Parents, teachers air concerns about Braille School

Parents of blind and visually impaired students and graduates of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton said they fear blind students will not learn necessary skills and independence without the residential school as an option.

Parents, teachers and graduates of the school made those comments in e-mails and letters to a study group that is considering the future of the residential Braille School. That group, meeting for the third time in Des Moines today, narrowed its potential recommendations to five options at its May meeting. Four of those five options would close the Braille School in Vinton.

Des Moines parent Beth Barnhill, speaking to the study group this morning, said her 12-year-old daughter has flourished, in part because of the skills she has learned at the Braille School.

“Children who are blind and visually impaired need to know they are children with possibilities, not disabled children,” Barnhill said. “That is what the Braille School provides. I would urge you to remember this in your decision-making process.”

It's possible the study group will finalize its recommendations today; the recommendations are due to the state Board of Regents before that board's Aug. 5 meeting. The recommendations are due from the regents to the Legislative Council by Aug. 31.

Enrollment at the Braille School has declined in recent years to nine students last year, as more educational services are provided to blind and visually impaired students in their home schools and communities as part of the new Statewide System for Vision Services. The cost per student for those nine students at the Braille School was about $246,000, officials said.