Special education in Arizona

What Arizona calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Arizona

Special education is called

Special Education (ADE Exceptional Student Services)

The IEP meeting

IEP team meeting

Eligibility team

MET (Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team)

Evaluation timeline

60 calendar days. From consent; school responds to a request within 15 school days; may extend up to 30 days by written agreement (R7-2-401)

IEP timeline

30 days (federal)

Transition planning starts

16 (being checked)

Rights transfer to the student at

Developmental delay category

3 to 9 (child count shows ages 3 to 9)

Dyslexia law

yes: A.R.S. 15-704: K-3 universal screening incl. dyslexia

Find your district and schools

686 districts and charter districts. 85 special education schools and 557 public charter schools.

Get your Hall Pass Schools in Arizona Services for children in Arizona (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office

Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services (602) 542-4013

Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)

Read the state's notice

Mediation

Ask for mediation

State complaint

File a state complaint

Due process

Ask for a due process hearing

Free help for families

Parent centers

Encircle Families (formerly Raising Special Kids)
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), Phoenix
(602) 242-4366

Disability rights agency

Disability Rights Arizona
Protection and Advocacy Agency, Tucson
(520) 327-9547

Advocacy groups in Arizona

Paying for it

Medicaid for children

AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid)

CHIP

KidsCare

Apply

Apply for coverage

Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income

yes (KFF 2026: state plan option or comparable waiver); program not named in sources checked

Schools bill Medicaid for health services

yes

Autism insurance law

yes. behavioral therapy caps $50,000 (to age 9), $25,000 (9 to 16) per year

Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities

both: Empowerment Scholarship Account (universal ESA); Lexie's Law Disabled/Displaced Students Tax Credit Scholarship (SWD); other tax-credit scholarships

Program page

Official program page

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Arizona scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

D+

Rank 45 of 51

State of Support

A-

Rank 4 of 51

Combined

B-

Rank 10 of 51

Pillar	Grade
Following the law	D
Learning together	C-
Results	D+
School funding	F
Family protections	C
Options and transition	B+

IDEA determination 2026: Needs Assistance (2 or more years). How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.