We, the undersigned parents and community members, are deeply concerned about the recent changes to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) program in the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD). These changes negatively impact our children’s education and threaten the integrity of the DHH program. We call on the district to address these issues and ensure that our children receive the appropriate education and support they deserve.

Issues:

        1.  Reduction in Support Services: The DHH program is no longer providing adequate educational support from credentialed DHH teachers proficient in American Sign Language (ASL). General education teachers, lacking ASL proficiency, are being assigned to TK/K DHH classrooms, with only interpreters and teacher aides for support. This shift diminishes the quality of education and direct communication for DHH students, undermining the principle of bilingual Deaf education.

           Additional Concern:

• This issue in Burbank reflects a broader problem occurring throughout California, driven by the misguided notion of inclusion and universal design for learning, which is being pushed by the California Department of Education Special Education. It is important to recognize that this trend negatively impacts the quality of education for DHH students across the state, not just in our local district.

 

• The district claims that they have been unable to find a DHH teacher, yet they fail to keep the position posted on EdJoin until it is filled with a qualified Teacher of the Deaf. This pattern has repeatedly occurred. A similar issue arose with ASL classes at BHS, where the district asserted they couldn’t find an ASL teacher, despite stating they had posted the position and contacted several universities. In truth, the position was not consistently posted on EdJoin, and students were told ASL was not available as a language option. After former DHH Coordinator Patty Ivankovic addressed the board and highlighted the district’s lack of transparency, the position was posted, and within a week, at least three applicants applied, leading to a successful hire.

 

• Furthermore, the district appears to be hiring individuals with DHH credentials who are not proficient in ASL. For instance, the current teacher may hold a credential from a program that emphasizes listening and spoken language rather than ASL fluency. Additionally, an itinerant teacher of the deaf is reportedly providing services without signing proficiency. This lack of credentialed, ASL-proficient teachers undermines the linguistic and educational needs of DHH students. It raises serious concerns about the district’s commitment to hiring qualified staff and ensuring necessary direct instruction in ASL, particularly when the IEPs may not explicitly specify the need for such instruction.

 

• The district has consistently failed to actively pursue fully qualified TK/K DHH candidates, despite available options. When fully credentialed teachers aren’t available, the district could hire teacher candidates as University Interns while they complete their credential programs, provided that no fully credentialed and qualified DHH teacher has applied. Currently, a dedicated intern from a local program is working at the middle school, contributing positively to the learning environment. Unfortunately, the elementary school has not taken a proactive approach to hiring qualified interns or credentialed teachers. The job was posted on EdJoin without broader outreach to the community, leaving many unaware the position was open. Instead, they hired a general education teacher who is not fluent in sign language to teach in the TK/K classroom, where students are at risk of language deprivation due to the lack of direct signed communication and language throughout the school day.

 

• Interpreter-Only Instruction: Even when a general education teacher is paired with an interpreter, it does not provide full accessibility for DHH students. Even the best interpreters cannot capture everything in real-time, which leads to children missing significant portions of the lesson and losing access to incidental learning opportunities. These gaps affect their ability to fully engage in and benefit from the classroom environment, especially in a preschool and TK/K setting. A DHH classroom should be led by a credentialed DHH teacher to ensure bilingual Deaf education in both ASL and English.

    2.  Closure of DHH Preschool Class: The recent closure of the DHH  preschool class, due to cited legal concerns regarding co-locating DHH preschoolers with school-aged children, has left preschool-aged DHH children without an adequate alternative program. Additionally, the district has not effectively communicated these changes to parents.

    3.   Phasing Out of Bilingual Deaf Education: BUSD appears to be systematically phasing out its bilingual (ASL and English) Deaf Education program. Credentialed DHH teachers are being replaced with general education or DHH itinerant teachers with an Auditory-Verbal Therapy (AVT) background, who lack proficiency in ASL. This transition undermines the bilingual approach that is essential for our children’s linguistic and cognitive development.

      4.   Need for Qualified Leaders in DHH Positions: We require a qualified DHH Coordinator with a background in DHH education and knowledge of ASL. Speech and Language Pathologists should excel in speech and language development in both English and ASL, actively contributing to individualized education programs (IEPs). More qualified ASL interpreters are necessary, and principals at schools with DHH programs should participate in monthly workshops on Deaf Education to better serve their DHH pupils.

Our Requests:

• Hire Credentialed DHH Teachers: Employ credentialed DHH teachers proficient in ASL to provide the necessary educational support for DHH students.
• Preserve Bilingual Education: Maintain a focus on bilingual education (ASL and English) within the DHH program, prioritizing language development and accessibility.
• Qualified Program Oversight: Appoint a professional with expertise in DHH education and a comprehensive understanding of the full continuum of services for DHH students to oversee the program.

Why This Matters:

Bilingual (ASL and English) Deaf education is vital for the linguistic, cognitive, and social development of DHH students. The removal of qualified DHH teachers and their replacement with individuals lacking ASL proficiency significantly undermines both the quality of education and access to effective communication for our children. A DHH classroom should be led by credentialed DHH teachers to ensure bilingual Deaf education in ASL and English. We aim to redirect the program back to the Deaf Education Regionalized Program to better support DHH students in Foothill SELPA. For decades, the Burbank DHH program has been recognized as one of the premier Deaf education programs in the country, attracting families who move to Burbank to ensure their children receive the best education possible. The Burbank community is home to a vibrant Deaf signing community, making it imperative to protect and enhance this program.

 

Legislative Context:

On September 28, 2024, AB 1938 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. This bill mandates that school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools consider the full language access needs of students who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind when implementing inclusion and universal design for learning initiatives. It also requires individualized family service plan (IFSP) and individualized education program (IEP) teams to take into account the language needs of these students and to review available placements and services when determining the least restrictive environment. The bill establishes a state-mandated local program, obligating the State Department of Education to communicate these requirements to all local educational agencies, non-public schools, special education local plan areas, and the California Schools for the Deaf and Blind. Should the Commission on State Mandates find that this legislation incurs state-mandated costs, local agencies and school districts will be reimbursed in accordance with the Government Code.

Signatures:

By signing this petition, we advocate for the rights of DHH students to receive an appropriate and effective education. We urge BUSD to take immediate action to address these concerns and secure the future of the DHH program. Please note that no donations are needed; your signature alone is all I request to support this important cause.