NC Superintendent: Keep All Three Deaf And Blind Residential Schools Open

North Carolina has two public boarding schools to serve deaf students and one to serve blind students. This year state lawmakers directed the Department of Public Instruction to consolidate those schools into two to save money. But State Superintendent June Atkinson said Monday North Carolina can still keep operating all three schools and save $5.5 million each year. The committee assigned to look at consolidating the schools instead recommends moving administrative functions at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh to the schools serving deaf children in Wilson and Morganton. Atkinson says the remaining space at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind can be leased. "This proposal will save North Carolina money and it's a win-win solution for the 47 students now being served at the Governor Morehead campus as well as the students at the other campuses," says Atkinson. North Carolina's three public boarding schools for blind and deaf students serve about 200 children. They cost altogether about $22 million to run. The General Assembly must still approve the plan.