Dear Parents,

Thank you for your interest in the California School for the Deaf, Riverside (CSDR). CSDR is one of six State Special School programs in the California Department of Education. Our school serves deaf students living in the 11 counties of Southern California, from San Luis Obispo County to the Mexican Border. Programs at CSDR provide educational placement options for deaf students from ages 3 to 21.

The California Education Code requires that parents must be referred by their local school district when considering CSDR: “Placements in State Special Schools pursuant to Sections 59020, 59120, and 59220, shall be made only as a result of recommendations made from the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, upon finding that no appropriate placement is available in the local plan area.” [Ed Code § 56367]

After you have contacted your local school district, and they agree to a referral to CSDR, you may begin the application process by completing the forms below: (note these forms are PDF format and print only)

• Application - All pages must be completed and consents signed by the parent/guardian.
• Background Questionnaire - All forms must be completed and consents signed by child’s parent/guardian.

• Medical Examination Form - Child’s medical doctor must complete this form. (Attach doctor’s business card stating his name, address, and telephone number.)

• Birth Certificate - Either send a copy of child’s birth certificate, or if unavailable verify student’s date of birth by sending school records.

• Immunization Record - Send a copy of the student’s Immunization Card
(Yellow) listing month and year of each shot. A new TB Mantoux shot should be given when changing schools.

• Student Information Form - Give this form to student’s current lead teacher asking him/her to complete and return to the Admissions Office.

If the administrator of your local school district agrees to refer your student to CSDR, a Notification of Referral for Possible Admissions form will be completed and returned to us along with the following school records:

• Academic Records

• Behavior Programs (Behavior Intervention or Support Plans)

• Audiogram (within a year)

• Entire Current IEP (Detailing current IEP goals and objectives, and stating said student is being referred to CSDR for a 50 day assessment)

• High School Transcripts (If applicable)

• Pertinent medical information

• Psycho Educational Evaluation results

• California Immunization Record

• Speech and language assessments and Regional Center information

• Occupational/physical therapy reports

• Achievement tests -STAR or alternative test results

• Progress Reports (previous year)

• Pursuant to Education Code 48201 and 49079 any document verifying suspensions or expulsions from the previous district

Please call Lisa Nuñez in the CSDR Admissions Office (951) 782-6539 (V/TTY) if you have any questions.

Your completed application packet may be brought in or mailed to:
Dr. Paul Wheatley, Director
Student Services
California School for the Deaf, Riverside
3044 Horace Street
Riverside, CA 92506

Upon receipt of all forms and records, our interdisciplinary Admissions Committee will review your student’s file. If it is determined that your student may benefit from our program, he/ she will participate in a 50-Day Assessment period for possible admission to CSDR. An Assessment Plan will be developed and his/her local school district’s IEP goals and objectives will be followed during the 50-Day Assessment period. During this time, your student remains under the official jurisdiction of the local district while attending classes at CSDR.

Following the 50-Day Assessment period, CSDR staff will review your student’s participation in our program with you and your local school district. If everyone agrees that CSDR is an appropriate program placement for your student, an IEP will be developed, and he/she will become a CSDR student.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

CSDR Admission Criteria

The California Schools for the Deaf (CSD), located in Riverside and Fremont, recognize that language and communication are central to providing quality education to Deaf children. The CSDs are intended to serve students who require specialized, or intensive educational or related services related their hearing loss.

Every Deaf person between the ages of 3 and 21 years, who is a resident of the state, and who meets the eligibility criteria set forth in the proposed regulations is entitled to an education at a CSD at no cost to parents or students. Priority in admission to the CSDs shall be given to:

1. Elementary age Deaf students who meet admission criteria and reside in sparsely populated regions; and,

2. Secondary age Deaf students who meet admission criteria and are in need of a high school program, for whom appropriate comprehensive educational facilities and services are not available or cannot be reasonably provided by their local school district or county educational agencies (Education Code section 59020)Unique Educational Needs of CSD Student Population

Deaf students have needs for a unique environment that provides access to:

• direct and incidental learning and participation opportunities in all components of the educational process including, but not limited to, academic, career technical education, extracurricular, social and athletic activities

• ongoing opportunities to appropriately increase proficiency in English and American Sign Language

• teachers, related service personnel, administrators and other professionals who understand the unique nature of deafness, are trained to work with Deaf students,

• a sufficient number of peers with whom they can communicate directly and spontaneously and who are of similar ages and ability levels

• in-depth exposure to a broad spectrum of Deaf adult role models

• opportunities to participate in self-esteem building activities that promote self-awareness and an understanding of Deaf heritage and Deaf culture

Since the purpose of the CSDs is the education of the Deaf (Education Code section 59001), the programs and services are designed and funded to serve students whose primary educational needs are due to their severe hearing loss and not to other disabilities. Thus, CSD teachers and other professionals are hired based upon their expertise in education of the Deaf, not based upon their experience in the areas of emotional, behavioral, or cognitive disabilities. The proposed admissions criteria, therefore, reflect that students served by the CSDs have a severe hearing loss as the basis for their primary educational need.Services Provided
The CSDs provide intensive, specialized services to students with or without additional disabilities whose primary education needs are due to their deafness. The services provided include:

1. Comprehensive elementary educational programs, including related services for Deaf individuals (Education Code section 59002).

2. Regional secondary educational programs providing comprehensive secondary education, including a full-range academic curriculum, appropriate pre-vocational and vocational preparation opportunities, and non-academic and extracurricular activities (Education Code section 59002).