TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Arizona Department of Education has officially declared that the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind is violating special education laws.
The declaration comes as ASDB announced it is moving its campus to the old Copper Creek Elementary School campus in Oro Valley. As part of the move, deaf and blind students are being split up, with blind and visually impaired students spread out among other districts, including the Tucson Unified School District.
Derrall and Nani Peach view ASDB as a home away from home. Nani is visually impaired and needs extra care at school — care she received at ASDB's westside campus.
"I was comfortable and it provided a great space for me," Nani said.
But that care may not continue now that ASDB is moving to Oro Valley.
"Honestly, I felt really surprised," Nani said. "It was a bad surprise, because ASDB has been around for [114] years or so."
Derrall Peach said the move has left families feeling overlooked.
"It felt like we were just being pushed aside," Derrall said. "These are some of the most vulnerable kids we have, and they need that education. They need that special place."
Liza Smith, whose 3 kids are among the deaf students going to the new campus, is sharing similar frustrations.
"It needs to be a collaboration," Smith said. "The kids don't deserve to be deprived of language, of access, education. It's not right."
A complaint filed by the University of Arizona's Education Advocacy Clinic with the College of Law says ASDB made placement decisions for some students before the legal review process had taken place.
Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), decisions on where a student receives special education must be made by an Individualized Education Program team, a step the Department of Education and the U of A's advocacy clinic say was skipped for some students.
Katie Sienko, president of the Arizona Association of the Deaf, has been raising concerns about the move to ASDB and TUSD for months.
It's not just taking away, but it's taking away their social-emotional development. It's also taking away their incidental findings or learnings and you're taking away language and communication," Sienko said.
Sienko has brought up concerns over visually impaired students being transferred to other districts, as well as transportation plans for deaf students outside of the 30-mile radius of ASDB's campuses.
ASDB says they have individual plans for students in need of extra transportation partnering with school districts to honor their IEPs and ensure that students will make it to the new campus.
However, Sienko fears that if IEP plans for some students haven't been met, it raises questions about whether other school districts will be ready to care for students not going to the new campus, and if transportation for the students who are will be maintained.
"Every IEP, as I mentioned, is different and catered and curated to each child because no child is the same," Sienko said. "That's what leads to the issue. If these IEPs aren't being honored, how do we know that every IEP is being honored?"
As part of the corrective action, the department has appointed a special monitor to oversee ASDB's compliance with federal law. The school has also been directed to reconvene placement teams and consider all appropriate educational options for affected students by Aug. 28.
In a statement given to KGUN 9, ASDB said it received the Department of Education's report and is reviewing it with legal counsel to determine its next steps.
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JJ McKinney joined KGUN 9 in July of 2025 as a multimedia journalist. He graduated from Colorado State University in May of 2025 with a degree in journalism and media communications and a minor in law. With a background in investigative reporting and documentary filmmaking, JJ is dedicated to giving a platform to the voices of his community. Share your story ideas and important issues with JJ by emailing jj.mckinney@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
