In 2026, Maine is celebrating a remarkable milestone: 150 years of Deaf education in the state.
For a century and a half, Maine has worked to ensure that Deaf and Hard of Hearing children have access to education, language, relationships, and opportunities to thrive. While the way services are delivered has evolved significantly over the years, one thing has remained constant—the commitment to supporting Maine’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and their families.
Today, that work extends far beyond a single school or campus. The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MECDHH)/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf (GBSD) provides services to children and families throughout the state, partnering with schools and communities to ensure students receive the support they need where they live and learn.
150 Years of Growth and Change
Maine’s Deaf education story began in 1876, when the Portland School for the Deaf opened its doors. Twenty-one years later, the Maine Legislature formally established the Maine School for the Deaf as a state institution, taking responsibility for educating Deaf children from across Maine.
The school found a new home in 1957, when it moved from Portland to Mackworth Island. Governor Percival P. Baxter provided the island to the State of Maine for public purposes and contributed significant funding toward construction of a new school and causeway. In his honor, the school was formally named the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf.
The work continued to evolve with the needs of Maine’s children and families. In 2001, the organization became the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, reflecting an expanded statewide mission.
Today, MECDHH/GBSD provides education, early intervention, consultation, evaluation, specially designed instruction, speech and language services, social-emotional programming, family services, and other supports to Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and their schools.
A Statewide Mission
While Mackworth Island remains an important part of the history of Deaf education in Maine, much of MECDHH/GBSD’s work today takes place in communities across the state.
The organization currently serves approximately 582 clients, students, and families from birth through age 22. Approximately 94 percent receive services in their home districts or communities, allowing students to access specialized Deaf education supports while remaining connected to their schools, families, and peers.
For the coming school year, approximately 6 percent of students will attend MECDHH/GBSD site-based programs in Lewiston, including programs at Farwell Elementary School, Lewiston Middle School, and Lewiston High School. These host-based programs provide inclusive Deaf education classrooms within general education settings through a partnership with Lewiston schools.
The statewide model reflects how Deaf education in Maine has continued to grow—from a school in Portland, to a school on an island, to a network of services supporting children and families wherever they live.
On September 26, the Maine Association of the Deaf hosted this year’s Deaf Culture Festival at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf campus on Mackworth Island.
Mackworth Island: Honoring the Past, Building the Future
Mackworth Island continues to play an important role in Maine’s Deaf education story. Today, the island is primarily home to the Mackworth Island Preschool, an integrated preschool program serving Deaf and Hard of Hearing children alongside typically developing peers.
The island represents generations of students, educators, families, and members of the Deaf community who have contributed to the history of Deaf education in Maine.
As MECDHH/GBSD celebrates 150 years, that history serves as a foundation for the future.
The goal remains as important today as it was 150 years ago: ensuring that Deaf and Hard of Hearing children have access to language-rich learning, high-quality instruction, meaningful relationships, family partnership, and opportunities to reach their full potential.
Looking Ahead to the Next 150 Years
A 150th anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate how far Maine has come—and to look ahead to what comes next.
MECDHH/GBSD recognizes the educators, students, families, Deaf community members, advocates, school leaders, interpreters, specialists, and many others who have shaped Deaf education in Maine over the past 150 years.
Their work has helped create a statewide system that continues to adapt to the needs of Maine’s children and families.
As the organization begins its next 150 years, MECDHH/GBSD remains committed to building on that legacy and ensuring that every Deaf and Hard of Hearing child in Maine has the opportunity to learn, connect, and thrive.
After 150 years, the story of Deaf education in Maine is not only one of history—it is a story that continues to grow.
Information for this story was submitted by The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing/Governor Baxter School for the Deaf. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
