Department of Education

AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND

Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language .........................................................................................................J-1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes........................................................................J-2

Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers ..............................................................................J-3

Authorizing Legislation.............................................................................................................J-4

Appropriations History..............................................................................................................J-5

Activity:

American Printing House for the Blind .................................................................................J-6
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Appropriations Language

For carrying out the Act to [promote] Promote the Education of the Blind1of March 3, 1879, 

[$30,431,000] $25,431,000. (Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2019.)

NOTE

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document that follows the appropriation language.
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Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1...to Promote the Education of the Blind The name of the Act of March 3, 1879 is 

included to clarify the appropriation language 

reference.
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Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation/Adjustments/Transfers 2018 2019 2020

Discretionary:

Discretionar y Appropriation.......................................................... $27,431 $30,431 $25,431

Discretionar y budget authority: Total, discretionary appropriation........................ 27,431 30,431 25,431
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J-4

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2019

Authorized

2019 

Estimate

2020

Authorized

2020

Request

The Act to Promote the Education of the Blind

(20 U.S. C. 101 et. seq.)................................ Indefinite $30,431 Indefinite $25,431

Total annual appropriation ..................... 30,431 25,431
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Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate 

Allowance Footnote AppropriationFootnote

2011 $24,600 $24,6001$24,6002 $24,6003

2012 24,600 24,551424,551424,505

2013 24,505 24,505524,508523,223

2014 24,505 N/A624,456 24,456

2015 24,456 N/A625,000724,931

2016 24,931 25,431824,931825,431

2017 25,431 25,431925,431925,431

2018 25,383 26,43110 25,4311027,43110

2019 25,431 28,43111 30,43111 30,43111

2020 25,431

 

1

The level for the House allowance reflects the House-passed full-year continuing resolution.

2

The level for the Senate allowance reflects Committee action only.

3

The level for appropriation reflects the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 

(P.L. 112-10).

4

The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill and the level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate 

Committee action only.

5

The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2013 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 112th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and the Senate Committee.

6

The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action.

7

The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

8

The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee.

9

The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill.

10 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on the Omnibus appropriations bill; the Senate allowance 

reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141).

11 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019 

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human 

Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245).
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American Printing House for the Blind

(Act to Promote the Education of the Blind, 20 U.S.C. 101 et seq.)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2020 Authorization: Indefinite 

Budget Authority: 

2019 2020 Change

$30,431 $25,431 -$5,000

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Act to Promote the Education of the Blind authorizes an annual appropriation for the 

American Printing House (APH) for the Blind to produce and distribute educational materials 

adapted for students who are legally blind and enrolled in formal educational programs below 

the college level. The APH, located in Louisville, Kentucky, has received Federal support under 

this Act since 1879. Materials produced by APH include textbooks in braille and large type, 

educational tools such as braille typewriters and computer software and hardware, teaching 

aides, including tests and performance assessments, and other specialized supplies. State 

educational agencies and programs serving persons who are blind may order materials free of 

charge up to the amount of funds allocated to each State for educational materials. 

Approximately 75 percent of the appropriation is used to cover the cost of producing these 

educational materials. The APH uses the remainder of the appropriated funds to conduct 

research and to provide advisory services to professional and consumer organizations.

The APH conducts research necessary to develop and improve educational materials in core 

curriculum areas such as science, mathematics, English language arts, and social studies and 

adapts testing materials related to these subject areas. APH also conducts research in product 

areas related to the unique needs of the visually impaired population, such as braille reading, 

orientation and mobility, and assistive technology. In addition, APH produces special materials 

in areas such as early intervention and early childhood education, prevocational training, and 

the functional use of residual vision.

Advisory services provided by the APH include: administration of the Student Registration 

System, the Louis Database of Accessible Materials, and the Electronic File Repository and 

Expert Database; National Instructional Partnership activities; and the production of catalogs, 

brochures, videos, and a wide variety of web-based information. APH also convenes expert 

advisory committees and focus groups to address specific issues, as necessary.

