How can I tell a good school for Deaf and hard of hearing students from a bad one?
ANS: There are so many variables that go into determining a good school from a bad one. For me, the determining criteria is your child’s reading, writing and math levels. If you have a 10-year old in the 5th grade reading at the 1st grade level something is terribly wrong. Likewise, if you have a 17-year old in the 11th grade who is reading at the 4th grade level something is wrong. Why? Go to some of the better schools in the country – Indiana School for the Deaf, California School for the Deaf in Fremont, Sequoia School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Arizona, for example – and you will find the reading, writing and math levels of their students are comparable to those of hearing students. Pick a school where the administration tells you your child’s reading, writing and math levels every year and you see yearly progress. If there is minimal yearly progress and the school administration blames everyone else except themselves, look for another school.
