Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act
Sponsored By: Senator Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
Introduced
Summary
Expand and strengthen specialized education and early intervention for children who are deaf, deafblind, blind, visually impaired, or deafdisabled. This bill would set new evaluation standards, expand Individualized Education Program requirements, boost workforce training, and create a national Anne Sullivan Macy Center for research and professional development.
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- Families and children: Would require ongoing language assessment, direct access to the child’s primary language including American Sign Language, and supports like Braille instruction, orientation and mobility, assistive technology, socialization, and age-appropriate career education. Braille must be provided unless the IEP Team and the parent use specific written consent to decline.
- Educators and workforce: Would require preparation and licensing for qualified teachers and educational interpreters, fund training for teachers of the deafblind and early intervention specialists, and support personnel who serve low-incidence students.
- States and schools: Would require State plan addenda within 2 years describing valid evaluations, personnel availability, service delivery, and new data reporting to count low-incidence deaf and blind students across disability categories.
- National center and research: Would establish the Anne Sullivan Macy Center to conduct research, run continuing education, and support programs. Funding is authorized as needed with rules that require maintenance or increase for at least 4 following fiscal years and a 15 percent carryover cap.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 6 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger IEPs, assessments, and placements
If enacted, the bill would require new, more detailed evaluations and IEP content for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, deafblind, or visually impaired. Assessments must check language proficiency, access to grade-level work (including ASL), literacy, assistive technology, orientation and mobility, and other areas. IEPs would show projected start dates, frequency, location, and duration of services. States would have to keep a full continuum of placements and treating closure or consolidation of specialized schools as a cut in State support.
More early intervention placement options
If enacted, early intervention plans for infants and toddlers who are deaf, deafdisabled, deafblind, blind, or visually impaired would require ongoing language checks, direct language access (including ASL), family training, Braille or tactile pre‑literacy exposure, orientation and mobility, and assistive technology exposure. The law would allow ‘‘natural environments’’ to include specialized schools and centers where the child's primary language is used. Intervener services for children who are deafblind would be listed as a related service when provided by qualified interveners.
More trained teachers and licensed interpreters
If enacted, the bill would expand preparation and workforce development for teachers of the deaf, deafblind, and visually impaired, interveners, early intervention specialists, and educational interpreters. Educational interpreters would need licensing-consistent preparation and could not be replaced by other personnel for essential interpreting. The Secretary would issue definitions for 'deafblindness' and 'intervener services' within one year after notice-and-comment rulemaking.
New Anne Sullivan Macy Center
If enacted, the Department of Education would create the Anne Sullivan Macy Center for education of children who are blind or visually impaired. The Secretary would contract for at least five years with a consortium that includes colleges, nonprofit associations, and national organizations. The Center could fund research, teacher training, and student enrichment. Congress would authorize such sums as necessary and require appropriations to be maintained or increased for at least four years. Unspent funds could carry over up to 15 percent.
State plans for deaf and blind
If enacted, each State would have two years to file addenda to its IDEA plan for children who are deaf, deafdisabled, or hard of hearing, children who are deafblind, and children who are blind or visually impaired. The addenda must show how the State will use valid assessments, ensure enough qualified teachers and interveners, and provide language, Braille, audiology, assistive technology, orientation and mobility, transition, and family supports. The addenda must also document consultation with parents, experts, and stakeholder groups.
Federal guidance and monitoring rules
If enacted, the Secretary of Education would publish updated guidance on services for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, and for children who are deafblind. The guidance must be issued within one year and updated at least every five years. The Secretary would also conduct enhanced monitoring of the law's identification, evaluation, and IEP requirements and report findings to Congress.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]
WV • R
Sponsored 6/3/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov