This bill aims to improve special education services for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. It establishes new requirements for states to identify and evaluate these students, and provides support for training special education teachers and specialists to work with them.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill aims to improve special education services for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. It establishes new requirements for states to identify and evaluate these students, and provides support for training special education teachers and specialists to work with them.
Last updated: 12/29/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act </strong></p><p>This bill expands special education and related services for children and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind.</p><p>The bill establishes additional requirements for states to identify and evaluate children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind.</p><p>A state's closure of a specialized school serving children who are blind or deaf shall count as a reduction of its financial support for special education and related services.</p><p>The bill also authorizes support, including grants for training special education personnel, to be used in preparing individuals to become qualified teachers and early intervention specialists for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, or deafblind.</p><p>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. </p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Expands special education and related services for students who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind
Requires states to better identify and evaluate these students
Authorizes grants to train teachers and specialists to work with these students
Creates the Anne Sullivan Macy Center to support students with visual disabilities
Counts the closure of specialized schools for the blind or deaf as a reduction in special education funding
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
If this bill becomes law, it would directly benefit students with visual, hearing, or other disabilities by improving the special education services available to them. It would also support the training and development of teachers and specialists who work with these students, helping to ensure they receive high-quality instruction and support.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Education
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
5748, 119th Congress (2025). "Retirement Investment Choice Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-5748
