Committee approves additional funding for Idaho School for the Deaf and the Blind to staff new dorm and replace aging vehicles

Kellen McGurkin, a budget and policy analyst, told the committee that the Idaho Educational Services for the Deaf and the Blind (IESDB) requested several items for FY2027 recommended by the governor: career-ladder placement funding, a one-time van purchase for frequent student travel, ongoing partial salary support to staff five cottage (residential) positions for a new 18-bed dormitory, one-time replacement dollars for a bus and two vans and a braille embosser, and a small dedicated-fund adjustment to access charitable endowment distributions.

A committee member emphasized the operational problem of opening a new dormitory without staffing and argued funding the five cottage staff would avoid leaving the building unused for months. "Can you imagine having a brand new school in your community and leaving it empty for five months?" the member said, noting the building will be finished in February and students will move in March.

After discussion, including concern from some members about adhering to the work-group recommendation versus immediate operational needs, the committee adopted a substitute motion and then a final motion that provided additional general-fund and dedicated-fund authority for IESDB. The committee’s roll-call tallies produced a do-pass recommendation on the approved funding package.

What happens next: the approved funding and language will be forwarded to the full legislature as the committee’s recommendation; the agency will use the add to staff the new dormitory and to replace specified vehicles and equipment.