Who'll Be Leading Who?

Schools for deaf, blind will share campus

Education board's vote addresses rising per-student costs

By Mackenzie Ryan • Statesman Journal

February 20, 2009

The Oregon State Board of Education decided Thursday to support putting the Oregon School for the Blind and the Oregon School for the Deaf on the same campus.

The board voted unanimously that proceeds from the sale of school property could benefit the schools, but also said they were open to other solutions that would address the schools' rising per-student costs and needed building repairs.

In five years, the per-student cost at the school for the blind rose from $91,000 to $143,000.

"I think we cannot avoid the reality that the cost is overwhelming," said state board member Nikki Squire. "I think we're obliged to look for the best possible way to deliver quality services to these students and economies have to be a part of that conversation."

The vote essentially upholds State Schools Superintendent Susan Castillo's decision to locate the schools together at OSD's 52-acre campus, which both schools' boards have objected to.

Castillo is pursuing legislation that would allow for the sale of the eight-acre OSB property near Salem Hospital on Church Street SE. The land was appraised at $9.1 million but could be worth twice that, state officials have said.

The legislation would create a trust fund so that proceeds of any sales would be directed at the two schools instead of the state's general fund.

School leaders have said that they need more time, that it's premature to combine the schools before they revisit the role the schools play in the range of services offered.

"I feel like co-location at this point still isn't the best solution, but recognize the need to protect the monies that might come from the sale of anything on either property to not go into the general fund and to be used for the schools," said Elizabeth Rosseau Rooney, the chairwoman of OSB's board.

Both schools hope to become statewide resources for deaf or blind students, according to their master plans. The school for the blind also wants to offer K-12 curriculum, which only the school for the deaf offers now.

"It would be premature to decide what buildings to put (the schools) in and where the buildings should be and who else should be on the campus," said B.T. Kimbough, the vice chairman of OSB's board.

Yet state board members said that now is the time to act, and facilities at the schools need to be addressed.

An October report estimates that it would cost $12.8 million to upgrade buildings on the school for the blind campus, and upgrading school for the deaf buildings would cost $37.5 million.

"The facilities and the things that I saw during that tour were frankly like going through a historical time warp, as far as I was concerned, and that was disturbing to me," state board member Lewis Frederick said. "We need to find the best way to do the best things for these students and their families and the community overall."

The National Federation of the Blind in Oregon will fight the legislation if the intent is to combine the schools in one location, president Art Stevenson said.

"The main thing is the kids and what's going to make things better for them," he said. "It's been studied, it's been proven it's not a good idea."