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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Services for deaf and blind students weather budget cuts

Brian Darcy, administrator of Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind - formerly the Idaho School for the Deaf & Blind - is up next. He said the entity, created a year and a half ago, operates statewide, including within the state's school districts. The governor's budget recommendation for next year is for $2.6 million in total funds for outreach, and $4.9 million for on-campus services; that's a 1.3 percent decrease in total funds, and a 6.7 percent decrease in general funds. The agency offers preschool classes for deaf and blind students at districts around the state; provides books in braille and other resources; and operates the school, which runs from preschool through 12th grade, and includes both resident and day-school students. Budget cuts have resulted in a four-day school week, Monday through Thursday; teachers and staff have been furloughed.



Betsy Z. Russell
Betsy Z. Russell joined The Spokesman-Review in 1991. She currently is a reporter in the Boise Bureau covering Idaho state government and politics, and other news from Idaho's state capital.

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