This legislation, titled the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act, seeks to significantly enhance the quality and delivery of special education and related services for children and youth with sensory disabilities. It specifically targets those who are blind or visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, or deafblind, aiming to ensure their unique language and learning needs are met through specialized instruction and methodologies. The bill also focuses on increasing accountability for these services and supporting the development of highly qualified personnel. The Act amends the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by requiring states to identify, locate, and evaluate all children in these categories, regardless of how their disabilities are classified, and to provide appropriate services. States must submit addendums to their plans detailing how they will meet the specific needs of these students, including language development for deaf children (such as American Sign Language) and Braille instruction for blind children. These addendums also require consultation with experts and advocacy groups. Key provisions include mandating comprehensive evaluations that assess unique learning needs, such as language proficiency, access to direct communication, Braille literacy, assistive technology, and orientation and mobility. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) must consider these special factors, ensuring instruction is specifically designed or modified to address linguistic and academic requirements. The bill also clarifies that a full continuum of service delivery options, including specialized schools, must be available and maintained. For early intervention services, the bill emphasizes the need for qualified personnel, including teachers of infants and toddlers with sensory disabilities, and ensures that natural environments for these children can include specialized settings where their primary language or mode of communication is used. Early intervention plans must include ongoing language or developmental assessments and support for families to learn and support their child's acquisition of communication skills. A significant component for visually impaired students is the establishment of the Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence within the Department of Education. This national center will focus on developing and disseminating curricula, supporting higher education programs for teachers of the visually impaired, funding student enrichment activities, and conducting research on effective interventions. The bill also expands the definition of eligible users for accessible instructional materials to include children served under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Furthermore, the legislation addresses personnel development by ensuring sufficient numbers of qualified educational interpreters, teachers of the deaf, early intervention specialists, teachers of the deafblind, and interveners. It explicitly includes intervener services as a related service for deafblind children, recognizing their critical role in facilitating communication and access to information. The Secretary of Education is also directed to develop and periodically update policy guidance for parents and educators of children in these disability categories, ensuring clarity and compliance with the updated IDEA provisions.