and special education

administrator required to attendadministrator required to attend Variety of topics by different speakersVariety of topics by different speakers

– topics range from special education process to data topics range from special education process to data collectioncollection

Opportunity for charter holders to meet ESS Opportunity for charter holders to meet ESS staff members and charter mentors staff members and charter mentors

Charter MentorsCharter Mentors Purpose of program is to support new charter Purpose of program is to support new charter

administrators during first months of operationadministrators during first months of operation– facilitates their understanding of and implementation facilitates their understanding of and implementation

of special education requirementsof special education requirements Provides 20 hours of free mentoring servicesProvides 20 hours of free mentoring services Services offered from August through Services offered from August through

DecemberDecember MentorsMentors

– follow a checklist of dutiesfollow a checklist of duties– tailor assistance when neededtailor assistance when needed– have leadership and special education experiencehave leadership and special education experience

Charter administrators have responsibilitiesCharter administrators have responsibilities– participate, communicate with mentor, keep participate, communicate with mentor, keep

appointments, evaluate mentorappointments, evaluate mentor

Charter Schools’ TA NeedsCharter Schools’ TA Needs

Networking with other charter schoolsNetworking with other charter schools– charter administrators’ organizationscharter administrators’ organizations– special education administrators’ special education administrators’

organizationsorganizations– other support organizationsother support organizations

Sharing of resources and informationSharing of resources and information

Charter Schools’ TA NeedsCharter Schools’ TA Needs

Free technical assistanceFree technical assistance– training for staff and parentstraining for staff and parents– mentorsmentors– lending library with access to training videoslending library with access to training videos– lending library for assistive technology lending library for assistive technology

devicesdevices– online documents and formsonline documents and forms– Q and A forumQ and A forum

Encouragement and understanding Encouragement and understanding to problem solveto problem solve– small charter schools have different needs as small charter schools have different needs as

compared to large charter schoolscompared to large charter schools

ResourcesResources

Charter schools and organizationsCharter schools and organizations Arizona State Board for Charter SchoolsArizona State Board for Charter Schools ESSESS

– special education listservspecial education listserv– program specialistsprogram specialists

Assistive Technology Unit (ESS)Assistive Technology Unit (ESS)– consultants, information, trainings, resources, lending consultants, information, trainings, resources, lending

librarylibrary

PINS (ESS)PINS (ESS)– parent consultants who provide consultation, information, parent consultants who provide consultation, information,

training, and resources to parentstraining, and resources to parents– enables parents’ active participation in special education enables parents’ active participation in special education

processprocess

ResourcesResources

SUPPORT Cadre (ESS)SUPPORT Cadre (ESS)– peer consultantspeer consultants– for a variety of needs, ranging from skill for a variety of needs, ranging from skill

improvement for a specific role/position to behavior improvement for a specific role/position to behavior management for an individual studentmanagement for an individual student

SELECTSELECT– online coursesonline courses– academic credit can apply toward teacher academic credit can apply toward teacher

certificationcertification– e. g., courses offered for cross-categorical e. g., courses offered for cross-categorical

certificationcertification

ESS online resourcesESS online resources– AZ-TAS documentsAZ-TAS documents– monitoring documents, monitoring alertsmonitoring documents, monitoring alerts

Arizona TeamArizona Team Jason Archuleta, Academic Affairs SpecialistJason Archuleta, Academic Affairs Specialist Arizona State Board for Charter SchoolsArizona State Board for Charter Schools archuleta_jason@pop.state.az.usarchuleta_jason@pop.state.az.us

Cyndi Bolewski, Director, Tucson OfficeCyndi Bolewski, Director, Tucson Office Arizona Department of Education-Exceptional Student ServicesArizona Department of Education-Exceptional Student Services cynthia.bolewski@azed.govcynthia.bolewski@azed.gov

Sue Douglas, AdministratorSue Douglas, Administrator Mesa Arts AcademyMesa Arts Academy Founding Member, The Arizona Foundation for Educational ChoiceFounding Member, The Arizona Foundation for Educational Choice sued@clubzona.comsued@clubzona.com

Ann Peschka, Charter Governing Board Member, NCLB Committee Ann Peschka, Charter Governing Board Member, NCLB Committee of Practitioners Member, and Charter School Consultantof Practitioners Member, and Charter School Consultant

Founding Member, The Arizona Foundation for Educational ChoiceFounding Member, The Arizona Foundation for Educational Choice apeschka@cox.netapeschka@cox.net