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The Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind (ISDB) strives to provide an ideal and creative learning environment by offering an opportunity to obtain academic excellence, develop positive self-esteem and social skills and to promote an understanding of identity and culture.
The Academic program embraces the philosophy that positive intellectual, social, emotional and physical development is the goal for every child who is visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing, and that responsibility for attaining these goals is shared by the student, the family and ISDB.
The Academic program provides a preschool through twelfth grade program that is developmental and sequential in nature. The program is designed to lead the student through the acquisition of basic skills and knowledge, and to help the student apply these skills in practical life, as well as build a foundation for lifelong learning. ISDB provides opportunities for each student to develop into a confident, independent and contributing citizen. Children are allowed to progress at their own rate of learning and to demonstrate pride in their accomplishments. Individual Education Programs (IEPs) are developed by teachers and team members, with parental input at the annual Child Study Team (CST) meeting. Specially designed instruction/accommodations are addressed at this Our program provides opportunities for cooperative learning, decision making, and problem solving. Through the use of computers and other advanced technology students develop skills required to become competitive in today's society. ISDB follows the Idaho Content Standards for each subject area. Students graduating from ISDB meet the State of Idaho and ISDB graduation requirements.
Through the provision of educational programming and athletic participation, ISDB offers mainstream programming in cooperation with Gooding School District. A reverse mainstream component is available for hearing students. The program offers increased educational opportunities as well as a full range of technical and support services for students and the professionals serving them. ISDB affirms that appropriate mainstreaming provides positive benefits to students. Among those benefits are:
- Increased opportunities for meeting Individual Education Program (IEP) goals by broadening the availability of educational and co-curricular options.
- Participation in an environment that exercises the student's cognitive and linguistic competencies in different ways.
- Increased confidence to succeed in a variety of learning and social environments.
- Expanded variety of learning and social experience preparing students to respond more readily to diverse opportunities in the world at large.
- Expanded awareness of differing ideas, viewpoints and lifestyles.
- Promoting an image of visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing people as equal and successful participants in society.
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