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February 12, 2003

Cutbacks would cripple schools for deaf, blind

From: News 8 Austin, TX - 12 Feb 2003

By: Associated Press

Texas schools for deaf and blind children would have to cut classes and lay off some workers to meet a 7 percent budget cut request.

The outline of proposed cutbacks came today in Austin before a panel of the Texas House Appropriations Committee.

Gov. Rick Perry and other Texas leaders have ordered agencies to slash their budgets for the rest of fiscal 2003.

Texas faces a $1.8 billion shortfall through August.

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired faces $843,000 in cuts. The school services about 650 students.

Claire Bugen with the Texas School for the Deaf described $838,000 worth of proposed cuts. The school educates more than 450 students from across the state annually.

Overall, Texas faces a nearly $10 billion dollar budget shortfall through 2005.

Copyright 2003 Associated Press, All rights reserved.