4210 - Aid for blind or deaf students.
§ 4210. Aid for blind or deaf students. 1. a. Whenever a blind or deaf person, who is a citizen of this state and a student in actual attendance at a college, university, technical or professional school, including agriculture and technical institutes and state institutes of applied arts and sciences, located in this state and authorized by law to grant degrees, other than an institution established for the regular instruction of the blind or deaf, shall be designated by the trustees thereof as a fit person to receive the aid hereinafter provided for, there shall be paid by the state for the use of such student a sum not to exceed one thousand dollars per annum, within the limits of the appropriation therefor, with which to employ persons to read to such blind student from text-books and pamphlets used by such student in his or her studies at such college, university or school, or to aid a deaf student in receiving instruction in such studies. In case such a college, university, technical or professional school as will meet the needs or requirements of such a student is not located within this state, such a sum shall be paid by this state for the use of such student attending such a college, university, technical or professional school which shall conform to the requirements of this section in another state. Such a sum shall also be available to aid a deaf student in receiving instruction in a regularly approved institution for the deaf located outside of the state but within one hundred fifty miles of the borders thereof. b. The trustees of any institution meeting the requirements of this section shall submit reports in such form and at such times as prescribed by the commissioner identifying the number of students eligible to receive aid pursuant to this subdivision and shall estimate the funds needed to support such students as provided herein. The commissioner shall advance twice during the school year to each such institution such estimated amounts within the limits of the annual appropriation provided therefore. d. At the conclusion of the academic year for which such funds are provided, each institution receiving funds pursuant to this subdivision shall submit to the commissioner a final accounting for the use of such funds and shall return any unspent funds. 2. Such moneys shall be paid annually, after the beginning of the school year of such institution, by the commissioner of taxation and finance on the warrant of the comptroller, to the treasurer of such institution, on his presenting an account showing the actual number of blind or deaf students matriculated and attending the institution, which account shall be verified by the president of the institution and accompanied by his certificate that the trustees have recommended the students named in said account as hereinbefore provided. 3. The trustees of any of the said institutions shall recommend no blind or deaf person, who is not regularly matriculated, and who is not in good and regular standing, and who is not working for a degree from the institution in which he or she is matriculated; and no blind or deaf person shall be recommended, who is not doing the work regularly prescribed by the institution for the degree for which he or she is a candidate. The moneys so paid to any such institution shall be disbursed for the purposes aforesaid by and under the direction of its board of trustees.