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. 101. Identifying children and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled

(a) Serving all children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled regardless of classification. Section 612(a)(3) (20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(3)) is amended at the end by adding the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(C) Serving children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled. When a State classifies children by disability, the State, in complying with subsection (a)—

(i) identifies, locates and evaluates children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled who are, or may be, classified in a disability category other than deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled;

(ii) provides (without prejudice to such classification) special education and related services to such children, including the specific services determined appropriate based on proper evaluation as would be provided to children classified in the State as deaf or hard of hearing; and

(iii) ceases to use vague other terminology, such as hearing impaired, section 504 student, or having a communication disorder.

(b) Data collection and reporting. Section 618 (20 U.S.C. 1418) is amended—

(1) by striking subsection (a)(1)(A)(iii) and inserting the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(iii) In separate classes, separate schools or facilities, or public or private residential facilities, with the exception of deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, and deafblind students due to their being low-incidence and benefiting from specialized language instruction and access.

(2) in subsection (c), by inserting and funding to appropriate entities after States; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(e) Accounting for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled. In addition to the other data collection and reporting requirements of this section and subject to such provisions, the State and the Secretary of the Interior shall, with respect to children classified in a disability category other than hearing impairment or deafness, include the number and percentage of such children in each disability category who are also deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled and their avenue of access to American Sign Language, whether it be via an interpreter, a teacher of the deaf, or expressly waived by the parents.

(c) Child with a disability. Section 602(3)(A)(i) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)(A)(i)) is amended—

(1) by inserting who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabled or before with intellectual disabilities,; and

(2) by striking hearing impairments (including deafness),.

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