Miss-Delectable
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State Office of Ed Studies How to Give Deaf and Blind Schools Permanent Buildings - KCPW
The fortunes of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind could be changing after operating for years without permanent school buildings in Salt Lake City and Utah County. A powerful Legislator has asked the Office of Education to look into the problem.
"At this point, we're going through just a wide range of ideas, from ones that make sense to just crazy ideas, just to see what types of options are out there that could fund a capital program at USDB," Hauber says.
That's Todd Hauber of the state office, who says Rep. Ron Bigelow's interest is (quote) "encouraging." Bigelow is the House Chairman of the Executive Appropriations Committee, which ultimately must approve the plan to give USDB a permanent building fund.
The statewide deaf and blind education program is in an awkward position. Hauber explains it's considered an agency, not a public school. This means it legally can't ask for a tax increase to pay for new school buildings, under the current law. However, Hauber says two of the ideas under consideration would change this. But he says it is too early to tell if the state will pursue this option.
"It's really too early to tell, at this point," Hauber says. "There are all kinds of pros and cons. Some of the questions, obviously, will come with the school district input, as to whether they feel that it is appropriate for local monies to be used for a state agency, and so it is really difficult to tell where that will lead."
Other ideas would earmark a percentage of the agency's money leftover at year's end to a dedicated building fund. Or, the state office could ask for an exception to rank USDB higher on the priorities list for state building funds. But whatever is decided, a bill likely won't be introduced this legislative session. Hauber says the state office will study the issue over the next year to hopefully ride out the state's economic downturn.
The fortunes of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind could be changing after operating for years without permanent school buildings in Salt Lake City and Utah County. A powerful Legislator has asked the Office of Education to look into the problem.
"At this point, we're going through just a wide range of ideas, from ones that make sense to just crazy ideas, just to see what types of options are out there that could fund a capital program at USDB," Hauber says.
That's Todd Hauber of the state office, who says Rep. Ron Bigelow's interest is (quote) "encouraging." Bigelow is the House Chairman of the Executive Appropriations Committee, which ultimately must approve the plan to give USDB a permanent building fund.
The statewide deaf and blind education program is in an awkward position. Hauber explains it's considered an agency, not a public school. This means it legally can't ask for a tax increase to pay for new school buildings, under the current law. However, Hauber says two of the ideas under consideration would change this. But he says it is too early to tell if the state will pursue this option.
"It's really too early to tell, at this point," Hauber says. "There are all kinds of pros and cons. Some of the questions, obviously, will come with the school district input, as to whether they feel that it is appropriate for local monies to be used for a state agency, and so it is really difficult to tell where that will lead."
Other ideas would earmark a percentage of the agency's money leftover at year's end to a dedicated building fund. Or, the state office could ask for an exception to rank USDB higher on the priorities list for state building funds. But whatever is decided, a bill likely won't be introduced this legislative session. Hauber says the state office will study the issue over the next year to hopefully ride out the state's economic downturn.