RALEIGH — The state education department will recommend that all three residential schools for blind and deaf students stay open, despite a legislative directive to close one of them.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction June Atkinson said this afternoon that her department would send a report to the legislature in January that has the schools for deaf students in Wilson and Morganton, and the school for blind students in Raleigh continue to accept students. Administration for the Raleigh and Wilson schools would be consolidated at Wilson. The Gov. Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh would be a satellite of the Wilson school, but would keep its name.

Atkinson said the report will recommend leasing vacant buildings on the three campuses to come up with the $5.5 million a year the legislature wants to save. no_biscuit