Serving the Deaf and the Blind

Our Mission

We are committed to excellence in education of all children and youth with hearing or vision loss throughout Arizona.

We are committed to partnerships with families, school districts, communities, and others that will enable children and youth with hearing or vision loss to succeed now and in the future.

We are committed to the respect, support, and well-being of each employee

History

Arizona’s first state legislature in 1912 enacted a provision forming the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Henry C. White was the first principal, appointed by Governor George W. P. Hunt, and classes began in October, 1912. Nineteen children with hearing loss were the first students, and classes were held in a converted residence on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson. Over the years, the school continued to grow, eventually becoming a public corporation governed by a board of directors. Through modernization of the physical plant, growth of the curriculum, and expansion of learning opportunities, ASDB continues to lead the nation in serving students with vision and hearing loss in the state of Arizona.