 |
| |||||||
Text Size 
• Email • Printer Friendly
|
Monday, June 08, 2009 10:07 PM Budget: Pain now for ENCSD, gain later By Matt Shaw | Times Staff Writer The N.C. House's proposed state budget, whose details were released Monday night, would require deep cuts at the Eastern N.C. School for the Deaf, including some job losses. But both the Wilson campus and the state's other deaf school, in Morganton, could become stronger later as they begin to serve the state's visually impaired students as well. The House's proposed 2009-2011 budget calls for the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to study the possible closure of the Governor Morehead School for the Blind, possibly by the 2010-11 school year, and the relocation of those students to the two regional, residential schools. That's a reversal of what DHHS officials proposed in April -- bringing all three groups of students to the Morehead campus in Raleigh. While the budget still needs to pass the House and then the Senate, N.C. Rep. Joe Tolson, who has spent weeks working on its details, said Monday he has no reason to believe the ENCSD is endangered. Closure "is not in the plans," said Tolson, D-Pinetops. Parents and other ENCSD supporters are enthusiastic about the stay of execution, even if it's not permanent. "Personally, I do feel a lot better about our situation in Wilson," said Otis Hargrove, the father of two former students and a spokesman for a group that has fought the closure. But he expressed sympathy Monday night for the parents of the Morehead students, who could be uprooted next year. "It's a no-win situation," he said. The budget calls for the Morehead school to stop enrolling students effective this summer. Over the next two years, the Office of Education Services in DHHS would be required to develop a plan to consolidate residential educational services for visually disabled students at the two deaf schools. A plan would have to be in place by May 1, 2010. The budget would still be painful for the three residential schools, calling for more than $1 million in cuts the next two years. These likely include the elimination of positions that have been vacant, including 11 at the ENCSD, five at the Morganton campus, and 14 at Morehead's main school and two at its preschool. Leaders in the N.C. House formally revealed their 2009-2011 spending plans Monday night, which cut billions from existing state government to try to close a projected $4 billion revenue shortfall. House members are also proposing raising sales and income taxes as well as taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. Details aren't expected to be revealed until Tuesday, but the plan would change the sales tax rate most people pay from 6.75 percent to 7 percent, while two new income tax brackets would be created for the state's highest wage earners. The cigarette tax also would go up 25 cents per pack to 60 cents. House leaders say the tax increases would raise about $940 million in new revenue. mshaw@wilsontimes.com | 265-7878 |
| Add Comment: | |  | | (All comments must be approved) |
| View Comments: | | | | (2 comments) |
Concerned VI citizen said...
Unfortunately the way the proposal is written it will be the end of a residential school for the blind in North Carolina. There will not be a deaf/blind campus at ENCSD or NCSD as all Blind/VI students will be transitioned back to the LEAs. Like it or not this will be the end of all three schools in a matter a time. It is sorry to see the North Carolina Legislators pit the deaf and blind against each other. It is politics as normal. We should be working together for the rights and services for people with disabilities.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 at 4:14 PM
A Parent said...Unfortunately the way the proposal is written it will be the end of a residential school for the blind in North Carolina. There will not be a deaf/blind campus at ENCSD or NCSD as all Blind/VI students will be transitioned back to the LEAs. Like it or not this will be the end of all three schools in a matter a time. It is sorry to see the North Carolina Legislators pit the deaf and blind against each other. It is politics as normal. We should be working together for the rights and services for people with disabilities.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 at 4:14 PM
I know that closing Gov. Morehead is not the best solution for all but my son attended Gov. Morehead and he stayed away from home during the week. I would love for him to be able to attend the deaf school in Wilson. Then I could take him and pick him up daily and he could be home at night. I took him out of Gov. Morehead at the end of this school year and he will start back in public school at the beginning of the new school year. Hopefully by next year, he will be able to attend the deaf/blind school in Wilson.
Tuesday, June 09, 2009 at 10:32 AM
