Special Education Terms in Arizona
What special education terms does Arizona use?
Arizona uses several terms that differ from federal IDEA terminology or from other states, and IEP documents must use Arizona's state-approved terms. The most critical distinction is 'Emotional Disability' — Arizona's statutory term (A.R.S. § 15-761) for what federal IDEA calls 'Emotional Disturbance' (34 CFR 300.8(c)(4)); the criteria are substantively identical except that Arizona excludes children who are only socially maladjusted. Arizona subdivides the federal 'Intellectual Disability' into three statutory categories: Mild, Moderate, and Severe, each defined by standard deviation ranges — a single undifferentiated 'Intellectual Disability' label is not used in Arizona eligibility documentation. 'Preschool Severe Delay' is a distinct Arizona category with no direct federal counterpart. Arizona uses 'Public Educational Agency' (PEA) to encompass school districts, charter schools, and accommodation schools (A.R.S. § 15-761) — broader than the federal 'Local Educational Agency' (LEA) because it explicitly includes charter schools. The IEP team in Arizona uses the standard federal terminology 'IEP Team'; there is no state-specific team name (unlike NJ's 'Child Study Team' or MI's 'IEPT'). 'Special education' in Arizona means 'specially designed instruction that meets the unique needs of a child with a disability and that is provided without cost to the parents' (A.R.S. § 15-761(30)). 'Accommodation Resource Manual (ARM)' refers to the ADE's official document defining permissible testing accommodations for AzM2 administration.
What Arizona Requires
Use 'Emotional Disability' — not 'Emotional Disturbance' — in all Arizona IEP documentation and eligibility determinations (A.R.S. § 15-761).
Intellectual disability must be categorized as Mild, Moderate, or Severe per A.R.S. § 15-761 with corresponding standard deviation criteria — a single undifferentiated 'Intellectual Disability' label is not the Arizona practice.
Arizona's 'Public Educational Agency' (PEA) includes school districts, charter schools, and accommodation schools — all equally obligated to provide IDEA-compliant special education (A.R.S. § 15-761).
The federal 'Developmental Delay' category is age-limited in Arizona to children ages 3 to under 10; children in this age range with more severe delays may qualify under the distinct 'Preschool Severe Delay' category (A.R.S. § 15-761).
The 'Arizona Accommodation Resource Manual (ARM)' is the ADE's official document listing permissible AzM2 testing accommodations; only ARM-listed accommodations may be used on state assessments.
'Special education' in Arizona statute means 'specially designed instruction... provided without cost to the parents' (A.R.S. § 15-761(30)).
Key Timelines
Terminology distinctions apply at every evaluation, IEP meeting, and eligibility determination — they are procedurally required at each step, not time-bound.
Reclassification under A.R.S. § 15-761.01 must be reflected in updated IEP or exit documentation at the time of the change.