[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 133 (Wednesday, December 6, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8845-H8846]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMENDING THE NEW YORK INSTITUTE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR 175 YEARS
OF SERVICE
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.
[[Page H8846]]
In the 1980s, the institute expanded its mission to include educating
children with emotional and learning disabilities. Today, it educates
nearly 300 students with disabilities from age 3 through 21 annually.
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.
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