DePaul School for Hearing and Speech

What DePaul School for Hearing and Speech does

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech is a 50-employee, private nonprofit educational institution founded in 1908 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as an Approved Private School since 1973. It provides Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) education to children from birth through 8th grade who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have severe speech and language delays, and is the only LSL school in the Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia tri-state area and one of only 41 such schools in the United States. The curriculum combines auditory-verbal and auditory-oral methodologies with classroom sound field systems, Bluetooth pass-around microphones, and an on-site audiology clinic that programs hearing aids, cochlear implants, and FM systems.

The school operates a tiered program stack: Early Intervention (birth to age 3), Preschool (ages 3-5), the SAILL Preschool for children with significant speech/language needs regardless of hearing loss, and an Elementary K-8 program, supplemented by Clinical Services including audiology, auditory-verbal therapy, speech therapy, telepractice, and physical/occupational therapy. Tuition is free for qualifying students aged 3 and up; state subsidies cover approximately 60% of operating costs with the school raising approximately $1 million annually through donations, grants, and fundraising events to cover the remaining gap. The school also runs Itinerant Services for districts, the GUIDE professional development program, and a Telepractice offering for families living more than 50 miles from campus.

Distribution is driven by school district and Intermediate Unit referrals under Pennsylvania's Approved Private School framework, with families frequently relocating to Pittsburgh from across the U.S. and internationally to access services. Medical partnerships with UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Ear Associates provide clinical expertise, while corporate and individual donations, EITC tax credits, and annual events (e.g., Reach for the Stars Gala) sustain the fundraising engine. The school is governed with board representation from the Diocese of Pittsburgh and the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, and recently announced Dr. Ellen Mady Octave as Executive Director effective April 27, 2026.

Name

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech

Legal name

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech

Website

https://depaulhearingandspeech.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that teaches children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have severe speech delays to listen and speak through a full K-8 Listening and Spoken Language program, serving families across the Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia tri-state area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

SLP Consultation, Teacher/Parent Coaching & Home Program Support (EDAKAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Speech & Language Screening and Assessment (School-Age) (EDAKAEAB), Speech & Language Therapy (Early Intervention) (EDACAFAB), Group Therapy and Peer-Mediated Communication Programs (School-Age) (EDAKAEAO), Specialized Intervention & Skill-Building Programs (Speech/OT Support Materials, Social Skills) (EDACAJAJ)

Keywords

• Deaf education services
• Listening spoken language
• Special education school
• Pediatric audiology services
• Speech therapy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State Funding: DePaul School is an Approved Private School licensed by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, partially funded by Pennsylvania Department of Education. State subsidy covers approximately 60% of operating costs.
2. Donations and Fundraising: School is responsible for raising approximately one million dollars per year through donations, grants, and fundraising events to cover operating costs not funded by state.
3. Tuition - Toddler Program: Toddler program (18 months to 3 years of age) is tuition based
4. SAILL Preschool Tuition: SAILL Preschool is supported through privately paid tuition with financial assistance available for qualifying families

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech provides Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) education and related clinical services to children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have significant speech and language delays, from birth through 8th grade. Its offerings span Early Intervention, Preschool, SAILL Preschool, Elementary K-8 academic programs, plus an on-site Audiology Clinic, Auditory-Verbal Therapy, Speech Therapy, Telepractice, Self-Advocacy training, and Transitioning Services.

Product overview

DePaul School for Hearing and Speech is an educational institution offering a comprehensive suite of Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) programs for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or with speech and language delays. The core programs include: the Early Intervention Program serving infants and toddlers from birth to age 3; the Preschool Program for children ages 3-5; the SAILL Preschool (Speech And Integrated Language for Literacy) for children with significant speech/language needs; and the Elementary School program (K-8) for children through age 15. These programs are supported by Clinical Services including Audiology and Cochlear Implant Services, Auditory-Verbal Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Telepractice. The school also provides Self Advocacy training and Transitioning Services to prepare students for mainstream educational settings. DePaul is the only LSL school in the Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia tri-state area, and one of only 41 schools in the U.S. teaching Listening and Spoken Language education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAILL Preschool: Speech And Integrated Language for Literacy (SAILL) is a specialized preschool program for children with significant speech and language needs, regardless of hearing loss. It holds a separate private academic license and is designed for children requiring intensive speech and language services.

Products and services

• Early Intervention Program

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 70% of students attending DePaul School's Early Education programs transition to their neighborhood schools by first grade
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Western PA School for Blind ChildrenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for the 'Bridging Perceptions: A Collaborative Art & Sound Exhibit' event featuring visual art inspired by lighthouses and immersive coastal soundscapes created by students from both schools, celebrating creativity, accessibility, and community.
• Pennsylvania Department of EducationcoreOthersState funding partner providing partial funding as an Approved Private School under the Pennsylvania Department of Special Education.
• Diocese of PittsburghcoreOthersFounding partner; continues to provide board representation through the Bishop and Superintendent of Catholic Schools on the Board of Trustees.
• Sisters of Charity of Seton HillcoreOthersFounding partners who established the school in 1908 and continue to provide board representation through the Provincial Superior.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CID - Central Institute for the Deaf: St. Louis-based nonprofit serving deaf/hard of hearing children using listening and spoken language and auditory-verbal approaches. Directly comparable by methodology, clinical integration, and pediatric focus.
• John Tracy Center: Los Angeles-based nonprofit offering auditory-verbal education and parent-centered early intervention for deaf/hard of hearing children. Comparable by methodology, geographic specialization, and emphasis on parent coaching.
• The River School: Washington, D.C.-area preschool/elementary program integrating children with hearing loss with typically hearing peers using listening and spoken language. Comparable by LSL methodology and inclusive mainstreaming approach.
• Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech: One of the oldest and largest Listening and Spoken Language schools in the U.S., serving deaf/hard of hearing students from birth through age 21 across multiple campuses. Closest direct peer by methodology, mission, and population served.
• American School for the Deaf: Historic Connecticut-based school for deaf/hard of hearing children (founded 1817). Comparable as a nonprofit deaf-education institution, though methodology differs (uses ASL/bilingual approaches rather than LSL only).
• St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf: Catholic-affiliated school serving deaf/hard of hearing children with listening and spoken language instruction. Comparable by faith-based founding, mission orientation, and educational methodology overlap with DePaul's diocesan roots.
• Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children: Texas-based nonprofit school using Auditory-Verbal/LSL methods for deaf/hard of hearing children from birth through elementary. Comparable by methodology, nonprofit structure, and birth-to-grade-school service model.
• Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center / Mama Lere Hearing School: Nashville-based hospital-affiliated program offering auditory-verbal preschool for children with hearing loss. Comparable by integrated clinical-audiology-plus-education model and LSL methodology.

Regional players

• Helen Beebe Speech and Hearing Center: Pennsylvania-based nonprofit providing auditory-verbal therapy and speech-language services for children with hearing loss. Comparable by methodology and overlapping regional service area within PA.

Others

• Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: National membership and advocacy organization promoting listening and spoken language for deaf/hard of hearing individuals. Adjacent ecosystem player — not a school but the central advocacy body shaping DePaul's regulatory and funding environment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/saill_preschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/depaul-school-for-hearing-and-speech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 DePaul School for Hearing and Speech