Frequently Asked Questions
There is no age limitation. The census includes infants, school-aged students, home-schooled students, and adults. In order for individuals to be eligible for registration in the Federal Quota Program, they MUST meet the following three requirements:
1. Meet Functionality Eligibility
- Meet the Definition of Blindness (MDB): a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less (using a Snellen chart or an acuity determined in Snellen equivalents) in the better eye with the best correction or a peripheral field of vision no greater than 20 degrees. OR
- Function at the Definition of Blindness (FDB): when visual function meets the definition of blindness as determined by an eye care specialist (ophthalmologist or optometrist) or other medical doctor such as a neurologist. Students in this category manifest unique visual characteristics often found in conditions referred to as neurological, cortical, or cerebral visual impairment (e.g., brain injury or dysfunction).
IF NEITHER is met, students may also be eligible because they*:
IDEA: Qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) definition of blindness: an impairment in vision, that, even with correction, adversely affects a child’s educational performance (34 CFR §300.8(c)(13)).
*The new IDEA eligibility category for the 2024 Census will increase the number of individuals eligible to register.
2. Meet Enrollment Date and Written Education Plan
- Enrollment Date: Individuals must be enrolled in a formally organized public or private, nonprofit educational program of less than college level (educational programs include public, private, and parochial schools as well as vocational and rehabilitation programs for adults) and have a written education plan. School-aged students (including infants, toddlers, preschool, homebound, home-schooled students) must be enrolled with the registering district/agency on the first Monday in January. Individuals must be enrolled in your district/agency as of Monday, January 1, 2024 to qualify for the 2024 APH Census. Adult students must be registered for at least 120 hours of educational instruction during the preceding calendar year.
- Written Individual Education Plan (IEP), 504, or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) to verify that the individual is in a formally organized educational program. An individual who is legally blind can be registered for Federal Quota Funds even if they do not currently receive Special Education Services as long as there is a written education plan. The document remains on file at the district/agency in the event of an audit. Please do not submit these to the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities.
3. Parent/Guardian Consent or Adult Consent
- The form only needs to be signed and obtained once, upon the initial registration of the individual for as long as the individual remains in the same district/agency. A new Parent/Guardian Consent Form or Adult Consent Form will be required when the individual moves to a new district/agency. The Parent/Guardian Consent Form or Adult Consent Form remains on file at the district/agency in the event of an audit. Please do not submit these to the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities.
- These forms are documentation that the district/agency has notified parents/individuals of their right to consent to release personally identifiable information regarding the Federal Quota Annual Census Registration process in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA.) During the Federal Quota Program parents/individuals are asked to consent to the release of personally identifiable information such as name, date of birth, grade placement, school district/agency, indication of visual functioning, and primary and secondary reading medium to the American Printing House for the Blind.
The Federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind was enacted by Congress in 1879. This act is a means for providing adapted educational materials to eligible students who meet the definition of blindness. An annual census of eligible students determines a per capita amount of money designated for the purchase of educational materials produced by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). These funds are credited to Federal Quota accounts that are maintained and administered by APH and its Ex-Officio Trustees throughout the country. Rhode Island’s Ex-Officio Trustee is Stefanie Davit at the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities at Rhode Island College, on behalf of the Rhode Island Department of Education.
A congressional appropriation, designated to provide educational materials for students who meet the definition of blindness, is made each October in the federal budget. This allotment is divided by the total number of eligible individuals in educational or instructional programs at less-than-college levels on the first Monday of the preceding January. This division results in a per capita amount that is then multiplied by the number of registered students in each Federal Quota account. This amount is credited to each respective account, thus establishing each account’s "quota" for the federal fiscal year.
A wide variety of specially designed and adapted materials are available from APH, which specializes in providing products and services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. APH products include educational materials (including workbooks and instructional resources in accessible formats), braille and tactile products (braille books, braille displays), assistive technology (screen readers and magnification software), accessible educational software, orientation and mobility tools, and life skill products (adaptive cooking tools, etc.).
Please work with your TVI directly. Your TVI will be able to determine if the individual meets functionality eligibility requirements.
In addition, you can contact Stefanie Davit at 401-456-8752 or sdavit@ric.edu at the Paul V. Sherlock Center on Disabilities for further information or questions.
Additional information regarding the Federal Quota Census can be found at APH.