DEARBORN, Mich. – A specialized school serving deaf students is fighting to keep its doors open as funding challenges threaten its future.
St. Martin Lutheran School for the Deaf, which operates within Emmanuel Lutheran School, has become a vital educational lifeline for students who previously struggled in traditional classroom settings.
“We are not sure if we can go forward next year for the next school year, because there’s just not enough funding,” says Christine Hernandez, whose 11-year-old daughter Sophia attends the school.
Unique learning environment at risk
St. Martin’s program is distinctive in its approach, using American Sign Language (ASL) across all subjects. The school currently serves five students, providing them with both a deaf teacher and an interpreter – essential resources for their educational development.
Principal Paul Baerwolf of Emmanuel Lutheran School explains that St. Martin’s has been primarily funded by the Ephphatha Lutheran Mission Society, which covered the salaries of the deaf instructor and interpreter. Emmanuel Lutheran has supported the program by providing school supplies, but the mission society can no longer maintain its financial support beyond this academic year.
Financial challenge
The program operates on an annual budget of approximately $90,000, primarily covering staff salaries. School officials estimate they would need to enroll at least 10-15 students total to achieve financial sustainability.
Impact on students
For students like Sophia Hernandez, who was born deaf, St. Martin’s has been transformative. Before enrolling at St. Martin’s in kindergarten, Sophia struggled in a public-school setting where she fell behind and had difficulty communicating.
“They tried to teach her,” Hernandez said. “They didn’t tell me for a while, until we had another IEP how behind she was, and she was so behind that she just wasn’t having any kind of communication, and she was getting angry.”
At St. Martin’s, Sophia has flourished. She’s now able to communicate effectively through text messaging and has made significant academic progress.
“She’ll say back to you, ‘What time are you picking me?’ when with a sitter. Or ‘I want a doll,’ or ‘I need this’ – she’ll literally type it back to you,” her mother said.
Limited alternatives
The potential closure of St. Martin’s would leave families with few options. While some hard-of-hearing programs exist in the region, parents say they don’t provide the same level of specialized instruction as St. Martin’s ASL-based curriculum.
“It’s not the same quality that we need to get her to strive and achieve what she needs to achieve,” Hernandez explains.
Alternative options include the Michigan School for the Deaf located in Flint, but it’s an hour away from the family’s home.
Looking ahead
School leadership is beginning to explore potential solutions, including fundraising efforts and reaching out to state representatives and deaf advocacy groups.
However, as Principal Baerwolf notes, balancing these initiatives with daily educational responsibilities presents its own challenges.
“We’re trying to do our very best,” says Baerwolf. “If they could help us to continue what we do at St. Martin’s, it would be very beneficial for the child and their education.”
For parents like Hernandez, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
“My goal is for her to be independent and be able to navigate through life with ease and not struggle,” she says. “She could be anything.”
Those interested in supporting St. Martin Lutheran School for the Deaf can contact Emmanuel Lutheran School in Dearborn for more information about donation opportunities. You can also head to their GoFundMe page by clicking here.