Serving Students with Special Needs since 1831

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   Mr. KUHL of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 484) commending The 
New York Institute for Special Education for providing excellent education for 
students with blindness and visual disabilities for 175 years, and for 
broadening its mission to provide the same quality education to students with 
emotional and learning disabilities. 

   The Clerk read as follows:

   H. Con. Res. 484

   Whereas The New York Institute for Special Education, originally founded in 1831 as The New York Institution for the Education of the Blind, has for 175 years continually educated students with disabilities, and is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York, accredited by the National Commission for the Accreditation of Special Education Services, and is located on Pelham Parkway, in the Bronx;

   Whereas on March 15, 1832, the first class in the United States for blind children began at The New York Institution for the Education of the Blind;

   Whereas in 1986, The New York Institute for the Education of the Blind broadened its mission to also provide education to students with emotional and learning disabilities and preschoolers with development delays, and concurrently changed the name to the New York Institute for Special Education;

   Whereas in 2000, The New York Institute for Special Education again broadened its mission by establishing the Cornerstone Literacy Initiative, providing staff development and school reform leadership to high poverty school districts throughout the United States;

   Whereas The New York Institute for Special Education has prepared students to attain and exceed the academic standards as set forth by the Department of Education of the State of New York;

   Whereas in addition to providing a quality education to New York students, The New York Institute for Special Education is equally committed to improving special education on a national level and serves as a student teaching and internship site for eleven universities nationally;

   Whereas since its inception in 1987, the Readiness Program of The New York Institute for Special Education has had a dramatic impact on the lives of special education pre-school children as well as their families;

   Whereas the Van Cleve Program of The New York Institute for Special Education accepts children with learning and emotional disabilities from five to eleven years of age, the graduates of which show dramatic improvement in academic, social, and behavioral abilities;

   Whereas students in the Schermerhorn Program of The New York Institute for Special Education participate in individually designed academic and modified academic programs that emphasize independence and are given an opportunity to develop job behaviors and skills through pre-vocational activities and in career experience programs;

   Whereas The New York Institute for Special Education has continuously played a leadership role in advocating for quality education of children with disabilities; and

   Whereas The New York Institute for Special Education has continuously played a leadership role in conducting and promoting research relating to the education of children with disabilities: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That the Congress--

    (1) commends The New York Institute for Special Education for providing excellent education for students with blindness and visual disabilities for 175 years, and for broadening its mission to provide the same quality education to students with emotional and learning disabilities; and

    (2) recognizes the high importance of, and supports all efforts to improve, education for physical, emotional, and learning disabled children.

   The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kuhl) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey) each will control 20 minutes.

   The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.

   GENERAL LEAVE

   Mr. KUHL of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H. Con. Res. 484.

   The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?

   There was no objection.

   Mr. KUHL of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

   I rise in strong support of this concurrent resolution to recognize the achievements of The New York Institute for Special Education. During this academic year, the institute is celebrating its 175th year of providing an outstanding education to students with special needs. I thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Crowley) for sponsoring this very important resolution.

   Founded in 1831 as The New York Institution for the Education of the Blind, the institute began classes in March of 1832 as one of the first schools in the United States to provide an educational program for children who were blind or who were visually impaired. In the mid-1980s, the institute expanded its mission to include programs for students with emotional and learning disabilities and for preschoolers with developmental delays.

   To reflect this broader mission, the institute adopted its current name change in 1986. In the year 2000, the institute again expanded with the creation of the Cornerstone Literacy Initiative to provide staff development and school reform leadership to high poverty school districts throughout the entire United States.

   This Congress has made special education a priority. In 2004, for instance, with overwhelming bipartisan support, we were able to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to provide teachers and parents and schools the tools needed to ensure that students in special education receive the opportunities that they deserve.

   In addition, in 2002, we passed the No Child Left Behind Act which ensures that the achievement of children with disabilities is a priority, and underline that priority, in our school systems.

