Luxenberg Lauds House Passage of Bill to Improve Deaf and Hearing Impaired Education Plans

State Rep. Geoff Luxenberg, a Democrat who represents Manchester, applauded the Connecticut House of Representatives passage Tuesday of a bill that he co-sponsored that aims to improve deaf and hearing impaired educational plans and process. 

House Bill 5353 makes several changes to the state's special education law that, according to Luxenberg, would:

• improve school/parent communication with opportunities for informal meetings,
• expand IEP instruction and training for teachers,
• requires that the state special education excess cost grant goes to the financially responsible district paying the tuition costs for a child placed in another district, and
• requires any IEP for a deaf or hearing impaired child include a language and communication plan.

"I met with constituents who are experts in the field of educating deaf and hearing impaired children and their stories inspired me to sponsor and help pass this bill," Luxenberg said in a statement. “With this legislation children with hearing impairments are insured a quality education that keeps pace with modern improvements in technology and our common decency as a community. The work we do at the Capitol that I am most proud of is when a constituent has a good idea and we are able to bring people together to turn that idea into public policy that benefits Manchester and our state."