Texas School for the Deaf

What Texas School for the Deaf does

Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) is a state-supported public school in Austin, Texas, founded in 1856 and operating under Texas Education Code Chapter 30 as the designated educational institution for deaf and hard-of-hearing students across the state. It serves approximately 500 students through a residential and day-school model, delivering instruction in American Sign Language (ASL) and English within a language-rich bilingual environment. The school is led by Superintendent Peter L. Bailey (appointed July 2023) and governed by a state-appointed board, with a workforce of 346 employees supported by active community institutions including the TSD Foundation, TSD Alumni Association, and Parent Teacher Staff Organization (PTSO).

The school's core academic and student-life products include a unified 7-12 Secondary Program with career-focused pathways, Career and Technical Education (culinary arts, welding), the ACCESS Program (a post-secondary residential transition program for students aged 18-22 focused on independent living and employment skills), Athletics (the Rangers competing in deaf interscholastic leagues), Performing Arts, and an International Studies Program with student travel to destinations including Vietnam and Peru. Underlying technology consists of standard third-party educational platforms: PowerSchool for student information, Follett Destiny for library services, Stopfinder for real-time bus tracking, Anonymous Alerts for safety reporting, and Edlio for the school's public website and admin portal. A new TSD Mobile Application was launched in August 2025. Outreach services extend TSD's resources statewide to deaf and hard-of-hearing students, families, and education professionals.

As a public educational institution, TSD operates on a government funding model with no tuition charged; it provides a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to eligible students as required by state and federal law. Revenue flows from Texas Education Agency allocations, state legislative appropriations, and federal grants for special education services, supplemented by fundraising through the TSD Foundation. The school distributes services via direct enrollment under state-defined admissions criteria, residential dormitories for students statewide, day-school bus transportation across the Austin area, and a statewide Outreach Center. New apartment-style ACCESS dormitory facilities are planned to open in Fall 2028, reflecting ongoing programmatic and capital expansion backed by legislative funding.

Name

Texas School for the Deaf

Legal name

Texas School for the Deaf

Website

https://tsd.texas.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Texas School for the Deaf is a state public school in Austin, Texas, providing free specialized ASL/English bilingual education to approximately 500 deaf and hard-of-hearing students statewide, with residential programs and a post-secondary ACCESS transition program for ages 18-22.

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 industry

PRIMARYEDAJAKAI

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

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

SECONDARYEDAJAKAJ

Special Education Transportation & Accessibility Services

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Special Education Services

Keywords

• Deaf education services
• Special education schools
• Public residential education
• ASL bilingual education
• K-12 deaf education

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a Texas state public school, TSD is funded through Texas Education Agency allocations, state legislature appropriations, and federal grants for special education services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) is a state public school established in 1856 that provides free appropriate public education to deaf and hard of hearing students from across Texas. It operates as a residential and day school offering comprehensive K-12 instruction in a bilingual ASL and English environment, with specialized programs in academics, athletics, performing arts, career and technical education, and outreach services.

Product overview

Texas School for the Deaf operates as a state public school providing educational services for deaf and hard of hearing students from early childhood through high school. The institution offers a unified 7-12 Secondary Program alongside elementary education, supported by specialized services including TSD Libraries (Elementary and Secondary), Transportation with real-time Stopfinder tracking, and comprehensive Student Support Services. Student life programs include Athletics (Rangers), Performing Arts, the ACCESS Dorms transition program for students 18-22, and International Studies. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs provide vocational training including culinary arts and welding. The school also operates an Outreach Center delivering statewide services to deaf/hard of hearing students, families, and professionals, along with Summer Camps and Programs for ongoing community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACCESS Program: A post-secondary transition program for students ages 18-22 focusing on employment, independent living, self-care, and life skills.

Products and services

• K-12 Academic Programs

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TSD FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation supporting TSD through fundraising, donations, and gala events. Funds are restricted to student activities and support major campus events and initiatives.
• TSD Alumni AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization connecting TSD graduates, supporting alumni engagement, and contributing to school community events including Homecoming celebrations.
• PTSO (Parent Teacher Staff Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent-teacher-staff organization supporting school programs, events, and student activities through fundraising and volunteer efforts.
• Design AustinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with TSD to create lighted 'TSD' hand sculptures displayed on campus, enhancing campus aesthetics and school spirit.
• Design AustinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with TSD to create lighted 'TSD' hand sculptures displayed on campus, enhancing campus aesthetics and school spirit.
• Austin Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerACCESS students and staff volunteered for landscaping, house building, and painting projects, providing community service learning opportunities.
• Gallaudet UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSD students participated in Battle of the Books tournament hosted at Gallaudet University in Washington D.C.
• New Mexico School for the Deaf (NMSD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint statement issued following Homecoming football game incident, emphasizing mutual commitment to sportsmanship and respect.
• Modern Steel ConstructionminorOthersFeatured Richard Layton's impact on welding education in Modern Steel Construction magazine, highlighting TSD's career and technical education programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• California School for the Deaf, Fremont: State-funded K-12 residential school for deaf and hard of hearing students in California. Operates under similar statutory framework as TSD with comparable ASL-English bilingual curriculum and residential programs.
• Indiana School for the Deaf: Indiana's state-funded K-12 residential school for deaf and hard of hearing students. Directly comparable to TSD in size, mission, and state appropriations funding model.
• California School for the Deaf, Riverside: Second California state school for the deaf, serving Southern California. Directly comparable to TSD in mission, age range served, and state-level funding model.
• Maryland School for the Deaf: Maryland's state school for the deaf with campuses in Frederick and Columbia. Comparable to TSD in providing bilingual ASL-English education and serving students statewide.
• Kentucky School for the Deaf: Kentucky's state residential school for the deaf. Operates with similar structure to TSD, including K-12 instruction, residential programs, and outreach services.
• American School for the Deaf: Founded in 1817, the oldest permanent school for the deaf in the United States, located in Connecticut. Comparable to TSD as a residential K-12 institution serving deaf and hard of hearing students with ASL-based instruction.
• Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind: State residential school in St. Augustine serving deaf, hard of hearing, and blind students in Florida. Highly comparable to TSD in statutory mission, residential model, and statewide catchment.
• New Mexico School for the Deaf: New Mexico's state residential school for the deaf. TSD's athletic partner and structural peer in mission, state funding, and residential model.

Broad incumbents

• Gallaudet University: The nation's flagship university for deaf and hard of hearing students. Comparable to TSD in language and community focus; functions as a downstream higher education pathway for TSD graduates (Battle of the Books partner).
• National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at RIT: First and largest technological college for deaf and hard of hearing students, part of Rochester Institute of Technology. Comparable to TSD's CTE mission and serves as a potential post-secondary pathway for graduates.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TSD_Main
• Facebookfacebook.com/texasschoolforthedeaf
• Instagraminstagram.com/texasschoolforthedeaf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/texas-school-for-the-deaf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Texas School for the Deaf