APH materials are reviewed by a six-member Educational Products Advisory Committee

charged with ensuring that all educational materials produced and research undertaken by APH 

effectively focus on meeting the needs of students who are blind. In addition, a five-member 

Educational Services Advisory Committee provides oversight and accountability regarding 

APH’s outreach and support services. Both committees are composed of ex officio trustees who 

are the State officials responsible for administering APH accounts.
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APH materials are distributed to programs serving blind students through allotments of funds to 

the States. These allotments are based on an annual census (conducted by APH) of the 

number of legally blind students located in each State, and are provided in the form of credits, 

which trustees use to order materials from APH. These materials are also available for purchase 

by the trustees and the general public at http://shop.aph.org. 

Materials provided through the APH appropriation supplement the various other resources 

available to the States. For example, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 

requires States to provide a free appropriate public education, including appropriate related 

materials and supplies, to all students with disabilities. In order to meet their responsibilities 

under the IDEA, many States make additional purchases from APH and other suppliers of 

materials for students who are visually impaired.

In fiscal year 2018, Federal funding provided through the APH appropriation for educational 

materials represented approximately 65 percent of APH’s total budget of $42.5 million. Federal 

grants and contracts from agencies such as the National Library Service for the Blind, Social 

Security Administration, and Veterans Administration represented another 6 percent of APH’s 

total budget. The remaining 29 percent of APH’s budget came from nongovernmental contracts 

and revenue generated from the sale of unsubsidized products to State and local agencies, 

direct sales to individuals who are blind, private sector contract sales, corporate and individual 

donations from the private sector, and interest income from endowments and other investments.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2015 ............................................................ .2 ................................ $24,931

2016 ............................................................ .2 .................................. 25,431

2017 ..................................................................................... 25,431

2018 ..................................................................................... 27,431

2019 ..................................................................................... 30,431

FY 2020 BUDGET REQUEST

The Administration requests $25.4 million for the American Printing House (APH) for the Blind in 

fiscal year 2020, a decrease of $5 million from the fiscal year 2019 appropriation and the same 

as the fiscal year 2019 request. The request would provide substantial resources to support 

services in each of the three program areas—educational materials, advisory services, and

research—while also maintaining the fiscal discipline necessary to support the President’s goal 

of increasing support for national security and public safety without adding to the Federal budget 

deficit.

APH provides educational aids at no cost to students who are visually impaired, helping to 

ensure that these students receive the accessible educational materials they need to succeed in 

school and prepare for college and careers. The materials that are developed, manufactured, 

and distributed by the APH offer States an additional resource to help provide a free appropriate 

public education to visually impaired students, as required by the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (IDEA).
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Educational Materials: The request includes $18.9 million for educational materials, or an 

estimated $292 per eligible student. Materials produced by APH include textbooks in braille, 

large type, and audio recording formats; educational aids such as braille typewriters, raised 

(tactile) graphics, and computer software and hardware; teaching tools such as tests and 

performance measures; and other special supplies. APH manufactures these instructional 

materials for a broad range of academic subjects and grade levels. In fiscal year 2018, 

921 distinct educational products were available for purchase with Federal Quota funds. The 

Quota consists of funds from the APH appropriation (about 70 percent of available funds) in the 

form of credits that are allocated to States on the basis of the annual census of blind students in 

each State.

The timely delivery of textbooks in accessible media formats for braille-reading students is 

crucial to ensuring that children who are visually impaired have the same access to a free 

appropriate public education as children without disabilities. In order to address this need, each 

year APH produces thousands of braille and large print textbooks on demand, including 

instructional materials featuring tactile graphics. APH issues industry standards for tactile 

graphics, manufactures and distributes graphics to students across the country, and maintains a 

Tactile Graphic Image Library in order to increase the variety and lower the cost of pictures and 

graphics included in accessible educational materials. Tactile graphics are essential for teaching 

subjects such as geography and geometry. The funds requested for educational materials 

support APH’s production of teaching modules and associated instructional materials in these 

subjects. 

Advisory Services: The request includes $1.5 million for a variety of activities that support the 

administration of the educational materials program, including the annual census of students 

who are blind and visually impaired; the annual meeting of the ex officio trustees; advisory 

group panels; printing and distribution of catalogs of available materials; and field services such 

as consultation, in-service training, webinars, and workshops. Other funded activities include the 

provision of ongoing consumer information and technical support to customers, as well as

support and information to staff and teachers at schools around the country. 

