Kentucky Council of the Blind

  
On April 7 the Kentucky Department of Education announced that 2009 summer enrichment and high school work programs were cancelled at the Kentucky School for the Blind due to lack of funding. As a result, 100-plus blind children and teens will go without the educational and work opportunities they need to lead successful lives. Has KDE considered all funding options? Are the reasons cited for the budget shortfall legitimate? Are the actual dollars needed actually as large as claimed? Parents, Alumni, members of the blind community, and friends of KSB say "no."

1. The 2008 program cost just under $91,000, cut from $128,000 in 2007 as per KDE's instruction. Although the cuts were severe, KSB did provide a quality program with the help of others in the community. KDE has made no effort to seek out community resources for the 2009 program.

2. KDE states that the actual cost of the summer program is approximately $200,000, and that this accounts for cost of buildings, dorm parents etc. Many of these costs will be incurred with or without summer enrichment. For example, some utility costs will be incurred in simply maintaining buildings. Housekeeping and maintenance staff are year-round employees and work whether children are on the campus or not. Ddorm parents are due pay for time accumulated whether or not they work summer programs, and they will be assigned other tasks.

3. According to KDE, all expenses for the 2009 summer program would come out of this fiscal year's money. Since at least half of the costs under the current schedule will be incurred after July 1, is it not be more appropriate and certainly more fiscally correct to pay those costs out of next year's funds? Could not the entire program be moved so as to begin in July, as has occurred at least once since 2000?

4. There are a number of personal third-party contracts at KSB. Perhaps some of these could be cut in order for the children to receive the services they need. In at least one case, the information being gathered by the contractor is available free of charge from the Office for the Blind. Could it be that other resources might exist to replace other contractors as well?

5. KDE cites several reasons why KSB is out of money. They fail, however, to also cite reasons that should have lowered expenditures at KSB throughout this fiscal year. For example, KDE says the retirement of highly-paid employees cost extra dollars. On the other hand, these positions were not filled or were delayed in posting to save money, and new hires, when and if they do occur, have been at lower salaries because the positions have been downgraded. When most of the cafeteria and food-preparation staff retired at the end of 2008, the positions were severely cut; breakfast and some dinners are now sent to the dorms and warmed in microwaves.

It is time for KDE to step up and provide adequate funding for programs for Kentucky's blind children, rather than continuing its campaign of gutting quality programs with less-qualified personnel and reduced staff.

Read how blind kids lose when there's no summer programs at KSB.

Read our press release.

Listen to the Town Hall Meeting at the American Printing House in Louisville.

Find out who supported KSB summer school at the town hall meeting.

For more information about KSB and other issues, call us at (502)895-4598, or email KCB with your questions and concerns.

Copyright 2009 by the Kentucky Council of the Blind
Email the Kentucky Council of the Blind
148 Vernon Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206
Phone: (502) 895-4598

Website hosted by HostDesign4U.com

Sound Prints and other media links provided by BlindFileSharing.com