Washington State School for the Blind

2214 E. 13th Street, Vancouver, WA 98661

(360) 696-6321, Fax (360) 737-2120

Email: admin@wssb.wa.gov    Web site: www.wssb.wa.gov

 

¨       Vision: Independence for blind and visually impaired children.

¨       Mission: The mission of the Washington State School for the Blind is to provide specialized quality educational services to visually impaired/blind youth ages birth-21 within the state of Washington.

¨       Purpose: To serve as a statewide demonstration and resource center and provide direct/indirect services to students both on campus and in the children’s local communities.

 

Statewide LEAs/ESDs:

¨       Approximately 1,489 qualified blind/visually impaired (BVI) students, birth to twenty-one (2011).

¨       Approximately 87 FTE trained teachers of the blind serving LEAs and ESDs (2011).

¨       Birth through 3-year old population: approximately 91 visually impaired and 17 blind children identified (2010).

¨       National incidence of visual impairment/blindness of .1%.

 

Washington State School for the Blind: (diversified statewide service delivery system)

¨       502 students served monthly during the 2010-2011 school year.

·   71 on campus residential students.

·   301 students served monthly through off-campus itinerant services and monthly materials (WSSB currently provides direct/consultant services to over 1/5 of all districts in the state). (2010-2011)

¨       6 students enrolled in the LIFTT (Learning Independence for Today and Tomorrow) program. (2010-2011)

¨       12 students attended a two week YES (Youth Employment Solutions) program. (June 2011)

¨       20 students attended a Summer School program. (June 2011)

¨       123 students from Washington and Oregon attended a track meet at WSSB. (May 2011)

¨       45 students attended a Career Fair. (May 2011)

¨       30 students attended the NW Environmental Science Camp. (April 2011)

¨       131 low vision evaluations provided each year. (2010-2011)

¨       Statewide Technology Center for the Blind (2010-2011):

·   241+ comprehensive technology evaluations provided per year.

·   89+ online technology services provided each month.

·   Average 6-8 training sessions each month for teachers in local public schools on specialized technology.

¨       Braille Access Center. Braille production of over 12 million pages of Braille since fall of 1993 (self-supporting fee for service program). (Partnership with Corrections)

¨       Statewide Instructional Resource Center. Provides large print, Braille, aids and appliances to approximately 1,489 blind, deaf/blind, and blind multi-disabled children each year.

¨       480+ vision-related services provided each month to the general public.

¨       50,000+ people used WSSB’s facilities during the 2010-2011 school year.

¨       Quarterly newsletter sent to approximately 2,000 individuals.

 

Overall on Campus Student Profile:

¨       37% multi-disabled (more than one disability); 1% health impaired; 9% are deaf/blind; 53% are BVI (2010-2011).

¨       Ethnic minority: 2% African/Amer.; 1% Multiracial; 3% Hispanic, 3% Asian; 2% Pacific Islander; 89% Caucasian (2010-2011).

¨       29% yearly student turnover.  (Transition to adult services or back into local school programs.) (2010-2011)

¨       82% of students stay an average of 3.26 years or less at WSSB. (Range: 1 week to 9 years; data from 2010-2011)

¨       67% of graduates (7-year study) employed or in vocational/technical/academic college program.          

¨    80% employed, post secondary and/or homemakers. (2003-2009)

 

Statewide/Regional/National Staff Training:

¨       Video Clips on Blindness Tips: Average amount of times accessed on WSSB’s website each month: 977.  Average amount of times accessed on YouTube each month: 3,676 (2010-2011).

¨       50 participants attended WSSB’s Summer Institute--Statewide training workshops for regular classroom teachers and teacher aides (August 2011).