WRSD Admissions and Placement Policy

Willie Ross School for the Deaf has an eligibility criterion for admission. Upon referral by the sending district, the intake team will review the referral. The chair of the intake team will then reach out to the family to set up an intake meeting and tour. This meeting does not guarantee acceptance of the student. The intake team includes the Education Director, Assistant Education Director, a teacher, Speech and Language Pathologist, Audiologist, and Counselor. 

Minimum requirements for enrollment are as follows: 

• Referral from student’s sending district 
• While we are located in Massachusetts, we are able to accept referrals from surrounding states. 
• Student is between the ages of 3 and 21 years old 
• Updated immunization records and a recent physical 
• An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 
• Current audiogram that documents hearing loss or a special education evaluation/documented medical necessity that recommends placement at a school for communication needs 
• Benefits from placement at a specialized school 

Willie Ross School for the Deaf is a day school and does not accommodate residential needs. Admission to the school is at no cost to the parents. The sending district assumes fiscal responsibility for placement and transportation. 

Should a student be accepted, the placement will be as follows: 

• If the student is between the ages of 3 through 1st grade, the student will be placed at the Longmeadow Class in the appropriate classroom (either Preschool or Elementary 1.) 
• If the student is in 2nd grade through 12th grade, the team (including the sending district and parents) will determine if placement is more appropriate at the Longmeadow Campus or at a partnership site in East Longmeadow. 

The team may require an Extended Eligibility Evaluation in which they work with the student for 6-8 weeks and then reconvene to determine whether the student is in an appropriate placement and/or needs a new IEP written by the team at Willie Ross School for the Deaf with input from the parents and sending district. 

To ask more questions or to learn more about WRSD, please contact WRSD at 413-567-0374 (voice) or 413-798-4221 (videophone).