SB1402 is a bill that expands the scope of the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB) to include children with a broader range of disabilities beyond sensory impairments. The bill entitles Arizona residents aged 3 through 21 with specified disabilities to an education at ASDB without charge, provided they cannot acquire an appropriate education in their local school district. The bill also authorizes ASDB to enroll children under three years old if they have one of the outlined disabilities and would benefit from a specialized program. Additionally, the bill adds physical, occupational, speech, and mobility therapy to the services ASDB must provide and requires ASDB to keep a complete record of every admitted person from the date of their application.

The bill makes several amendments to the current law, including changing the definition of "child with a disability" to align with the special education definition, replacing "sensory impairment" with "disabilities" in various contexts, and ensuring that the best teaching methods for children with disabilities are used at ASDB. It also specifies that ASDB cannot refuse to enroll a person entitled to education under the statute and replaces a certified teacher of children with sensory impairment on a child's placement and evaluation team with a certified teacher of children with disabilities. The bill becomes effective on the general effective date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 36-889
Senate Engrossed Version: 15-1301, 15-1302, 15-1341, 15-1342, 15-1343, 15-1344, 15-761, 15-823, 15-824