A newly constructed dormitory at the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind may remain unused when construction finishes in 2027 after state lawmakers rejected a funding request to staff the building.
The decision came during a vote by the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which declined to approve $108,000 requested to hire dormitory staff for the facility located in Gooding.
State lawmakers had previously approved construction of the new 18-bed dormitory in 2024 to house high school students attending the specialized school. Construction is currently underway and is expected to be completed by February 2027.
However, without staffing approval, school administrators say the building may not be able to operate when it opens.
“We were told we will not be given the staff to open the cottage,” said Paula Mason, interim administrator for the Idaho School for the Deaf and Blind.
The rejected funding request would have covered the cost of five dormitory staff members for the final four months of the 2027 budget year. Although six of the committee’s ten Senate members supported the motion, only two of the eight House members present voted in favor.
Under Idaho legislative rules, budget motions must receive majority support from both chambers to pass, causing the proposal to fail.
School officials say the absence of staffing funding means the dormitory may sit empty once construction is completed.
Mason explained that the school has already faced demand for additional residential space.
“So going into the school year of Fall 2027 if we’re not approved to get those five full-time staff members we would continue to have that cottage empty or we’d have to get really creative with the staff that we have,” Mason said.
She also noted that students have been waiting for residential space for years.
“We had ten students on a wait list for that back in 2024 now so that means those students can’t come here because they have to have a bed to come so that’s the big impact ... it postpones,” she said.
Some legislators expressed concern about leaving a newly constructed facility unused after the state already approved the project.
“I just wonder. Can you imagine having a brand new school in your community and leaving it empty for five months? That seemed outrageous to me and especially when we saw the need,” said Janie Ward-Engelking.
Others argued that the school’s overall funding had already increased.
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“This is still a 4% year-over-year increase on the general fund. There is no other budget that we have this year that’s a 4% year-over-year increase on the general fund,” said James Petzke.
The debate highlights the ongoing challenges lawmakers face when balancing new infrastructure projects with the operational funding needed to run them.
Despite the setback, Mason noted that the school has received other forms of state funding aimed at improving operations and transportation.
According to Mason, the institution was recently allocated funds to purchase a school bus and a 15-passenger van to support student transportation needs.
She emphasized that the school values its partnership with state lawmakers and continues to appreciate funding efforts that support its mission of serving students with hearing and vision impairments across Idaho.
Administrators say they hope future budget discussions will revisit the staffing request so the dormitory can be fully utilized once construction is completed.
Originally reported by Amanda Simmons in KMVT.
