Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act
Key claim: HR9195 would expand special education identification, evaluation, and services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, visually impaired, and deafblind children, and establish a new Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence within the Department of Education.
Abstract
(HR9195 · 119th Congress) 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. Latest action (2026-06-08): Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
Why this matters
For deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, visually impaired, and deafblind students, sensory-specific identification and specialized services are frequently under-provided under generic IDEA implementation, contributing to lower literacy and employment outcomes. HR9195 would create dedicated federal requirements and a specialized center intended to raise the floor of educational access for these populations. Its practical effect depends on appropriations and on how states integrate the new obligations with existing special education systems.