North Carolina School for the Deaf in jeopardy of closing once again

The General Assembly finds that the operation of the Eastern North
Carolina School for the Deaf, the Governor Morehead School for the
Blind, and the North Carolina School for the Deaf (collectively, the
"residential schools") no longer meets the needs of the populations
they serve in an efficient and effective manner, and that current
levels of utilization of the residential schools can be accommodated
with two schools. No later than January 15, 2012, the Department shall
report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee of the
General Assembly the residential school it has decided to close and
the Department's plan for consolidating the programs with those at the
two remaining schools. The Department shall base its choice of the
residential school to be closed on the following considerations:
(1) Minimization of impact on services to deaf and blind students
currently served by the residential schools.
(2) Minimization of costs of modifications at the two remaining
residential schools to accommodate students from the closed school.
(3) Maximization of funds generated or net savings to the State from
costs avoided due to the closure of one school and the sale or
transfer to other State agencies of the school campus and other
physical assets.
(4) Minimization of required travel for students of the school that is closed.
(5) Historical and cultural significance of the school.
Effective July 1, 2012, the Department of Public Instruction shall
carry out the closure and consolidation described in its report.

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H200v8.pdf

Found on page 57.

Again, I'm sorry to hear it...NCSD at Morganton, N.C. has a beautiful campus. It's huge! I can imagine the upkeep of the school costing so much $$.

Many happy memories there that I recall....

I am sorry hear sad! terrible!

shutdown closed now school

OTOH, I think consolidation will work well. North Carolina is not a huge state, a la California or Texas. Does it really need TWO residental schools? Granted it';s not Rhode Island....but still...couldn't kids in Eastern North Carolina be send to neighboring state's res schools if NCSD is too far away? I do think that the state's legislature doesn't understand that a lot of parents are unaware of the Deaf School option in the first place, and that is why it is so underutlized. However, it's possible that Govenor Morehead might be the one to be shut instead of the Deaf Schools. ..Blind Schools are DEAD, and most students who go there are multiply handicapped..there's only a very small handful of just blind kids who attend blind schools. Hard decision.....I do think they need to keep the early intervention services and the educational programs in place,(but turn it into a local day program) even if they get rid of one of the res schools.

I hear alot of these school for the deaf never really meet the needs on anything...pathetic.

Sigh, we need to stand up and fight! Why are we stand back and let that happen?

because our government sucks.