DeafBlind Child Count 2025 - Children and Youth with Sensory Impairments (CAYSI) Memo Information Memo Number COM-26-028 Memo Date 12/18/2025 Memo Type Administrative Unit Federal Programs Regulatory Authority 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1400 et seq. (IDEA) Response Required NO Attention Assistant Superintendent; Data Stewards (SIS; eSchool; eFinance; TRIAND); Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); Federal Programs; General Business Managers; Principals; School Counselors; School Nurse; Special Education Supervisor; Superintendents; Teachers; Technology Coordinators; Test Coordinators Primary Contact Information Name Jennifer Greiman Phone Number 501-352-9197 Email jennifer.greiman@ade.arkansas.gov Secondary Contact/s Information Name Leah James Phone Number 501-682-4222 Email leah.james@ade.arkansas.gov Memo Text The Division of Elementary Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Special Education, 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 deafblind, or dual sensory impaired. The purpose of this Commissioner’s Memo is to assist CAYSI staff in identifying and reporting children in Arkansas who are deafblind, or dual sensory impaired. CAYSI is required to submit this report to the National Center on Deafblindness, who submits the data to the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs each year. Please consider all the children served by the district to determine those children who may qualify. Eligible students do not have to be completely deaf and blind, nor do they have to have been identified as DeafBlind as their disability category 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 Intellectual Disability (ID), Multiple Disabilities (MD), or Vision or Hearing Impairment (HI or VI). 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. District LEAs with students currently on the DeafBlind Child Count will be contacted by CAYSI staff with their district’s data to review and update any changes. CAYSI appreciates the cooperation from school districts to ensure that accurate information is maintained about deafblind students in Arkansas. Attached are instructions to assist with verifying and updating the data for each identified child. No response is required if the district does not have children who are deafblind, or dual sensory impaired. If your district believes that a student may qualify as having combined hearing and vision loss and is not currently on the DeafBlind Child Count, or if a district is unsure about a student’s eligibility, please contact CAYSI staff who can review the child’s information and assist in determining eligibility. 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 Child Count. For additional information or questions, contact Jennifer Greiman, CAYSI Consultant, at 501-682-4222 or by email to jennifer.greiman@ade.arkansas.gov. Attachments LEA_Letter_-_DeafBlind_Child_Count_2025_094647.pdf2025_Arkansas_Deafblind_Instructions_094703.pdfCensus_Letter_2025_Rhoads_094725.pdf
Memo Number COM-26-028 Memo Date 12/18/2025 Memo Type Administrative Unit Federal Programs Regulatory Authority 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1400 et seq. (IDEA) Response Required NO Attention Assistant Superintendent; Data Stewards (SIS; eSchool; eFinance; TRIAND); Equity Coordinators (Disability/Race/Gender/National Origin); Federal Programs; General Business Managers; Principals; School Counselors; School Nurse; Special Education Supervisor; Superintendents; Teachers; Technology Coordinators; Test Coordinators
The Division of Elementary Secondary Education (DESE) Office of Special Education, 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 deafblind, or dual sensory impaired. The purpose of this Commissioner’s Memo is to assist CAYSI staff in identifying and reporting children in Arkansas who are deafblind, or dual sensory impaired. CAYSI is required to submit this report to the National Center on Deafblindness, who submits the data to the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs each year. Please consider all the children served by the district to determine those children who may qualify. Eligible students do not have to be completely deaf and blind, nor do they have to have been identified as DeafBlind as their disability category 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 Intellectual Disability (ID), Multiple Disabilities (MD), or Vision or Hearing Impairment (HI or VI). 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. District LEAs with students currently on the DeafBlind Child Count will be contacted by CAYSI staff with their district’s data to review and update any changes. CAYSI appreciates the cooperation from school districts to ensure that accurate information is maintained about deafblind students in Arkansas. Attached are instructions to assist with verifying and updating the data for each identified child. No response is required if the district does not have children who are deafblind, or dual sensory impaired. If your district believes that a student may qualify as having combined hearing and vision loss and is not currently on the DeafBlind Child Count, or if a district is unsure about a student’s eligibility, please contact CAYSI staff who can review the child’s information and assist in determining eligibility. 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 Child Count. For additional information or questions, contact Jennifer Greiman, CAYSI Consultant, at 501-682-4222 or by email to jennifer.greiman@ade.arkansas.gov.
Attachments LEA_Letter_-_DeafBlind_Child_Count_2025_094647.pdf2025_Arkansas_Deafblind_Instructions_094703.pdfCensus_Letter_2025_Rhoads_094725.pdf
Arkansas Department of Education