LITTLE ROCK – A new building is currently under construction for the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB). At the end of January, the school celebrated the “topping-off” ceremony with the final white steel beam, marking a milestone in construction of the new school.
In 2023, state officials toured the Arkansas School for the Deaf (ASD) and the Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ASB). During the tour, many of the buildings and facilities were found in various states of disrepair. In the past, the schools were housed in independent buildings, side-by-side on West Markham in Little Rock. When the new instructional building is completed, the schools will be combined as the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind and will serve pre-K through 12th grade students.
By February of 2024, Governor Sanders along with a group of bipartisan legislators and school stakeholders announced plans to assist the school in making necessary changes to the campus. More than 200 school community members were surveyed and compiled 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 the critical safety concerns students were enduring.
The group then consulted with school architects and planners to create a comprehensive vision for the future of the two schools to deliver high-quality instruction in a premier facility. The legislature initially allocated $30 million in 2021 to begin moving forward with plans and when completed the entire project has a final estimated price tag of $53.9 million.
In total, the school currently has approximately 167 students and half of the students live in the residence halls on campus. In addition, the state has identified 800 blind students and up to 1,500 deaf students across the state who would be eligible to receive services from the school. ASDB Superintendent Nicole Walsh believes the new school could attract more students and has plans to accommodate them.
Construction of the building has been very thoughtful. The design team considered details like the timing of natural light, which can impact visually impaired students, and lines of sight for deaf students to enable them to communicate anywhere in the building. They hope to make the building accessible for all students on campus, as well as those participating in distance learning. The new school will be equipped with the latest modern technology including Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts & Mathematics (STEAM) labs, a media center with maker space, adaptable labs that support hands-on experiential learning for deaf and blind students alike, and a flexible multipurpose room that also serves as a storm shelter.
In April 2025, the governor signed ACT 796 into law, consolidating the two schools, establishing a single board and appointing Walsh, then superintendent of the Arkansas School for the Deaf, as its new superintendent. The new 89,000 square foot building is projected to be completed by the end of December 2026.
