Child Count for the DeafBlind Census Memo Information Memo Number COM-24-061 Memo Date 1/8/2024 Memo Type Administrative Unit Federal Programs Regulatory Authority 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1400 et seq. (IDEA) Response Required NO Attention Data Stewards (SIS; eSchool; eFinance; TRIAND); Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); Federal Programs; General Business Managers; Principals; School Counselors; School Nurse; Superintendents; Teachers; Technology Coordinators; Test Coordinators Primary Contact Information Name Jennifer Bishop Phone Number 501-352-9197 Email jennifer.bishop@ade.arkansas.gov Secondary Contact/s Information Name Tracey Soto Phone Number 501-682-4222 Email tracey.soto@ade.arkansas.gov Memo Text The Division of Elementary Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Special Education Deafblind Project for Children And Youth with Sensory Impairments (CAYSI) is disseminating the annual federal census of children in Arkansas, birth to age 22, who have been identified as having deafblindness. The purpose of this Commissioner’s Memo is to assist CAYSI staff in identifying and reporting children in the state who are DeafBlind. CAYSI is required to submit this report to the U.S. Department of Education each year. Please consider all the children served by the district to determine those individuals who might qualify. Eligible students do not have to be completely deaf and blind, nor do they have to have been identified as DeafBlind on the district’s December 1 child count. Often these children are counted on the December 1 report as having other primary disabilities such as an intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, or other health impairments. For consideration for CAYSI services, the child must have some degree of both vision and hearing loss or have cognitive impairments that limit the use of both senses. The electronic data review and update submission will be through CAYSI’s database system. Districts will receive an email from CAYSI through the database system for any children in the district who have already been identified and are listed on the DeafBlind registry. Instructions on how to submit electronically with one-time password protection will be included in the email. Detailed information for reporting can be found in the attachment, 2023 AR DeafBlind Instructions. For each child that the district believes may qualify as having combined hearing and vision loss, and is not currently on the DeafBlind registry, or if a district is unsure about a child’s eligibility, please get in touch with CAYSI staff who can review the child's information and assist in determining eligibility. Cooperation by the district is appreciated in assisting CAYSI efforts to identify and maintain accurate information on children with deafblindness across the state of Arkansas. No response is required if the district does not have children with dual sensory impairment. Data collected from the Child Count is used to guide the development of technical assistance initiatives and services. CAYSI is supported through a federally funded grant administered and supported by the DESE Office of Special Education. CAYSI provides technical assistance through on-site consultation, training, and other resources for teachers, agency personnel, and families with children identified and listed on the DeafBlind registry. For additional information or questions, contact Jennifer Bishop or Michelle Alvarez at 501-682-4222 or by email to jennifer.bishop@ade.arkansas.gov or michelle.alvarez@ade.arkansas.gov Attachments 2023_AR_Deaf-Blind_Instructions_121901.pdfCensusLetter1_5_23Caruso_121914.pdfLEA_Signed_Letter_from_Director_of_Special_Education_CM_2023_121926.pdf
Memo Number COM-24-061 Memo Date 1/8/2024 Memo Type Administrative Unit Federal Programs Regulatory Authority 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1400 et seq. (IDEA) Response Required NO Attention Data Stewards (SIS; eSchool; eFinance; TRIAND); Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); Federal Programs; General Business Managers; Principals; School Counselors; School Nurse; Superintendents; Teachers; Technology Coordinators; Test Coordinators
The Division of Elementary Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Special Education Deafblind Project for Children And Youth with Sensory Impairments (CAYSI) is disseminating the annual federal census of children in Arkansas, birth to age 22, who have been identified as having deafblindness. The purpose of this Commissioner’s Memo is to assist CAYSI staff in identifying and reporting children in the state who are DeafBlind. CAYSI is required to submit this report to the U.S. Department of Education each year. Please consider all the children served by the district to determine those individuals who might qualify. Eligible students do not have to be completely deaf and blind, nor do they have to have been identified as DeafBlind on the district’s December 1 child count. Often these children are counted on the December 1 report as having other primary disabilities such as an intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, or other health impairments. For consideration for CAYSI services, the child must have some degree of both vision and hearing loss or have cognitive impairments that limit the use of both senses. The electronic data review and update submission will be through CAYSI’s database system. Districts will receive an email from CAYSI through the database system for any children in the district who have already been identified and are listed on the DeafBlind registry. Instructions on how to submit electronically with one-time password protection will be included in the email. Detailed information for reporting can be found in the attachment, 2023 AR DeafBlind Instructions. For each child that the district believes may qualify as having combined hearing and vision loss, and is not currently on the DeafBlind registry, or if a district is unsure about a child’s eligibility, please get in touch with CAYSI staff who can review the child's information and assist in determining eligibility. Cooperation by the district is appreciated in assisting CAYSI efforts to identify and maintain accurate information on children with deafblindness across the state of Arkansas. No response is required if the district does not have children with dual sensory impairment. Data collected from the Child Count is used to guide the development of technical assistance initiatives and services. CAYSI is supported through a federally funded grant administered and supported by the DESE Office of Special Education. CAYSI provides technical assistance through on-site consultation, training, and other resources for teachers, agency personnel, and families with children identified and listed on the DeafBlind registry. For additional information or questions, contact Jennifer Bishop or Michelle Alvarez at 501-682-4222 or by email to jennifer.bishop@ade.arkansas.gov or michelle.alvarez@ade.arkansas.gov
Attachments 2023_AR_Deaf-Blind_Instructions_121901.pdfCensusLetter1_5_23Caruso_121914.pdfLEA_Signed_Letter_from_Director_of_Special_Education_CM_2023_121926.pdf
Arkansas Department of Education