H.R. 9195

Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act

Sponsor: Morgan McGarvey

30 cosponsors
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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act

This bill expands special education and related services for children and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind.

For example, the bill requires states to more specifically identify and evaluate children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind to better allow for the provision of appropriate services.

In addition, a state's closure of a specialized school serving children who are blind or deaf shall result in a reduction of its financial support for special education and related services.

The bill also authorizes support, including grants for training special education personnel, to prepare individuals to become qualified teachers and early intervention specialists for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind.

Finally, the bill establishes within the Department of Education the Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence to better support students with visual disabilities receiving special education and related services.

Text of the bill

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I IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAFDISABLED

A General Provisions

Sec. 105. Consideration of special factors

Section 614(d)(3)(B)(iv) (20 U.S.C. 1414(d)(3)(B)(iv)) is amended to read as follows:

Text this section adds to the law

(iv) consider the linguistic needs of the child, and in the case of a child who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled provide for—

(I) the child’s language and access, opportunities for direct communications, without an intermediary such as an interpreter, with peers and professional personnel in the child’s primary language, including American Sign Language and, if appropriate, spoken language with or without visual supports, academic level, and full range of needs, including ensuring opportunities for direct instruction in the child’s language; and

(II) instruction—

(aa) meeting the child’s unique learning needs, including services and settings to assist the child in developing or maintaining age-appropriate language milestones in the child’s primary language, American Sign Language and written language with or without speech therapy, literacy instruction, instruction which may be needed by children without disabilities or with other disabilities but which must be specifically designed, modified, or delivered to meet the unique learning needs of children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled; and

(bb) that includes assistive technology proficiency, self sufficiency and self-determination, socialization, recreation and fitness, independent living skills, and age-appropriate career education; and

B Improving the Effectiveness of Early Intervention for Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafdisabled Infants and Toddlers and Their Families

C National Activities To Improve Education of Children With Disabilities

II IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED

A General Provisions

B Specialized Early Childhood Intervention Services to Infants and Toddlers Who are Blind or Visually Impaired

C Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence

III IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE DEAFBLIND

A General Provisions

B Improving the Effectiveness of Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers who are Deafblind and Their Families

C National Activities To Improve the Education of Children with Disabilities