Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

What Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind does

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) is a tuition-free state public school and outreach center operated by the State of Florida under Section 1002.36 of the Florida Statutes. Founded in 1885 and headquartered on an 80+ acre campus at 207 San Marco Ave, St. Augustine, the institution serves approximately 1,700 children annually who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or deafblind. It is the only school of its kind in Florida and one of a small number nationally dedicated exclusively to sensory-impaired education, holding national accreditations from Cognia and the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD).

FSDB's core product is a vertically integrated educational continuum from birth through grade 12, delivered across six schools: the L. Daniel Hutto Early Learning Center (Montessori-based preschool), Deaf Elementary School, Deaf Middle School, Deaf High School, Blind Elementary/Middle School, and Blind High School. Supporting offerings include residential Boarding Services, a Health Care Center (with audiology, mental health, speech, and interpreter services), Career & Technical Education (including a partnership with First Coast Technical College), statewide Parent Infant Program outreach, Athletics (11 competitive team sports), and Performing Arts. The underlying technology platform comprises assistive technologies deployed across classrooms and boarding spaces, distance learning and video streaming infrastructure, videophone conferencing for deaf communication, and an Apptegy-powered website with iOS/Android mobile applications and Skyward Family Access / ClassLink integrations. No public or partner-facing API is offered.

FSDB generates no commercial revenue; it is funded by Florida legislative appropriations as a state agency, with a Board of Trustees appointed by the Governor overseeing operations. Its go-to-market is community-led: prospective families engage via personalized campus tours, an eligibility evaluation process, and statewide parent-infant and family support programs, supplemented by an annual community open house and a multi-channel digital presence (website, Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram). The institution does not have private equity, venture capital, or individual ownership interests, and is not an investable equity target in the conventional PE/VC/M&A sense.

Name

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

Legal name

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

Website

https://fsdbk12.org

Company type

Public

Founded year

1885

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is a tuition-free state public school founded in 1885 on an 80+ acre St. Augustine campus, serving approximately 1,700 deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, and deafblind children through six schools, boarding services, and statewide outreach under Florida Statute 1002.36.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Learning Disabilities & Dyslexia Schools & Programs (EDAKAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Deaf education programs
• Blind education programs
• Sensory impairment education
• K-12 residential school

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Augustine

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State Public School Funding: FSDB operates as a tuition-free state public school and outreach center funded by the State of Florida. As a state agency, the school receives appropriations from the Florida legislature to provide free appropriate public education for eligible sensory-impaired students per Florida Statute 1002.36.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FSDB is a tuition-free state public school that provides comprehensive educational services for deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, and deafblind students from pre-K through grade 12, delivered through six on-campus schools in St. Augustine, Florida. The school also operates statewide Parent Infant Program outreach services, residential boarding, career and technical education, and on-campus health and mental health support services funded by Florida legislative appropriations.

Product overview

FSDB operates as a unified educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs for deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, and deafblind students. The core educational offerings include six K-12 schools organized by sensory impairment type and grade level (Deaf Elementary, Middle, and High Schools; Blind Elementary/Middle and High Schools) plus a Montessori-based Early Learning Center for preschool children. These are supplemented by Career & Technical Education, statewide Parent Infant Program outreach services, Health Care Center support services, residential Boarding Services, and Athletics & Recreation and Performing Arts extracurricular programs. The institution provides a full continuum of services from birth (through Parent Infant Program) through K-12, delivered on an 80-acre campus in St. Augustine, Florida.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Early Learning Center (ELC) A Montessori-based preschool program for young children (ages 3-6) serving deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, and deafblind students.
• Deaf Elementary School Elementary school program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, providing instruction aligned with Florida Standards.
• Deaf Middle School Middle school program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, offering academic instruction and extracurricular activities.
• Deaf High School High school program for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, preparing students for graduation and post-secondary opportunities.
• Blind Elementary/Middle School Combined elementary and middle school for students who are blind or visually impaired, with specialized instruction including braille.
• Blind High School High school program for blind and visually impaired students, offering academic education and preparation for post-secondary success.
• Career & Technical Education (CTE) Vocational and technical training programs including Career Development, Student Enterprises, and Off-Campus Programs for students to develop workforce skills.
• Parent Infant Program Statewide early intervention services for families with infants and toddlers who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or deafblind, including Parent Infant Program, Early Intervention, and Stay and Play Group.
• Health Care Center On-campus health care services providing medical care, mental health support, speech and audiology services, and interpreter services for students.
• Boarding Services Residential boarding program for students who live beyond commuting distance, providing housing, supervision, and weekend activities on the 80-acre campus.
• Athletics & Recreation Competitive athletic programs with 11 team sports and recreational activities for students, including the Dragons' Lair campus work program.
• Performing Arts Arts programs including dance troupe, theatre productions (Blind Elementary Theatre, Addams Family Musical), and music instruction.
• Summer Programs Seasonal programs including Summer Quest, ELC 3-2-1 Learn! Summer Camp, K-2 Academic Summer Camp, Third Grade Reading Camp, and Title I STEAM Day Camp.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving over 1,700 children across the state
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• First Coast Technical CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFSDB partners with First Coast Technical College to provide off-campus career and technical education opportunities for students. This partnership allows students to access specialized vocational training through postsecondary technical colleges while remaining enrolled at FSDB.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California School for the Blind: California state school serving students who are blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. Comparable to FSDB's Blind Department in providing residential and outreach services under state mandate.
• California School for the Deaf, Fremont: California state school serving deaf and hard of hearing students from infancy through age 22, with residential and day programs. Closely comparable to FSDB's Deaf Department in scope, accreditation model, and statewide outreach mission.
• Maryland School for the Blind: State-supported school in Baltimore serving students who are blind or visually impaired, birth through age 21. Comparable residential, day, and statewide outreach structure; FSDB's Blind Department principal previously served as Director of Education here.
• Texas School for the Deaf: State-supported public school in Austin, Texas serving deaf and hard of hearing students from early childhood through age 22. Operates a comparable residential/day model with state appropriations and is among the closest functional peers to FSDB within the state-school-for-the-deaf category.
• Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Texas state school in Austin serving students ages 6-21 with visual impairments, including those with additional disabilities. Directly comparable to FSDB on the blind/visually impaired side of operations, including statewide outreach and short-term programs.
• Kentucky School for the Deaf: Kentucky state-supported residential and day school serving deaf and hard of hearing students. Operates a similar small-class, dual-certified teacher model funded by state appropriations.
• Indiana School for the Deaf: Indiana state-supported school serving deaf and hard of hearing students from preschool through high school. Directly comparable to FSDB's Deaf Department in operating model, accreditation, and state appropriations funding.

Broad incumbents

• Perkins School for the Blind: Historic private school for the blind and deafblind in Watertown, Massachusetts. Comparable in serving multiple sensory-impairment populations with residential programs, though operates as a private nonprofit rather than a state agency.
• American School for the Deaf: First permanent school for the deaf in the U.S. (founded 1817), located in West Hartford, Connecticut. Comparable to FSDB in mission and long history, though operates as a private nonprofit rather than a state-funded public school.

Regional players

• Gallaudet University: Federally chartered university in Washington, D.C. serving deaf and hard of hearing students at the postsecondary level. Comparable in specialized deaf-education domain and is the alma mater of FSDB's founder; functions as a downstream educational destination for FSDB graduates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fsdbk12
• YouTubeyoutube.com/fsdbk12
• Facebookfacebook.com/FSDBK12
• Instagraminstagram.com/fsdbk12

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind