National Association of the Deaf

Submitted by Bobbie Beth.Scoggins on Wed, 02/11/2009 - 04:00

In these troubling economic times, many states are struggling to contain costs and are looking at cutting the funding to schools for the deaf.

The National Association of the Deaf (NAD) values schools for the deaf and cherishes their contributions to the education and development of deaf and hard of hearing children for nearly 200 years. The NAD supports the continuation and strengthening of these schools. We are alarmed by budget cuts affecting many schools for the deaf and the possible closure of some schools.

Common sense is that children need to be educated in an environment where they can communicate freely. Because of the unique ability of schools for the deaf to provide a barrier-free visual environment through the use of American Sign Language (ASL), they are ideal places for deaf and hard of hearing learners to flourish. No other educational setting can offer the spontaneity and freedom of communication found in schools for the deaf. Schools for the deaf provide children with a holistic environment that supports their language, communication, literacy, academic, social, and emotional development, and provides them with the support services they need to become bilingual (ASL and English), educated, successful, and contributing adults.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) states that educational agencies must make available a continuum of alternative placements to meet the needs of children with disabilities. Among other things, the continuum must include instruction in regular classes, special classes, and special schools. This continuum includes schools for the deaf.

While the NAD recognizes that the nation is experiencing tough economic times, the requirement to provide the continuum of alternative placements exists regardless of economic factors. States should not seek to balance their budgets by eliminating educational services or placements designed to meet the unique needs of deaf and hard of hearing children. Further, closing schools for the deaf for the intended purpose of budgetary cuts likely will not save money, as students will be shifted into programs not designed to meet their needs, and school districts will have to pay for services they traditionally have not provided. Closing schools for the deaf also puts states at risk for violating the continuum of alternative placements provisions of IDEA.

The NAD has advocated in support of schools for the deaf for many years. For example, the NAD has supported specific IDEA wording that requires Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to address the language and communication needs of deaf children; has also supported language requiring maintenance of the continuum as described above; and has supported full funding of IDEA. The NAD Education Subcommittee, within the NAD Public Policy Committee, is currently fine-tuning a position statement on valuing schools for the deaf.

The economic recovery bills currently before Congress include billions in additional IDEA funding, and the NAD is hopeful that these bills, if passed, will help ease the budget crunch for schools for the deaf. Supporting schools for the deaf is an investment in the future of our children who are deaf or hard of hearing, so that they may become productive tax-paying citizens in the future.

Regardless of what happens at the federal level, most of the decisions regarding schools for the deaf occur at the state level. The NAD urges state associations, organizational affiliates, individual members, and families and friends of deaf and hard of hearing children to:

• Learn about the school(s) for the deaf in your state;
• Ask your school(s) for the deaf what you can to do help support the school(s); and
• Work with all stakeholders in your state to implement a plan that will protect your school(s) for the deaf and provide deaf and hard of hearing children with the world class education they deserve.

The NAD stands ready to help in these efforts. Please keep us informed so that we can work with you to protect the education of our deaf children.