Policy
Children withhearing impairments and deafness are eligible for special educationservices. Criteria include:
- A child is classified as deaf if a hearing impairment exists which is so severe that the child is impaired in processing linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification, and learning is affected. A child is classified as hard of hearing who has a permanent or fluctuating hearing impairment which adversely affects learning or:
- Meets the legal criteria for being hard of hearing established by the State;
or - Experiences recurrent temporary or fluctuating hearing loss caused by otitis media, allergies, or eardrum perforations and other outer or middle ear anomalies over a period of three months or more.
- Problems associated with temporary or fluctuating hearing loss can include impaired listening skills, delayed language development, and articulation problems.
- Children meeting these criteria must be referred for medical care, have their hearing checked frequently, and receive speech, language or hearing services as indicted by the IEP’s.
- As soon as special services are no longer needed, these children must no longer be classified as having a disability.
This policy complies with Head Start Performance Standard 45CFR Section 1304.21. 1308.11
It was approved by Policy Council on April 8, 1997.
Updated June 2008