The Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education Project for Children with Deafblindness is preparing the annual federal census of Arkansas children from birth to age 21 who have been identified as deafblind. The Project is required to submit this annual report to the U. S. Department of Education on the children identified as deafblind in the State of Arkansas. The purpose of this Director’s Memo is to assist in the identification of children in Arkansas who are deafblind for purposes of this annual report.
Attached is a "National Census Information Form" to use to refer or identify children who may be eligible for follow up by the Project. It has been simplified as much as possible, and includes all the information required by the U.S. Department of Education for the annual Deafblind Census. (**See Note)
Children referred to the Project do not have to be totally deaf and totally blind, nor have been identified as deafblind on the December 1 Child Count, in order to meet the eligibility requirements of the Project. The child must, however, have both vision and hearing impairments to some degree, or have cognitive impairments that limit the use of both vision and hearing. (The definition of deafblindness is included on the last page of the attached "National Census Information Form.")
Please consider all the children served to determine who might qualify for follow up by the Project, and complete a "National Census Information Form" on each child who may be eligible. Again, a child does not have to have been counted as deafblind on the December 1 Child Count to be eligible for follow up by the Project. Often these children are counted on the December 1 Child Count as having Mental Retardation, Multiple Disabilities or Other Health Impairments. If there is uncertainty about a child’s eligibility, please complete a "National Census Information Form" to refer him/her to the Project. Project staff will make the final determination of eligibility on all children referred.
The Project is a federal grant administered through the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), Special Education that provides technical assistance to educators and agency personnel serving children identified as deafblind and to the families of those children. On-site consultation, technical assistance and a quarterly newsletter are available to the teachers of students identified as deafblind. Parents of identified children are eligible to participate in parent activities sponsored by the Project, as well as receive mail-outs, newsletters and other forms of technical assistance.
Please return the completed form(s) no later than March 31, 2005, to the address indicated below. The return address is also listed on the last page of the “National Census Information Form.”
The district's cooperation is appreciated in the effort to identify children who are deafblind residing within the State of Arkansas. If there are any questions or need of additional information, contact Jamie Schroeder, Project Family Consultant, at 501-682-4222, by fax at 501-682-4248, or via email at jschroeder@arkedu.k12.ar.us .
Return completed form(s) by March 31, 2005 to:
Arkansas Project for Children with Deafblindness
Arkansas Department of Education, Special Education
1401 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 450
Little Rock, AR 72201
Attention: Jamie Schroeder
**Note: If there are children residing in the district already identified as deafblind by the Project, a separate letter from the Project will be sent identifying those children. A “National Census Information Update Form” will be enclosed with the letter, with instructions for providing updated information on those children.