Summit Speech School
Summit Speech School is a New Jersey nonprofit founded in 1967 that provides listening and spoken language education, early intervention, preschool, itinerant, and audiology services to children who are deaf or hard of hearing from birth through high school, serving roughly 370 children and families annually across 65-66 NJ school districts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersNew Providence, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Summit Speech School does
Summit Speech School is a New Jersey-based nonprofit founded in 1967 that delivers listening and spoken language (LSL) education, early intervention, preschool, itinerant, and audiology services to children who are deaf or hard of hearing, from birth through high school. It is the first LSL school in New Jersey and one of only 51 OPTION Schools in the United States, employing a fully auditory/oral methodology without sign language. The organization operates from a 50,000 square foot facility in New Providence (rent-free since 1994 under a 50-year arrangement with the former C.R. Bard building), supported by 12 full-time Teachers of the Deaf, 3 full-time audiologists, speech-language pathologists, OT/PT staff, a nurse, a licensed social worker, and administrative personnel.
The service portfolio spans four core lines: an Early Intervention/Parent-Infant Program serving roughly 100 families per year through home visits and telehealth, coordinated via the NJ Department of Health Early Intervention System; an NJ Department of Education Approved Private Preschool program for children ages 3-5 using the HighScope curriculum with class sizes of 5-7; an Itinerant Mainstream Support Program embedding 12 Teachers of the Deaf into 65-66 NJ public school districts to support approximately 270 mainstreamed students; and an integrated Audiology Center providing pediatric hearing evaluations, hearing aid and cochlear implant programming, real-ear verification, FM/DM system support, and Auditory Processing Disorder services. The 2024-launched definitely Connected initiative adds a statewide community/identity-building layer led by a licensed social worker.
Revenue is generated through a mix of contracted fees from 65-66 NJ school districts for itinerant services, NJ Department of Health Early Intervention System reimbursement, preschool tuition, fee-for-service clinical audiology, and donations (individual giving, corporate matching, DAFs, IRA QCDs, appreciated securities, planned gifts). Marketing is community-led through the website, Facebook/Instagram, newsletters, Lunch and Learn professional development for Child Study Teams, family events, and referrals from families, healthcare providers, and school districts. The current Executive Director, Ray Dorso, was appointed in July 2023.
Summit Speech School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Summit Speech School
- Legal name
- Summit Speech School
- Website
- https://summitspeech.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Summit Speech School is a New Jersey nonprofit founded in 1967 that provides listening and spoken language education, early intervention, preschool, itinerant, and audiology services to children who are deaf or hard of hearing from birth through high school, serving roughly 370 children and families annually across 65-66 NJ school districts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Summit Speech School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education and Pediatric Audiology Services
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility) (EDAJAKAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Speech & Language Therapy (Early Intervention) (EDACAFAB), SLP Consultation, Teacher/Parent Coaching & Home Program Support (EDAKAEAN)
Keywords
Where Summit Speech School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Providence
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Summit Speech School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- School District Contracts: Contracted agreements with 65-66 New Jersey public school districts to provide itinerant Teacher of the Deaf services for students in mainstream schools, from preschool through high school
- Preschool Tuition: Tuition-based preschool program for children ages 3-5 with hearing loss, operating as a state-approved private school
- Early Intervention Services: Early Intervention/Parent-Infant program services coordinated through the NJ Department of Health Early Intervention System
- Donations and Charitable Giving: Individual donations, corporate matching gifts, stock donations, IRA QCDs, donor-advised fund grants, and legacy/planned gifts from supporters
- Audiology Services: Clinical audiology evaluations and hearing services provided to children and families, both on-site and through district partnerships
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Summit Speech School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Summit Speech School is a nonprofit that provides Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) educational programs and audiology services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, from birth through high school. Core offerings include Early Intervention/Parent-Infant services (birth to age 3), a NJ Department of Education Approved Private Preschool (ages 3-5), and Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf services delivered across 65-66 New Jersey public school districts, complemented by an on-site Audiology Center with three full-time audiologists.
