Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind - Admission Information

Arizona Law

Arizona statutes and Arizona Department of Education regulations require that referrals for placement in any ASDB educational program (whether site-based or in any of ASDB's five Regional Cooperative programs) must be initiated in a student's local school district, and must be approved by the local school district's special education director. Parents of sensory impaired children cannot directly enroll their child in an ASDB program; they must go through their local school district so that the home school district, the parents, and ASDB can cooperate in the development of the IEP and in determining the most appropriate and least restrictive educational environment for the child.
Public School Participation in Placement Decisions
At every student’s IEP meeting, all placement options should be discussed in enough detail so that the IEP team fully understands the options that exist for the student. At least annually, the IEP team discusses the educational needs of each student, develops appropriate goals and objectives for that student, and determines which placement option best meets the needs of that student in the least restrictive environment.

Age of Students Who Qualify for Educational Services

ASDB programs provide educational services to sensory impaired Arizona children and youth from birth until age 22.

Admission to Campus Housing - Tucson Campus

The Tucson Campus has campus housing to allow qualifying students who live far from the campus to have access to the educational programs. Campus housing is not available to all students who qualify for educational services at the Tucson Campus; for example, medically fragile, chronically ill, and severely emotionally disturbed students may not live in campus housing. When there is a medical or behavioral concern or history, the IEP team considers acceptance into campus housing as a separate issue; it sometimes happens that a student will be admitted to the Tucson Campus as a day student, but will not be able to live in campus housing. Campus housing on the Tucson Campus of ASDB is not a residential treatment center; instead, it is a group housing option for students who qualify educationally for placement at the Tucson Campus but who live too far from the campus to be day students.

Cost to Families

All services that ASDB provides are part of the student's educational program and are provided at no cost to the family. Out-of-state students may attend ASDB site-based programs on a tuition basis; this arrangement must be coordinated through the home state department of education.

Additional Information

For additional information on the ASDB website, click on the Parent link in the top navigation bar above, and then click on FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) in the left navigation bar.


For general information on ASDB admission requirements and procedures, E-mail Tucson Campus Registrar or phone or phone (520) 770-3731. For information about enrollment at the Tucson Campus, E-mail Tucson Campus Registrar or phone (520) 770-3731. For information about enrollment at the Phoenix Day School for the Deaf (PDSD), E-mail PDSD Related Services Department or phone (602) 336-6805.