This bill establishes the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf as a quasi-independent entity, resulting in the school incurring additional administrative expenses to replicate financial and administrative services currently provided by the State. The amount of the additional costs beginning in fiscal year 2001-02 can not be determined at this time.

For fiscal year 1999-00 and fiscal year 2000-01, this bill authorizes unexpended funds in the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf program to be carried forward to assist with implementing basic school approval corrective action and for expenses related to the transition. Based on the school's expenditures to date, the amounts to be carried forward are likely to exceed $100,000, reducing the amounts that would otherwise lapse to the General Fund.

The establishment of a satellite school program beginning with the 2002-03 school year will result in additional costs. The amount of the additional costs and the future General Fund appropriations that will be required can not be determined at this time.

The costs associated with conducting a needs assessment are estimated to be $50,000 in fiscal year 2000-01. If the amounts carried forward are not sufficient to fund these additional costs, the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf will require an additional General Fund appropriation.

Several departments and agencies will incur some minor additional costs to assist the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf to implement the transition to a quasi-independent entity. The costs incurred by those departments and agencies can be absorbed within their existing budgeted resources.

SUMMARY

This bill is the unanimous report of the committee pursuant to H.P. 1587. The bill makes several changes to the governance system and the educational programs of the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf. The bill amends the structure of the school board and makes a number of transition provisions to grant the school board greater autonomy in governing and operating the programs of the school. The bill accomplishes the following.

1. It provides for a transition over a 2-year period to achieve greater autonomy from State Government; the transition will be fully accomplished by July 1, 2002.