S. 4676 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jun 3, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryExpands special education for deaf and blind students
This bill strengthens special education services for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or have combined deaf and blindness. It requires states to better identify and evaluate these students so they can receive the right support. The bill also funds training for teachers and early intervention specialists who work with these children, and creates a new center in the Department of Education focused on helping students with visual disabilities.
How it affects you
If you're a parent of a deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired child, your state would be required to do a better job finding and assessing your child's needs to get appropriate services. Schools that specialize in serving blind or deaf students would face financial consequences if they close, which could affect families who rely on them. The bill doesn't directly affect most other people.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jun 3, 2026)
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.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionS. 4676
A BILL
Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act
Sponsor: Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) · Introduced Jun 3, 2026 · Education · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 3, 2026: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.”
Sections
Sections · 4
Title I — IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAFDISABLED · Subtitle A — General Provisions · 8
- Sec. 101Identifying children and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabledNo change
- Sec. 102State plansNo change
- Sec. 103EvaluationsNo change
- Sec. 104Individualized education program teamNo change
- Sec. 105Consideration of special factorsNo change
- Sec. 106MonitoringNo change
- Sec. 107Continuum of service delivery optionsNo change
- Sec. 108Technical assistance for parents and educators of children and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deafdisabledNo change
Title I — IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAFDISABLED · Subtitle B — Improving the Effectiveness of Early Intervention for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or Deafdisabled Infants and Toddlers and Their Families · 3
Title I — IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE DEAF, HARD OF HEARING, OR DEAFDISABLED · Subtitle C — National Activities To Improve Education of Children With Disabilities · 1
Title II — IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED · Subtitle A — General Provisions · 8
- Sec. 201Identifying children and youth who are blind or visually impairedNo change
- Sec. 202State plansNo change
- Sec. 203EvaluationsNo change
- Sec. 204Consideration of special factorsNo change
- Sec. 205Technical assistance for parents and educators of children and youth who are blind or visually impairedNo change
- Sec. 206Related servicesNo change
- Sec. 207Personnel development to improve services and results for children with blindness or visual impairmentNo change
- Sec. 208Clarifying eligible users of accessible instructional materialsNo change
Title II — IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED · Subtitle B — Specialized Early Childhood Intervention Services to Infants and Toddlers Who are Blind or Visually Impaired · 1
Title II — IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED · Subtitle C — Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence · 5
Title III — IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE DEAFBLIND · Subtitle A — General Provisions · 7
- Sec. 301Identifying children and youth who are deafblindNo change
- Sec. 302Related servicesNo change
- Sec. 303State plansNo change
- Sec. 304EvaluationsNo change
- Sec. 305Consideration of special factorsNo change
- Sec. 306Technical assistance for parents and educators of children and youth who are deafblindNo change
- Sec. 307Conforming regulationsNo change