Charter schools for deaf and hard of hearing students are popping up across the nation. Charter schools are similar to private schools, but use public funding, meaning that taxes pay for charter schools. Several charter schools for the deaf are open or making plans to open. The charter schools largely follow a bilingual-bicultural education philosophy of using sign language to teach English. Most importantly, some of these schools are educating hearing and deaf students together. The trend towards charter schools for the deaf is clear, and the charter schools are having an impact on deaf education.
It is not easy to start and operate a charter school. Charter schools usually don't have their own buildings and programs are housed in existing schools or other facilities. Plus, they must compete for students with already available programs for deaf and hard of hearing students.
Some of the charter schools for the deaf that are already open:
- Arizona - Sequoia School - Bilingual charter school in Mesa, Arizona that has deaf and hearing students share in activities, plus allows hearing students to enroll (e.g. children and siblings of deaf).
- Colorado - Rocky Mountain Deaf School - Bilingual charter school in Colorado.
- Minnesota - Metro Deaf School, a school in St. Paul, Minnesota. This charter school uses the bilingual-bicultural approach. (Also in St. Paul, Minnesota is the Minnesota North Star Academy, a bilingual-bicultural charter high school that is merging with the Metro Deaf School.)
- Nevada - Las Vegas Charter School for the Deaf is a bilingual charter school in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, a total communication charter school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that dates back to 1820, and the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which goes back to 1869.
- Texas - Jean Massieu Academy is a bilingual bicultural charter school in Arlington, Texas.
Why did I subtitle this article "Dream Schools?" The answer is simple: Because these schools are the answer to many parents' and teachers' dreams. In an environment where deaf and hearing students are seen as equals and educated together, the opportunity for teasing for the "difference" of hearing loss does not arise. As opposed to mainstreaming where a deaf child may be the only deaf one in the class and therefore is an easier target for less understanding students, in a charter school environment hearing students get to see that the groups of deaf students are the same as them, they just don't hear or talk.
Does your deaf or hard of hearing child attend a charter school? Share your experience with a charter school on the forum.
