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FAQ

How do I enroll my child at Tucson’s Arizona School for the Blind, Tucson’s Arizona School for the Deaf or the Phoenix Day School for the Deaf?

Given Arizona’s open enrollment and education choice climate, you may be surprised to learn that Arizona statute states that parents cannot directly enroll their students at an ASDB school. Instead, the local school district where your family resides must refer your child to attend an ASDB campus. If you would like your child to attend an ASDB campus, please contact your local school district. To find the school district that serves your community, please go to http://www.ade.az.gov/edd/.

My child is not deaf but is hard of hearing OR my child is not blind but does have a vision impairment/has low vision. Is he/she eligible to attend and receive services on an ASDB campus?

Potentially, yes. It depends on the level of hearing loss or the level of vision loss and some other factors. Most of the children whom qualify for ASDB services are not fully deaf or fully blind. In fact, the vast majority of the students attending an ASDB campus, receiving services from a regional cooperative at their local school or provided in-home services (for children birth to three-years-old) are hard of hearing (profound but not full hearing loss) or have a profound vision loss (but not completely blind) that exists even with corrective lenses.

If you have any questions on your child’s eligibility to receive ASDB campus services or other types of ASDB services, please contact us at 520-770-3700.

Does ASDB have materials and resources that can be borrowed?

Yes. Students, families and community members can sign up to be community borrowers at one of the campus libraries. Please see our library page for more information and downloadable borrower forms. Additionally, the Early Childhood and Family Education program and the Regional Cooperative Programs often have materials and resources to loan to the children and families they serve.

Do you only use sign language at the campus programs?

No. ASDB’s Phoenix and Tucson campuses follow a child-centered language planning approach. American Sign Language (ASL) and spoken language are used in carefully planned ways to meet the needs of each individual child. On our campuses, the language of instruction is frequently ASL. However, there are some classes conducted partially or wholly in spoken English, depending upon the needs of the individual children and the class as a whole. When the language of instruction is ASL, various activities and support services are used to foster spoken language for students who benefit from those services.

How do I enroll my child?

Referrals to ASDB are generated through a child’s home school district. For more information contact your child’s IEP team or school district representative.