Tennessee School for the Blind

What Tennessee School for the Blind does

Tennessee School for the Blind (TSB) is a public K-12 state special school located in Nashville (Donelson), Tennessee, providing free, individualized educational services to eligible visually impaired students ages 3 through 21. Established by the Tennessee Legislature in 1844 and currently operating on a 100-acre campus at 115 Stewarts Ferry Pike, TSB delivers academics, STEM, music and fine arts, CTE/Transition, athletics, residential, and 24-hour medical services under Tennessee Department of Education oversight. Education is provided at no cost to students or families, with the school's operating model funded through state appropriations and Federal Quota receipts administered via the American Printing House for the Blind.

Beyond the on-campus program, TSB operates a statewide Outreach Program staffed by six dual-certified TVI/COMS teachers covering West, Middle, and East Tennessee, delivering consultations, evaluations, and direct vision and orientation/mobility services to students enrolled in local public schools. The school also operates the Resource Center for the Visually Impaired (RCVI), which serves as Tennessee's designated Accessible Educational Materials / Instructional Resource Center and Federal Quota administrator, distributing braille, large print, and APH products to 1,423 federally registered qualifying individuals statewide via an online ordering portal. Strategic partnerships with APH, Vanderbilt University Program in Visual Disabilities, and Vanderbilt Kennedy Center support materials distribution and the TN VIVA virtual professional development series now in its 5th year.

The institution's GTM motion is sales-led in a public-sector sense: admissions are coordinated through Local Education Agencies and the IEP process, with outreach services offered free to districts and prospective families referred through tours, the Unity Conference, and direct field engagement. Revenue is essentially a single state appropriations stream, with no tuition, fees, or commercial pricing tiers. The leadership team is structured around a Director of Schools, Principal, Executive Director of Support Services, Director of Statewide Services, and functional directors across operations, IT, special populations, clinic, and residential services.

Name

Tennessee School for the Blind

Legal name

Tennessee School for the Blind

Website

https://tsbtigers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1844

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Tennessee School for the Blind is a state-funded K-12 public school in Nashville providing free, individualized education and residential services to visually impaired students ages 3-21 across Tennessee, supplemented by a statewide Outreach Program and the RCVI accessible materials resource center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (611710), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Vision Assistive Technology (Screen Readers, Braille, Magnification) (EDAKAIAF), Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Visual impairment education
• Accessible educational materials
• Braille and large print production
• K-12 residential education

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. State-Funded Public Education: Tennessee School for the Blind is a public K-12 state special school funded by the Tennessee Department of Education and state appropriations. Education is provided free of charge to eligible students. The school also receives Federal Quota program funds through the American Printing House for the Blind based on enrolled qualifying students.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Tennessee School for the Blind is a public K-12 state special school that provides free, individualized educational services to students aged 3-21 who are blind or visually impaired across Tennessee. Its core offering encompasses on-campus academics, STEM, music, CTE/transition, residential, and medical services, supplemented by a statewide Outreach program and the Resource Center for the Visually Impaired (RCVI) which produces and distributes braille and large print educational materials.

