The Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children is an Approved Private School that is recognized formally by the Commonwealth. It adheres fully to State and federal regulations regarding the provision of special education services.

Parents may hear about the School from a number of sources including ophthalmologists, pediatricians and early intervention providers. Some parents elect to visit the School and observe programming prior to meeting with either the School District, or in the case of pre-school age students, the MAWA holder. In Pennsylvania, the MAWA stands for Mutually Agreed Upon Written Arrangement which designates an entity to provide Early Intervention services for students age three until school age. While the School accommodates requests from families to learn about the programs that it offers, parents are encouraged to speak directly with representatives of their local education agency (LEA) to learn about the continuum of placement options.

During visits, the family meets directly with the Education Supervisor, observes in classroom and is usually introduced to the Executive Director. Parents leave these meetings with written information about the School and a DVD depicting the program in operation.

The referring school district or MAWA holder has sole responsibility to determine eligibility for specially designed instruction. The District or MAWA holder organizes a conference to develop the Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This document identifies the actual place where the program will be delivered.

In order to be eligible for enrollment at the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children, the prospective student must have a severe vision deficit as diagnosed by an ophthalmologist. Additionally, school age students must be further disabled by other conditions that impede matriculation in general education programs. It is the responsibility of the child's family to provide documentation from medical specialists concerning the child's diagnosis. The Pennsylvania Department of Education reviews the application materials and issues an approval which signifies that State funding will be available to offset the referring school district's costs for specialized school placement.

After approval, a starting date is established between the family and the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children. The family escorts the child to school on the first day in order to share important information with the educational team. Parents of residential students will stay overnight on campus in a Guest Suite. Every effort is made for a smooth transition into the School.