Founded in 1949 by Alfred and Mildred Sack, Dallas Services began when the Sacks were looking for an educational option for their 6-year-old blind daughter, Sarah Lee Sack. Blind children were not allowed to attend the local elementary school and the only option was the Texas School for the Blind in Austin, three hours away. Mr. and Mrs. Sack, recognizing the importance of caring for their daughter in their family home, opened the Dallas School for Blind Children. The following year a preschool was added, and Dallas area parents of blind children found a place where they could receive support and education for their child.
Mildred Sack became an advocate for an inclusive school system and through her work, a state bill was drafted requiring Texas schools to provide blind and deaf children educational opportunities at their local schools.
Dallas Services has changed over time, but we still hold to the Sack’s founding promise that all children should be able to learn and play together, regardless of ability.