Arizona Special Needs Resources

Arizona schools offer a continuum of services, from consultation and collaboration in regular classrooms to specialized schools for students with intensive needs. Most students receive services in their neighborhood school, even if they need significant support.

The Individualized Education Program (IEP) team decides what services your child needs and where they'll receive them. This includes related services like speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and counseling. Arizona also covers services you might not expect, like assistive technology assessments and training.

For students with significant disabilities, Arizona provides specialized instructional programs. These might be located in specific schools within your district or through regional programs that serve multiple districts. The state also has an Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program that allows eligible students with disabilities to receive funds for private school tuition, therapies, and other educational services.

Transition planning starts by age 16 in Arizona, following federal requirements. This means the IEP team begins discussing your child's goals for after high school and what instruction and services will help them get there.

The special education process in Arizona follows federal IDEA requirements with some state-specific elements. When a child is referred for evaluation, the district must complete the evaluation and hold an IEP meeting within 60 calendar days of receiving parental consent. The IEP team includes you as the parent, regular education teachers, special education teachers, a district representative, and others who have knowledge about your child or can interpret evaluation results.

Arizona uses an IEP that must include all federally required components: present levels of performance, measurable annual goals, special education and related services, supplementary aids and services, program modifications, and an explanation of the extent to which your child will not participate with nondisabled children. Arizona requires transition planning to begin no later than the first IEP in effect when your child turns 16.

For students with significant cognitive disabilities, Arizona offers an alternate assessment aligned with alternate achievement standards. The state also has something called Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), which is Arizona's approach to Response to Intervention. This framework helps schools provide support to all struggling students, not just those identified for special education. Arizona is unique in offering the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, which provides additional options for families seeking alternatives to traditional public school special education. If you need help understanding Arizona's system or advocating for your child, Raising Special Kids offers workshops, phone consultations, and can even attend meetings with you.