Projects that would continue to be funded in fiscal year 2020 include:

 National Instructional Partnerships program, webcast product training series (see: 

http://www.aph.org/videos/ ), 

 APH Research Library (see: http://migel.aph.org/catalog/CategoryInfo.aspx?cid=152 ),

 APH Accessible Media Producers Database (see: 

http://louis.aph.org/catalog/CategoryInfo.aspx?cid=152&master=AMP )

The APH website provides a comprehensive source of specialized information and resources on 

accessible instructional materials for individuals who are visually impaired. The APH website 

offers the public convenient access to products, manuals, downloadable catalogs and 

newsletters, information on training events, online surveys, and online reference services such 

as the Louis Accessible Materials Database and APH file repository. 

Research and Product Development: The request includes $4.5 million for research and product 

development focused on innovative educational products for students who are visually impaired. 

Major research initiatives include the APH SMART Brailler by Perkins, which is an electronic 

brailler that provides the user immediate feedback through text-to-speech and a screen that 
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displays SimBraille and large print of what is brailled. There is an audio and visual component 

that provides access to non-braille users. APH has also partnered with Orbit Research® and 

Texas Instruments® to create the Orion TI-84 Plus Talking Graphing Calculator, a modified 

TI-84 Plus with accessibility controls allowing students to participate fully in STEM-related 

academics. These new products represent major improvements over existing tools and 

technologies. APH also continues to invest in the development of the file formats, software, 

hardware, and production infrastructure necessary to produce and deliver braille books through 

electronic files and e-readers rather than through paper books (see: 

http://www.aph.org/research/).

Product development activities planned for fiscal year 2020 are categorized into 12 content 

areas: Adult Life, Braille, Core Curriculum, Cortical Visual Impairment, Early Childhood, 

Emergent Literacy, Low Vision, Multiple Disabilities, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering 

and Math), Tactile Graphics, Technology, and Tests and Assessments.

The request will provide funds for APH to conduct over 350 research projects, including the 

development of new products for use with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are visually 

impaired. Projects are also expected to produce materials for students who are visually impaired 

with secondary disabilities, equipment to assist students with low vision, materials for braille 

literacy, classroom learning aids, tactile graphics, and tools to aid in the transition from school to 

postsecondary educational or job settings.

The request also includes funding for APH’s Accessible Tests and Textbooks Department 

initiative (see: http://www.aph.org/tests-and-textbooks/). Goals of this initiative include:

 Providing tests, practice tests, examination administration manuals, and other assessment

related materials, including color, large print assessments in high quality accessible media.

 Promoting inclusion of visually impaired individuals in the development of assessments.

 Enhancing the test performance of visually impaired individuals through research, 

education, and communication.

 Providing textbooks in braille, large print, and digital formats, and developing new and 

improved methods for producing these textbooks. 

Regional Partnerships: The request includes $500 thousand to continue the regional partnership

with the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) Center for Assistive Technology Training

established in early 2019 at $1 million. The partnership will provide training on the use of 

education technology to students with vision loss, as well as those individuals that work with 

students with vision loss, in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North 

Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures

2018 2019 2020

Distribut ion of funding: Distribution of funding:

Distribut ion of funding: Educational materials $20,956 $22,431 $18,931

Distribut ion of funding: Advisory services $1,600 $1,600 $1,500

Distribut ion of funding: Educational and technical research $4,875 $5,400 $4,500

Distribut ion of funding: Regional Partnerships 0 $1,000 $500

Distribut ion of funding: Total $27,431 $30,431 $25,431

Number of eligible students Number of eligible students 63,501 64,136 64,777

Aver age per student allotment (whole dollars) Average per student allotment (whole dollars) $330 $350 $292

Number of services and products provided: Number of services and products provided:

Number of services and products provided: Products available with Federal funds 1,000 1,000 1,000

Number of services and products provided: Advisory committee meetings 3 3 3

Number of services and products provided: State educational agencies visited 11 14 14

Number of services and products provided: Residential programs visited 6 10 10

Number of services and products provided: Rehabilitation programs visited 4 10 10

Number of services and products provided: In-service training programs and webcasts 9 20 15

Number of services and products provided: Product training presentations and exhibits 100 120 120

Number of services and products provided: Visits to Ex Officio Trustees 20 255 25

Number of services and products provided: Total employees (full-time equiv.) 320 3205 313

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, performance targets and data; and an assessment of the progress 

made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on the 

cumulative effect of the resources provided in previous years and those requested in fiscal 

year 2020 and future years, as well as the resources and efforts invested by those served by 

this program.

