Deputy Sec. Stem Releases Important AEDY Memo to All LEAs (July 17, 2019)

On July 10, 2019, Matthew Stem, Deputy Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, released a memo to all LEAs via Penn*Link titled Links to AEDY Webinars on Application System and AEDY Referral System to ensure that chief school administrators and others responsible for the oversight of Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth (AEDY) programs are aware that the AEDY application system is open. Recent training webinars on the application system and referral forms can be found by clicking the following links:

The training webinars cover the application processes for LEAs placing students, LEAs running an in-house program, IUs and AVTS’s that run a program, as well as the addendum for Private Providers. All LEAs placing students in an approved AEDY program, must complete a new application. All LEAs who want to run an in-house AEDY program, must complete a new application. All IUs and AVTS’s that run an AEDY program, must complete a new application. All LEA, IU, AVTS applications, once approved, will cover the 2019-20 AND 2020-21 school years. All Private Providers, regardless that they already have approved applications, must complete the new sections or addendum of the AEDY application. Private Provider applications will continue on their current three-year cycle.

Anyone who does AEDY referrals will need to go through the webinar training on referrals. AEDY Referrals will be required to be completed via the online system beginning with the 2019-20 school year. Superintendents are ultimately responsible for the placement of students into approved AEDY Programs, as well as ensuring compliance with all federal and state statutes and regulations.

It is important to note that the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is joining forces with the PDE AEDY Team to provide training and technical assistance to LEAs and AEDY Programs on Special Education, English Learners, and Evidence-Based Behavior Modification Program requirements for AEDY, and are available to provide assistance to those completing AEDY Applications. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), along with PaTTAN will continue to support the AEDY initiative through technical assistance, site visits, and professional development opportunities. PDE contacts are: Dana Klouser at [email protected] or John Esposito at [email protected]. The PaTTAN contact is Sergio Anaya at [email protected].