   We are proud that we can partner with States, with local school districts and schools such as The New York Institute for Special Education, to ensure that our students with special needs are receiving a high-quality education that prepares them for success.

   The New York Institute for Special Education in particular has a long history of providing just such an education for its students and being a leader in special education nationally.

   I again thank my colleague for bringing this important resolution forward and for giving us the opportunity to celebrate The New York Institute for Special Education on the occasion of its 175th birthday, and I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 484.

   Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

   Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

   I rise in support of H. Con. Res. 484 and thank my colleague from New York (Mr. Crowley) for introducing this bipartisan resolution to commemorate the 175th anniversary of The New York Institute for Special Education.

   Since 1831, the institute, located in the Bronx, has been a leader in educating children with visual disabilities.

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   The institute also develops educational programs and helps train prospective teachers from many universities. Interestingly, the institute can claim a U.S. President, Grover Cleveland, as a former teacher.

   So, Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the institute for its 175 years of service to students with disabilities and their families.

   Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), the author of this resolution.

   Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman. It is my hope that I can continue. I have laryngitis, and I want to thank her for yielding me the time. I thank the gentleman from New York for his words this evening as well on this legislation. I want to thank Chairman McKeon and Ranking Member, soon to be chairman, MILLER for moving this bill expeditiously to the floor.

   For 175 years, The New York Institute for Special Education has served the New York community as a private, nonprofit, educational facility which provides a quality education for children who are blind and visually disabled, emotionally and learning disabled and preschoolers who are developmentally delayed.

   Founded in 1831 as The New York Institution for the Blind, it was one of the first schools in the United States to provide an educational program for children who were blind or visually impaired.

   Early in the 20th century, the name was changed to The New York Institute for the Education of the Blind to emphasize the educational character of the school.

   In 1980s educators recognized the need to provide programs designed specifically for students with learning and emotional disabilities.

   In response to this need, the school established the Van Cleve program for those children who could not be served in a traditional school setting. In 1986, the school's name was changed to The New York Institute for Special Education, which it still holds today, to better reflect this expanded focus and commitment to children with a variety of disabilities.

   In 1987, a program for developmentally delayed preschoolers was established, the Readiness Program. This program serves an ever-growing population of children who exhibit delays in such areas as speech, motor senses, language acquisition, and auditory and visual discrimination.

   Today, The New York Institute for Special Education continues the tradition of excellence in education for children with disabilities. Nearly 300 students from ages 3 to 21 attend The New York Institute for Special Education, which is based in my congressional district on Pelham Parkway in the Bronx.

   It is chartered by the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York on behalf of the State Education Department, and is accredited by the National Commission for Accreditation of Special Education Services.

   Furthermore, I am proud to say that this school has one of the highest graduation rates in the country among schools for the blind and visually impaired.

   Between 2005 to 2006, 77.3 percent of the graduates from The New York Institute for Special Education received diplomas, and of the 22 graduates, 18 had been graduated in local public schools and were failing there before receiving an appropriate education at the institute.

   It is clear that this school makes a big impact in many lives. Besides providing a great education to the students who attend The New York Institute for Special Education, the school does community outreach as well. The institute is deeply involved in many areas on issues affecting children with disabilities and their families.

   Jointly with Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the institute hosts an early intervention training institute providing staff development for clinicians and teachers throughout the New York metropolitan area.

   Many of the students move on to very productive careers and lives using the skills the school has taught them, skills they may not have learned otherwise if they had not attended this institution.

   This school is an example of a good education coupled with community service. This school deserves its commemoration. It is an historic school, as was mentioned by Ms. Woolsey again, dating back over 175 years, and I urge my colleagues to recognize its achievements and support this legislation.

   Mr. KUHL of New York. Mr. Speaker, once again I offer my appreciation to my colleague from New York (Mr. Crowley) for bringing this resolution. I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

   The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kuhl) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 484.

   The question was taken; and (two-thirds of those voting having responded in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.

   A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

END

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