Goal: Pre-college level blind students will receive appropriate educational materials that 

result in improved educational outcomes.

Objective: Appropriate, timely, high-quality educational materials are provided to pre-college 

level blind students to allow them to benefit more fully from their educational programs.
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Measure: From an unrepresentative sample of American Printing House for the Blind trustees, 

advisory committee members, consumers, and teachers, the percentage who agree that the 

educational materials provided through the Act are appropriate, timely, and high-quality. 

Trustees - Percentage who agree:

Year Target

Actual:

Extremely,

Mostly, or

Somewhat

Extremely 

Satisfied

Mostly 

Satisfied

Somewhat 

Satisfied

Not too 

Satisfied

Not at all 

Satisfied

2015 98% 99% 61% 34% 4% 0 0

2016 98 98 75 20 3 2% 0

2017 98 100 67 32 1 0 0

2018 98 97 57 33 7 3 0

2019 98

2020 98

Advisory Committee Members - Percentage who agree:

Year Target

Actual:

Extremely,

Mostly, or

Somewhat

Extremely 

Satisfied

Mostly 

Satisfied

Somewhat 

Satisfied

Not too 

Satisfied

Not at all 

Satisfied

2015 100% 100% 66% 33% 0 0 0

2016 100 100 91 9 0 0 0

2017 100 100 71 29 0 0 0

2018 100 95 52 29 14% 5% 0

2019 100

2020 100

Consumers - Percentage who agree:

Year Target

Actual:

Extremely,

Mostly, or 

Somewhat

Extremely 

Satisfied

Mostly 

Satisfied

Somewhat 

Satisfied

Not too 

Satisfied

Not at all 

Satisfied

2015 96% 98% 50% 41% 7% 0 0

2016 96 100 45 55 0 0 0

2017 96 98 59 34 5 2% 1%

2018 96 98 58 35 5 2 1

2019 96

2020 96

Note: Percentages may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.
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Teachers - Percentage who agree:

Year Target

Actual:

Extremely,

Mostly, or

Somewhat

Extremely 

Satisfied

Mostly 

Satisfied

Somewhat 

Satisfied

Not too 

Satisfied

Not at all 

Satisfied

2015 97% 99% 57% 38% 5% 0 0

2016 97 97 58 36 3 1% 0

2017 97 99 59 34 5 1 0

2018 97 96 48 41 8 3 1%

2019 97

2020 97

Note: Percentages may not add to 100 percent due to rounding.

Additional Information: In 2018, data were collected using a survey instrument designed to 

measure the levels of consumer satisfaction specified in the objective. The actual data reflect 

the percentage of respondents who were extremely satisfied, mostly satisfied, or somewhat 

satisfied that the educational materials provided through the Act are appropriate, timely, and 

high-quality. There were 172 valid respondents to the 2018 survey, representing a substantial 

decrease from the 366 respondents in 2016 and the 492 respondents in 2017. APH 

inadvertently omitted the survey from its monthly newsletter, leading to the decreased number 

of respondents, with the largest decreases in the number of teachers and professionals working 

with students. For 2018, the subsets of total respondents are: (1) 36 Ex Officio Trustees, (2) 7

advisory committee members; (3) 114 teachers; and (4) 22 other consumers. The response rate 

for Ex Officio Trustees was 26% and 50% for advisory committee members. 

Objective: To improve the quality of APH research and product usefulness.

Measure: The percentage of APH product sales revenue that is from new products.

Year Target Actual

2015 22% 18%

2016 22 16

2017 22 17

2018 22 29

2019 22

2020 22

Additional Information: This measure was developed to help determine the efficacy of new 

products developed by APH. The purpose of the measure is to evaluate the reaction of 

consumers to new products created by the research department, which is determined by 

measuring the extent to which sales of new products surpass a minimum level of products sold. 

For fiscal year 2018, a total of $5.1 million new products (defined as products introduced in 

fiscal years 2016 and 2017) were sold. Total product sales for fiscal year 2018 was $17.5

million. New products included the Matt Connect, New Tools to use Functional Vision and 

Learning Media Assessment (NEWT), Bright Shapes Knob Puzzle, Spinner Overlays, Video 

Mag HD, and Mini Read Write Stand. 
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Measure: The average rating, according to approved criteria on relevance, for a sample of new 

American Printing House for the Blind products evaluated by an independent panel of qualified 

experts or individuals with appropriate expertise related to the target audience.

