USBE standing committee rejects key PEA limits on USDB services, sends response to full board

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah State Board of Education's standing committee for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind (USDB) on Thursday drafted and voted to forward a response to recent Public Education Appropriations (PEA) recommendations and audits, saying some proposals would inappropriately restrict services.

Chair Leanne Wood opened the special meeting saying the committee's recommendations would go to the full Board and be shared with the Executive Appropriations Committee. "We were asked to evaluate a report that came out from PEA and to provide whatever recommendations come out of here to our board next week," she said.

Public commenters, including parents and advocates, urged the board to maintain the current service model and warned that limiting services could harm language access and development. "We value the campus programs, the outreach, the PIP, the bimodal bilingual communication model," said Roberta Dunlap, a third-generation deaf parent, who opposed recommendations she said would "limit parent choice and reduce comprehensive services." Mary Walker, a parent of blind adults, also urged stronger…