Congratulations to our friends at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law’s Education Advocacy Clinic on their successful state complaint against the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind (ASDB). The complaint, which alleged ASDB predetermined it would be changing the educational placements of its blind/visually impaired students and residential students after announcing the closure of its Tucson campus earlier this year, resulted in findings of noncompliance from the Arizona Department of Education and a corrective action order, including the appointment of a Special Monitor.
Although DRAZ was not directly involved in this state complaint, we have collaborated with the UA Education Advocacy Clinic over the past six months on addressing the issue of ASDB’s Tucson campus closure. DRAZ sent a letter to state leaders in February 2026 warning the closure and proposed plan could lead to illegal discrimination and IDEA violations. Previously, DRAZ filed state and federal complaints against ASDB in 2025 alleging a systemic practice of denying admission and removing students with multiple disabilities, particularly students impacted by both a sensory impairment and a behavior disability. These complaints also led to the appointment of a special monitor and significant corrective action.
DRAZ applauds the efforts of the UA Education Advocacy Clinic and looks forward to seeing how the state of Arizona will take action to enforce these students’ rights.
