CAABVI Newsletter - September 2025
CA Agencies for the Blind & Visually Impaired
September 2025
This issue includes the U.S. Department of Education’s cancellation of all national Braille Training Grants, ending federal support for braille education. Advocacy groups are urging Congress to reinstate funding to protect braille literacy and training nationwide.
Braille Programs Cancellation
On September 5, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education abruptly ended all three national Braille Training Grants under the 235E Demonstration Program. For the first time in decades, there is no federal support for developing specialized braille training resources in the United States.
The Association for Education & Rehabilitation of the Blind & Visually Impaired (AER) is leading an urgent effort to reverse this decision, with support from Prevent Blindness, Vision Serve Alliance, the California Council of the Blind, and CAABVI.
Ending these grants means Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists lose essential training resources. And it means children and adults who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision lose access to the braille literacy that is the foundation of education, employment, and independence.
This is not a budget issue; it is a policy decision that harms one of the most underserved disability communities in our nation. While three universities are directly impacted, the consequences are nationwide. Every state benefits from the professionals trained through these programs.
Take Action Today!
Please contact your congressional representatives and urge them to:
Reinstate funding for three Braille Training Grants
Protect braille literacy and access for children and adults with vision loss
Support the professionals who dedicate their careers to teaching braille
Find your Members of Congress here and let them know this issue cannot be ignored.