Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund

Kanasas Deaf-Blind Fund
DeafBlind Fund
Kansas Fund for Children and Young Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind.

Kansas is the only state that has a special fund appropriated by the legislature to support students who are deaf-blind, including students with severe multiple disabilities, in their educational programs. The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund is used to offset costs associated with the educating students who are deaf-blind, including students with multiple disabilities, and how have current certification on the Kansas Deaf-blind Census. The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund provides funding in the following areas; (1) assistive technology, (2) consultation, and (3) evaluation as described in, The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund Guidelines, Information, and Application Form. Students with current certification can be awarded up to $3,000.00 per fiscal year from July 1 to June 30 based on fund availability and approval by the Director of the Kansas Deaf-blind Fund and the Assistant Director of Special Education Services. Awards are given on a first come, first serve basis with the exception of groups of students who receive priority funding status (e.g., birth to two years of age, students who are transitioning from state hospitals back to the their neighborhood school, etc.).

The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund becomes available to students with severe multiple disabilities beginning January 1. Students with severe multiple disabilities also can be awarded up to $3,000.00 per fiscal year based on fund availability and approval by the Director of the Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund and the Assistant Director of Special Education Services.

Local education agencies can submit applications for the Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund no sooner than May 15 of the fiscal year. The applications will be date stamped in order of receipt and held until July 1 when they can be processed.

A summary of the distribution of Kansas Deaf-Blind Funds is reported on an annual basis titled, The Kansas Deaf-Blind Fund Report. This report provides information on the amount of funds that were distributed under each funding category (e.g., assistive technology). It also provides the delineation of funds by local education agencies.