Product overview

Tennessee School for the Blind is a K-12 public school providing educational services to eligible students who are visually impaired. The institution operates as a unified educational platform combining on-campus instruction (Academics, S.T.E.M., Music and Fine Arts, CTE/Transition) with comprehensive support services (Medical, Residential, Athletic programs). Statewide reach is achieved through the Outreach Program, Resource Center for the Visually Impaired (RCVI) serving as Tennessee's AEM/IRC, and TN VIVA professional development. Summer programs including INSPIRE Academy extend year-round engagement. All programs are coordinated through Edlio-powered digital infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academics Program K-12 educational services providing free, appropriate, and individualized instruction to students who are blind and low vision, following Common Core State Standards.
• S.T.E.M. Program Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program with adaptive scientific equipment designed to integrate visually impaired students into STEM education alongside CCSS and NGSS standards, including raised-line graphs, 2D/3D models, and specialized math tools.
• Music and Fine Arts Programs Comprehensive K-12 music instruction including braille music, large print, simplified notation, or rote-based learning, featuring a vibrotactile music floor, elementary music, band, choir, and jazz combo.
• CTE/Transition Program Career and Technical Education program designed to help students develop vocational skills and prepare for post-secondary transitions.
• Summer Programs Summer programming including Preschool Evaluation Program for children ages 3-5, Student Summer Learning Camp for K-9th grade, Sports Camp, and INSPIRE Academy for college readiness.
• Outreach Program Statewide services through six dual-certified TVI/COMS outreach teachers covering West, Middle, and East Tennessee regions, providing consultations, evaluations, direct services, and in-service trainings to local school districts.
• Resource Center for the Visually Impaired (RCVI) Tennessee's AEM/IRC center facilitating production of textbooks and materials in large print and braille formats, operating as the state's Federal Quota program administrator and ordering portal for APH products.
• TN VIVA (Tennessee Visual Impairments Virtual Academy) Virtual professional development series developed in partnership with Vanderbilt University for vision educators, now in its 5th year, offering sessions for TVIs, administrators, and families.
• Student Athletics Athletic programs including track, goalball, wrestling, cheerleading, swimming, forensics, and golf competing in NCASB (North Central Association of Schools for the Blind) conferences.
• Residential Services On-campus living program with cottages staffed by Youth Service Workers, providing daily care, oversight, and instruction in activities of daily living (ADLs) for residential students.
• Medical Services Clinic staffed by four RNs and two LPNs operating 24 hours daily, providing medication administration, illness treatment, health education, and wellness support for students.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1423 qualified individuals registered across Tennessee's three Federal Quota accounts (2026 Census)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• American Printing House for the Blind (APH)coreTechnology or IntegrationAPH is the primary source for accessible educational materials distributed through TSB's RCVI. TSB coordinates Federal Quota program registration and facilitates ordering of APH products (braille books, large print materials, specialized tactile graphics kits, assistive technology) for all eligible visually impaired students in Tennessee.
• Vanderbilt University Program in Visual DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelops the Tennessee Visual Impairments Virtual Academy (TN VIVA) professional development series together with TSB and the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. Sessions are designed for vision educators, teachers, administrators, and families across Tennessee and beyond.
• Vanderbilt Kennedy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with TSB and Vanderbilt University Program in Visual Disabilities to develop and deliver TN VIVA virtual professional development sessions for vision educators and families throughout Tennessee.
• North Central Association of Schools for the Blind (NCASB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSB competes in NCASB athletic conferences including goalball, wrestling, track and field, swimming, forensics, and cheerleading. NCASB is composed of 15 state schools for the blind and sponsors interscholastic sports competitions.
• Tennessee Department of EducationcoreOthersTSB is a state special school under TDOE oversight. TDOE sets admission policies, residential program policies, and provides state funding. TDOE Policy 6.2030 governs school admissions and enrollment.
• TSB Alumni AssociationminorOthersOne of two organizations that grew directly out from the school, focused on supporting the purposes and mission of TSB.
• Friends of TSBminorOthersOne of two organizations that grew directly out from the school, focused on supporting the purposes and mission of TSB through community fundraising and advocacy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California School for the Blind: California's state special school for the blind in Fremont, serving K-12 students with visual impairments and additional disabilities. Comparable as a publicly funded residential/day school offering outreach and accessible-materials services.
• Perkins School for the Blind: Historic private K-12 school for the blind and visually impaired located in Watertown, MA, serving students from across the U.S. and globally. Comparable as a comprehensive K-12 provider of vision-specific education, assistive technology, and outreach/training, though privately operated rather than state-funded.
• Alabama School for the Blind: Alabama's state special school for the blind in Talladega, serving K-12 students with visual impairments via on-campus academics, residential life, and statewide outreach. Closely comparable structure and Southeast regional context.
• Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI): Texas's state special school serving students ages 0-22 with visual impairments. Closest analogue to TSB as a publicly funded state school for the blind offering academics, outreach, and accessible materials; differences are scale (TSBVI serves a larger state) and program breadth.
• Kentucky School for the Blind: Kentucky's state special school for the blind located in Louisville, providing K-12 academics, residential services, and outreach to LEAs. Highly comparable to TSB in mission, residential structure, and statewide outreach mandate.
• Overbrook School for the Blind: Private K-12 school for the blind and visually impaired in Philadelphia serving students from Pennsylvania and beyond. Comparable academic, residential, and assistive-tech offerings, with a similar emphasis on college/career transition.

Broad incumbents

• Lighthouse Guild: National nonprofit providing services for people with vision loss, including education, rehabilitation, and assistive technology. Broader scope than TSB but overlapping in vision-education service delivery and advocacy.

Others

• National Federation of the Blind (NFB): National advocacy and member organization of blind Americans, operating programs in education, technology, and mentorship. Comparable population served but functions as an advocacy/support ecosystem rather than a direct service provider.
• American Printing House for the Blind (APH): Federal Quota program administrator and primary supplier of accessible educational materials (braille, large print, tactile graphics, assistive technology) to schools for the blind. TSB's RCVI is essentially a state-level distribution counterpart to APH's national role.
• Vanderbilt Kennedy Center: University-based center for disabilities research and training that partners with TSB on TN VIVA. Comparable in serving individuals with developmental and sensory disabilities across Tennessee, but operates in higher education/research rather than K-12 direct service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TSB_Tigers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJrEdEIhaygNW7WhI9hFqYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Tennessee-School-for-the-Blind/441068412591832

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Tennessee School for the Blind