109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 484
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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 contin-
ually 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;
•HCON 484 EH 
Whereas on March 15, 1832, the first class in the United 
States for blind children began at The New York Institu-
tion 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 edu-
cation to students with emotional and learning disabilities 
and preschoolers with development delays, and concur-
rently changed the name to the New York Institute for 
Special Education; 
Whereas in 2000, The New York Institute for Special Edu-
cation again broadened its mission by establishing the 
Cornerstone Literacy Initiative, providing staff develop-
ment 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 Edu-
cation is equally committed to improving special edu-
cation on a national level and serves as a student teach-
ing 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
•HCON 484 EH 
graduates of which show dramatic improvement in aca-
demic, social, and behavioral abilities; 
Whereas students in the Schermerhorn Program of The New 
York Institute for Special Education participate in indi-
vidually designed academic and modified academic pro-
grams that emphasize independence and are given an op-
portunity 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 Spe-
cial 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 emo-
tional and learning disabilities; and
•HCON 484 EH 
(2) recognizes the high importance of, and sup-
ports all efforts to improve, education for physical, 
emotional, and learning disabled children. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 6, 
2006. 
Attest:
Clerk.
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 484
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
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 pro-
vide the same quality education to students with 
emotional and learning disabilities.