[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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