Washington State Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth

In 2009, The Washington State Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY) was established to provide statewide leadership for the coordination and delivery of educational services to children who are deaf or hard of hearing. All activities of the center are under the authority of the executive director and the board of trustees.

There are three (3) responsibilities articulated in RCW 72.40.015 which are:

  1. To manage and direct the activities for the state school for the deaf (Washington School for the Deaf – WSD);
  2. Provide statewide leadership and support to coordinate regionally delivered educational services in the full range of communication modalities, for children who are deaf or hard of hearing;
  3. Expand system capacity at the local and statewide level by collaborating with appropriate public and private partners for the training and professional development of educators serving children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Board of Trustees and the Executive Director have identified activities under each of the areas of responsibility identified above under CDHY’s direction and are aligned with requirements required by OSPI and other state and federal entities. All programs at WSD shall meet the OSPI requirements under the oversight and direction of the Board and Executive Director. All educational services and collaboration activities provided through the Washington Outreach Network (WON) will be to support the delivery of educational services at the local district level, regional programs, and at WSD. These activities will be provided through collaborative governance in coordination with Educational Service Districts (ESD), local school districts and other public and private educational settings throughout Washington State, supporting children and families in all communication modalities.

This Strategic Plan will be divided into two primary sections. The first section will identify the goals and activities guiding the activities of WSD. The second section will identify the goals and activities for statewide support at the local level and system capacity enhancement. All activities continue the work as outlined in the Report to the Legislature from the CDHY Board of Trustees dated December 1, 2010 and will be in alignment with our mandate from the legislature as identified by law. The overarching theme is providing support for all children residing in the state of Washington to receive the highest level of educational services regardless of where they live and where they choose to attend school – whether at the local district or at WSD. Additionally, support will be provided to local districts, children and families regardless of the communication modality the family has selected.

Agency Mission Statement

The Washington State Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Youth (CDHY) is a statewide resource committed to ensuring all deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington reach their full potential regardless of where they live or attend school.

Component Mission Statements

  • Washington School for the Deaf: Provide an inclusive, student centered and culturally rich environment to ensure all students become bilingual and life-long learners.
  • Outreach Services:  Every child, everywhere, everyday receives appropriate instruction that meets their educational, cultural, social, emotional and communication needs.
  • Professional Development:  The knowledge base and learning environment at WSD is a model for the CDHY network of trainers and specialists working throughout the state. This work is done in conjunction with public and private partners.