ICYMI: Capito Helps Reintroduce Legislation to Expand Access to Educational Services for Students with Communications Disabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Recently, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) reintroduced the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act. This legislation would strengthen the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and expand access for blind, deaf, deafdisabled, and deafblind children to the educational support and services they need to succeed 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 colleagues in reintroducing this legislation that will help thousands of students across the country."

"Every student deserves the opportunity to learn and grow in the classroom," Senator Markey said."The Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act upholds our promise to deliver the necessary resources and services to students who are hard of hearing, deaf, low vision, blind, deafdisabled, or deafblind, and enhance evaluation measures to guarantee that individuals can thrive in institutions of higher education. We must build a more inclusive education system that reaffirms the value that each student brings to the classroom and country."

BACKGROUND:

Specifically, the Cogswell-Macy Act:

• Ensures 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;

• Strengthens 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;

• Assists parents and educators with up-to-date policy resources from the Department of Education; and,

• Establishes a national collaborative organizational resource to proliferate evidence-based practices.

The legislation is also being reintroduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.-03) and Congressman John Rutherford (R-Fla.-05).

Full text of the legislation can be found here.

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