What we do
Bridging Gaps, Creating Opportunities
Empowering Deaf Students Across Texas
At the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation (TSDF), our mission is to support and enhance the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing students. We bridge the funding gaps between state allocations and the resources truly needed to provide an exceptional educational experience. Through initiatives like Robotics Expansion, Library Upgrades, Faculty Grants, and Early Intervention Programs, we empower students to develop language skills, achieve academic success, and explore career pathways that prepare them for a brighter future.
TSDF’s work extends beyond the classroom, funding programs that provide individualized learning tools, advanced technology, and enrichment opportunities. By supporting innovative teaching methods and personalized resources, we ensure that every student, regardless of their unique challenges, has the chance to learn, grow, and belong. Together, with the help of donors, volunteers, and community partners, we’re creating lasting impact for deaf children and their families across Texas.
More About
What we do
- Located in Austin, Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) was founded in 1856 and is the oldest continuously operated public school in Texas.
- It is estimated that there are approximately 7,000 children who are deaf or hard of hearing across the state of Texas.
- TSD serves children and students from birth to 22 years of age.
- TSD’s faculty and staff of more than 200 dedicated deaf education professionals directly serve approximately 1,000 children on the Austin campus via comprehensive education and residential programs: more than 550 students during the school year and 450 during summer programs.
- Through its statewide outreach programs, TSD provides education resources to the remaining 6,000 children who are deaf and hard of hearing in Texas, as well as technical assistance, training, consultation, online resources, and distance learning opportunities to their parents, teachers, and professionals who serve them.
- Average admission age is 14 and the student has generally not been exposed to communication-rich environments prior to attending TSD.
- In 2014, 67% of TSD’s graduates were accepted to post-secondary education programs.
- 47% of TSD’s students live on campus, while the remaining 53% attend as day students.
- 52% of TSD’s students are challenged by other disabilities in addition to deafness, including cognitive disabilities, vision impairments, medical and health issues, autistic spectrum disorders, and emotional and behavioral disorders.
- Approximately 20% of the state’s deaf population lives in the Austin area, largely due to the school, services available for deaf and hard of hearing, and a supportive community of families, interpreters and friends of deaf individuals.
