Parnell Hall, the central building of the campus of the Arkansas School for the Deaf in Little Rock. (Photo courtesy of the Arkansas School for the Deaf)
According to Arkansas Advocate, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday announced a “long overdue” plan to build new facilities to better serve deaf, blind and visually-impaired students at historic but dilapidated schools in Little Rock.
The disrepair of the Arkansas School for the Deaf and the Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired was highlighted last fall when the governor and a group of bipartisan lawmakers toured the facilities, which are located about a mile west of the state Capitol.
“We will invest significant resources to build a new state-of-the-art facility on the current campus, combine administrative functions and provide additional high-quality instruction on a regional basis,” Sanders said. “And we’re going to prioritize student safety and happiness so that ASD and ASB will thrive as they were intended to right here in the heart of our capital city.”
Sanders said there will be further discussions about construction and funding, and while there’s not yet a specific timeline for the project, she said the goal is to work as quickly as possible.
The state has received some estimates on the project, Sanders said, and the Legislature previously set aside roughly $30 million in 2022 for the schools.
Both schools will have their own buildings constructed on the current campus near the state Capitol, but they will have some shared services intended to improve efficiency and better serve the student population, Sanders said.
The Arkansas School for the Deaf and the Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired this year serve 102 and 67 students, respectively, according to the Arkansas Department of Education.
The schools will share a dining hall, health facility, administrative services, and one superintendent will oversee operations. Each school will have its own principal, Sanders said.
Existing dormitories may receive some upgrades, but will not require new construction, she added.
Robert Fagan, board chairman for the schools, said at Wednesday’s press conference that it was wonderful that the schools were receiving “a huge gift of love on this Valentine’s Day.”
“Our schools are old. They were built in the late 1800s, early 1900s,” Fagan said. “I’ve heard stories of using duct tape and paperclips to fix things around there, so it’s a tremendous gift and I see a bright future for the school.”
During last year’s tour, Sanders said she saw crumbling exteriors, leaking and drafty interiors, and “significant security, health and safety concerns.”
“To say I was speechless would be an understatement,” she said. “These two schools were built as a promise to deaf, blind and visually impaired Arkansans. A promise that they deserved a quality education just as much as any other student. Sadly, for far too long, our state has failed to keep its word.”
Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, shared photos of the facilities on social media following last year’s tour and said the campuses had been neglected because the state had not adequately prioritized their needs.
“If we judge a society’s worth by how well we care for our most vulnerable, the dilapidation of these institutions speaks volume,” Clarke said.
The tour led to a November meeting with stakeholders and a survey from the Arkansas Department of Education that was criticized for not including sign language or audio for blind or deaf respondents.
The survey also prompted concern the campuses may be closed or consolidated, the Arkansas Times reported in January.
Sanders said survey responses revealed three main priorities — keeping the campus at its current location, providing more resources for deaf and blind students beyond the Little Rock campus and addressing critical safety concerns — that will inform the project.
“We have a shared commitment to make sure that this project is seen through to its completion,” she said.
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