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School for the Blind asks for more staff, assistive‑technology investment and building repairs in HB1013 overview
Summary
Paul Olsen, superintendent of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind, told the appropriations committee the agency seeks about $7.6 million for the next biennium, with salaries the largest component and a proposed access‑technology position singled out for further review.
Paul Olsen, superintendent of North Dakota Vision Services School for the Blind, presented an overview of the agency’s mission, services and budget request to the House Appropriations and Education and Environment Division during the HB1013 hearing.
Olsen said the agency provides statewide services for infants, children and adults with visual impairment from its headquarters in Grand Forks, offering short‑term residential programs, outreach to school districts and adult training in orientation and mobility, assistive technology and household management. "We are educators and advocates partnering with related agencies to provide individualized services and resources to infants, children, and adults with visual impairment to empower them in achieving their goals," Olsen said.
He described statutory references in Century Code that define the agency’s authority and noted a 2001 name change to clarify that the agency serves adults as well as children. Olsen said the school serves roughly 269 infants and students and about 190 adults in the most recent reporting period; taken together the school touches more than 500 people per biennium.
On finances, Olsen told legislators the agency’s total budget request for the next biennium is roughly $7.6 million, including a projected $5.4 million for salaries and wages; operating requests totalling about $1.2 million; and capital asset requests near $922,000. He said salaries are the largest part of the request and described a composite salary schedule for teachers with 24 steps of increments. The agency requested an optional $108,950 to move teachers forward on that composite schedule and additional operating and capital funds to address aging building systems, a fire‑alarm upgrade, parking improvements and other deferred maintenance.
Olsen highlighted facility projects completed with prior one‑time funding — commons renovations, flooring and roof work — and identified remaining needs including landscaping and an electrical panel replacement. A parking‑lot update cost $55,780, he told the committee.
Olsen also outlined a forthcoming assistive‑technology study and said the agency wants to implement the study’s recommendations to expand assessment and intervention for assistive technology across all students and adults served. He asked the committee to consider an access‑technology position the agency believes is necessary; Olsen noted the position was discussed with the governor’s office but was not recommended in an initial executive budget.
Committee members asked about partnerships with the University of North Dakota, possible internship opportunities and the school’s role in adult services; Olsen said the agency collaborates with UND, Grand Forks Public Schools and other partners and described short‑term instructional weeks and adult training that include orientation, assistive technology and emotional support for people adapting to vision loss.
No committee vote was taken at the overview hearing; members said they would return to review the agency’s materials in more detail in later hearings.