Year Target Actual

2015 4 5.8

2016 4 6.0

2017 4 6.1

2018 4 6.2

2019 4

2020 4

Additional Information: To determine the average relevance rating, a panel of experts, who 

are proposed by APH and approved by the Department, reviews a sample of new products 

developed by APH to assess whether the products: (1) address the needs of individuals who 

meet the definition of blind or visually impaired; (2) address the needs of blind or visually 

impaired individuals of any age included in an education or rehabilitation program; and (3) are

fully accessible for the intended population. The products are rated using a 7-point rating scale, 

where 1 equals “does not meet criteria, 4 equals “meets criteria,” and 7 equals “exceeds 

criteria.” 

Panel members reviewed and rated 9 APH products for fiscal year 2018: (1) Echolocation and 

FlashSonar; (2) Paint by Numbers: Safari; (3) Explorer Bright Ray Kit; (4) NEWT; (5) Spinner 

Overlays for the Lightbox; (6) Protein Synthesis Kit; (7) Slapstick Math; (8) Bright Shapes Knob 

Puzzle; and (9) Match it Up Frames. 

Measure: The average rating, according to approved criteria on quality of research, for a 

sample of new American Printing House for the Blind products evaluated by an independent 

panel of qualified experts or individuals with appropriate expertise related to the target audience. 

Year Target Actual

2015 4 5.4

2016 4 5.6

2017 4 6.1

2018 4 6.1

2019 4

2020 4

Additional Information: The panel of experts annually reviews the underlying research related 

to a sample of new products developed each year by APH to assess whether data were 

gathered: (1) through an appropriate method; (2) from a geographically diverse U.S. population;

(3) from appropriately qualified individuals (e.g., individuals who possess appropriate 

qualifications or appropriate learner characteristics); and (4) from an adequate number of 

sources. The products are rated using a 7-point rating scale, where 1 equals “does not meet 

criteria, 4 equals “meets criteria,” and 7 equals “exceeds criteria.”

Panel members reviewed and rated 9 APH products for fiscal year 2018: (1) Echolocation and 

FlashSonar; (2) Paint by Numbers: Safari; (3) Explorer Bright Ray Kit; (4) NEWT; (5) Spinner 
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Overlays for the Lightbox; (6) Protein Synthesis Kit; (7) Slapstick Math; (8) Bright Shapes Knob 

Puzzle; and (9) Match it Up Frames.

Measure: The average rating, according to approved criteria on utility, for a sample of new 

American Printing House for the Blind products evaluated by an independent panel of qualified 

experts or individuals with appropriate expertise related to the target audience.

Year Target Actual

2015 4 6.0

2016 4 6.1

2017 4 6.2

2018 4 6.1

2019 4

2020 4

Additional Information: For this measure, the panel of experts annually reviews a purposefully 

selected sample of new products developed each year by APH to assess whether: (1) sales of 

the new products indicate demand; (2) new product indicators, such as field evaluations and 

other feedback, substantiate that the new product is meeting a need; and (3) the products are 

considered highly useful for individuals with visual impairments. The products are rated using a 

7-point rating scale, where 1 equals “does not meet criteria, 4 equals “meets criteria,” and 7 

equals “exceeds criteria.” 

Efficiency Measures

Measure: The cost per page to produce color large type textbooks.

Year Target Actual

2015 $0.10 $0.09

2016 0.10 0.08

2017 0.10 0.09

2018 0.10 0.09

2019 0.10

2020 0.10

Additional Information: In fiscal year 2018, the total cost to produce color large type textbooks 

decreased by 0.6 cents or 6 percent from 9.1 cents per page to 8.5 cents per page, which was 

favorable to the target of 10 cents per page.
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Measure: The cost per page to produce braille textbooks.

Year Target Actual

2015 $0.15 $0.15

2016 0.15 0.14

2017 0.15 0.22

2018 0.15 0.27

2019 0.15

2020 0.15

Additional Information: The increased cost per page is due to a decrease in demand for braille 

textbooks coupled with an increase in the expenses associated with converting materials to 

braille.