Enhanced Services

In collaboration with the Maryland State Department of Education and local school systems, the Maryland School for the Deaf offers Enhanced Services to support deaf and hard of hearing students with additional moderate to severe disabilities. Enhanced Services was established to address the unique needs of students requiring more extensive support than what is available in our general education program.
 
— Eligibility Criteria
 
Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for Enhanced Services:
  • The student must have multiple disabilities.
  • The student must meet all of the general admissions criteria with exceptions made to the Intellectual Functioning criteria.
  • The student's disability must result in a need for complete access to a visual environment throughout the day;
  • MSD must determine that it can implement the student's IEP.
  • The student's Local School System must be in agreement with the student's placement at MSD and agree to fund a portion of the additional supports the student receives at MSD.
Students who live out of state and meet MSD's criteria for admissions for students with multiple disabilities may be eligible for enrollment in the Program of Enhanced Services, the Program for Deaf Students with Emotional Disabilities, and the Services for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder at MSD. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be developed between MSD and the out-of-state/state educational agency. This MOU will outline tuition and fees, instructional objectives, and other related items.
 
— Program Overview
 
The Enhanced Services program aims to offer additional support to help students fully engage in both academic and social settings and develop skills for greater independence. We focus on building students' independence in academic, social-emotional, vocational, and daily life skills. Our goal is to gradually reduce these supports, encouraging students to continue developing functional life skills and preparing for life after graduation. We use a variety of educational and behavioral strategies to help students reach their full potential. 
 
Daily supervision and program planning for students in the Enhanced Services program are overseen primarily by the department principal, with support from the campus Chief Educational Programs Officer and the Director of Enhanced Services. Students receive instruction based on the Maryland College and Career-Ready Standards in our general education classes, along with modified instruction and accommodations as determined by their IEP team. Decisions about instruction and class settings are driven by each student's individual needs identified at their IEP meeting.
 
Enhanced Services is not available for students under the age of 3 and is not designed for students who require a custodial program. Participation in after-school programs and MSD's Student Life program is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
— Contact Us
 
For more information about Enhanced Services at MSD, please contact:
 
Caitlin Blake, BCBA LBA | Supervisor of Enhanced Services
 
Email: [email protected] 
VideoPhone: 240-575-2937
Voice: 301-360-2064