The Kansas Deaf-Blind Project is required to maintain a state census of all children ages birth through 21 with both vision and hearing losses and to collect information about Kansas students who are identified as deaf-blind for the National Deaf-Blind Census. Student information is collected once a year (usually around March) and the data summary is submitted to the National Consortium for Deaf-Blind (NCDB) which submits a final report of data summaries from all states and US territories to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) in Washington, DC. This data determines how much money is available for the state of Kansas through NCDB.
The Kansas Deaf-Blind Census accepts certifications year round. Once a student is certified as deaf-blind, his or her name and identifying information is included in a database for reporting purposes. All information is coded to protect confidentiality. Typically, students are certified for three years. Student information listed in the Kansas Deaf-Blind Certification Guidelines.
Inclusion on the Kansas Deaf-Blind Census allows students to:
The Kansas Deaf-Blind Census Brochure (PDF) provides guidelines for students who would qualify for the Kansas Deaf-Blind Census. Appendix A Cover Page PDF is used to accompany applications for certification.
The Kansas Deaf-Blind Certification Guidelines provides a detailed description of who would qualify and who would not qualify for the Kansas Deaf-Blind Census. If you do not know if you have children in your program who are deaf-blind, the Project Director can assist you. Additionally, the Kansas Project conducts child find activities (otherwise known as "sweeps") throughout the year per request by a Part C Provider or LEA representative.
