Deaf Children's Bill of Rights.
RSA 186-C:32
in effect186-C:32. Deaf Children's Bill of Rights.
I. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to appropriate screening and assessment of hearing and vision capabilities and language and communication needs at the earliest possible age and to the continuation of intermittent screening services throughout their educational experience.
II. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have a right to early interventions to provide for the acquisition of a solid language base developed at the earliest possible age. Any infant with a documented hearing loss, prior to demonstration of any developmental delay, shall qualify for services as determined by the infant's individualized family service plan team.
III. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to an education in which their parents or guardians have full informed participation in determining the extent, content, and purpose of all their educational planning and programs.
IV. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to placement in the least restrictive educational environment and services based on their unique communication, language, and educational needs, consistent with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. section 1400, et seq.
V. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to an education in which their communication mode, style, and language is respected, used, and developed to an appropriate level of proficiency.
VI. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to a high-quality, ongoing and fluid means of communication, both inside and outside the classroom.
VII. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing shall have the opportunity to choose from a variety of language modes and languages and technologies to enhance language learning. They have a right to teachers or interpreters proficient in appropriate language modes and certified in appropriate language modes if certification is available.
VIII. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to an education in which teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing, related service providers, and assessors understand the unique nature of deafness, are specifically trained to work with deaf and hard of hearing students, and can communicate spontaneously and fluidly with these children.
IX. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to contact with and to be exposed to adult role models who are deaf or hard of hearing.
X. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to receive an education with a sufficient number of language mode peers with whom they can communicate directly and who are the same, or approximately the same, age and ability, whenever possible.
XI. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to direct and appropriate access to all components of the educational process, including recess, lunch, and extracurricular, social, and athletic activities.
XII. Children who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right to a placement best suited to their individual needs, including, but not limited to age, hearing loss, academic level, modes of communications, style of learning, motivational levels and family support.
Source. 2019, 217:1, eff. July 12, 2019.
Source: New Hampshire General Court (gc.nh.gov)URL: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XV/186-C/186-C-32.htmFetched: 10/20/2026