No Money Again for the USDB

Briefly:

Kirsten Stewart of the Salt Lake Tribune wrote about the Legislative decision to NOT fund USDB's administration/building needs.

No remake for deaf and blind schools
'Window dressing' » Bill to fix problems is too weak, parents and advocates say.

By Kirsten Stewart

The Salt Lake Tribune
Posted: 02/14/2009 12:13:01 AM MST

If Kenneth Sumsion was hoping to avoid controversy with a "clean up" bill that makes minor tweaks to educational services for the deaf and blind, he missed the mark.

Parents and advocates were expecting a revamp of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind (USDB). But HB296, the product of two years of study, falls short of that. The legislation is more remarkable, advocates say, for what it doesn't do.

The bill doesn't restrict enrollment to students who need it most, those with multiple and severe disabilities, as some have advocated. Other parents argue that even though the bill appears to make more children eligible for services, there is no guarantee that those with milder impairments will get early interventions, such as sign language and braille.

It makes small changes in governance, skirting the question of whether the institution should be split into one school for blind, and another for deaf students. And it does nothing about parents' calls for new technologies and nicer classrooms.

"At best, the bill changes a few words … It's window dressing," said Ron Gardner, president of the Utah chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. "It drives us nuts because for years we have been trying to draw attention to some of the failures and successes at this institution."

Rep. Sumsion appreciates Gardner's frustration, but doubts he can appease everyone.

The American Fork Republican took part in a two-year task force charged with improving USDB. The group was organized by the Utah Office of Education and included two parents who rarely agreed on the best course of action, said Sumsion. "I think the task force skirted some issues, because they are difficult issues. But this is a good first step."

Nevertheless, parents and advocates are lining up to oppose the bill and have taken their grievances to the governor.

... go HERE to read the entire article.

Thanks to David for alerting me to this!