WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), along with Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and U.S. Reps. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.-08) and John Rutherford (R-Fla.-05), reintroduced the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act, which would strengthen the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and ensure that blind, deaf, deaf-disabled, and deafblind children receive the same education as their peers, and are able to achieve and thrive.

“Accessing the appropriate services can help each student reach their fullest potential,” Senator Capito said. “The Cogswell-Macy Act will help accomplish this goal by helping ensure deaf and blind students and their parents are aware of the services and specialized instruction available. I am proud to join my bipartisan colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that will help thousands of students across the country.”

All too often, students with hearing and vision disabilities miss out on critical information in the classroom, leaving room for gaps in their education. Named for the first deaf student to be formally educated in the U.S. and for Helen Keller’s beloved teacher, the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act would shine a light on the unique educational needs of these students and enhance accountability.

The Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act would improve services and educational opportunities for students who are blind, deaf, deaf-disabled, or deafblind. The legislation would also enhance reporting and evaluation measures for special education in each state, increase training for teachers and other special education professionals, and reaffirm the U.S. Department of Education’s mission and responsibility to ensure an accessible and quality education for all students.

Specifically, the Cogswell-Macy Act would:

  • Ensure that every blind or visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, or deafblind, student is properly identified and served, regardless of the disability they are categorized under;
  • Strengthen existing IDEA requirements regarding state-generated strategic plans to guarantee that students receive specialized instruction from qualified personnel and bolster accountability measures to ensure compliance;
  • Assist parents and educators with up-to-date policy resources from the Department of Education; and
  • Establish a national collaborative organizational resource to proliferate evidence-based practices.

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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