Product overview
Summit Speech School is a nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of listening and spoken language educational and clinical services for children with hearing loss. The core offerings include: the Early Intervention/Parent-Infant Program (birth to age 3) providing home-based support and parent coaching; the Preschool Program (ages 3-5) as a state-approved full-day program using the HighScope curriculum; and the Itinerant Mainstream Support Program serving over 260 students across 65 NJ school districts. These educational programs are supported by a comprehensive Audiology Center offering pediatric hearing evaluations, hearing aid programming, and APD services. The definitely Connected initiative adds social-emotional community building. All services are designed to help children who are deaf or hard of hearing develop listening, spoken language, and communication skills without sign language.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- definitely Connected: A statewide initiative designed to help deaf and hard of hearing students who use hearing technology build positive identity, confidence, and community through shared experiences, peer connections, and family engagement.
Products and services
- Early Intervention / Parent-Infant Program Specialized program serving approximately 100 families annually, providing Teachers of the Deaf who deliver direct intervention to children with hearing loss from birth to age 3, with parent coaching and home or childcare setting visits, coordinated through the NJ Department of Health Early Intervention System.
- Preschool Program Full-day 210-day listening and spoken language-intensive program for children ages 3-5, approved by the NJ Department of Education, using the HighScope curriculum, with small group sizes of 5-7 students and daily access to educational audiologists.
- Itinerant Mainstream Support Program Provides 12 full-time Teachers of the Deaf serving 270 students in 65 school districts across New Jersey, offering individualized instruction, audiological support, and technical assistance for mainstreamed students from preschool through high school.
- Educational Audiology Services School-based audiologist support including IEP/504 meeting participation, technology management, classroom acoustic evaluations, functional listening evaluations, and APD support for school districts.
- Clinical Audiology Services On-site clinical services providing pediatric and adult hearing evaluations, hearing aid and bone conduction device programming, real ear verification, hearing assistance technology setup, and rapid remote troubleshooting.
- Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) Support Comprehensive APD evaluations using specialized assessments, technology recommendations, staff training, and individualized student support for students who struggle to process sound despite normal hearing tests.
- Sound Beginnings Toddler Program Weekly two-hour sessions for toddlers aged 18 months and older, including parent support groups, parent education groups, and play-based language and listening experiences facilitated by Teachers of the Deaf, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serving 270 students in 65 school districts through itinerant services
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Summit Speech School
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Summit Speech School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Summit Speech School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Summit Speech School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hearts for Hearing: Oklahoma City nonprofit combining audiology, hearing technology, and LSL therapy services for children with hearing loss; overlap on integrated audiology-plus-LSL therapy delivery model.
- John Tracy Center: Los Angeles-based LSL OPTION school serving deaf/hard of hearing children and their families worldwide with parent-infant, preschool, and audiology services; same OPTION network and oral/aural methodology.
- CID at Fontbonne University: St. Louis LSL-focused deaf education program offering early intervention, preschool, mainstream support, and graduate training in deaf education; overlapping service portfolio and methodology with Summit Speech School.
- Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech: Multi-site LSL OPTION school network operating preschool, mainstream support, and audiology services for deaf/hard of hearing children in Pennsylvania and beyond; directly comparable LSL-only methodology and itinerant service model.
- St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf: St. Louis LSL OPTION school providing early intervention, preschool, and elementary programming for deaf/hard of hearing students; matches Summit on methodology and integrated audiology.
- Moog Center for Deaf Education: St. Louis-based LSL OPTION school providing early intervention, preschool, and audiology services to children with hearing loss; virtually identical oral/aural-only methodology and integrated audiology operation.
Others
- Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: National advocacy, credentialing, and family-support organization promoting LSL education; sets standards and credentials (LSLS Cert. AVT/AVEd) held by Summit's staff and drives referral pipeline.
- Oberkotter Foundation: Private foundation funding LSL deaf education programs including professional development, family engagement, and OPTION-school capacity building; potential grant-funder and ecosystem partner for Summit Speech School.
Emerging players
- American School for the Deaf: Historic Connecticut-based deaf education school serving a similar K-12+ population but using a bilingual/sign-language-inclusive approach; comparable beneficiary population but diverging methodology.
Regional players
- California School for the Deaf (CCHAT-style / Pediatric Hearing Centers): California-based oral/aural deaf education program serving children with hearing loss across the West Coast; comparable LSL school methodology but regional to California rather than New Jersey.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Summit Speech School social profiles
Digital presenceSummit Speech School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Summit Speech School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Summit Speech School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Summit Speech School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Summit Speech School
What does Summit Speech School do?
Summit Speech School is a nonprofit that provides Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) educational programs and audiology services for children who are deaf or hard of hearing, from birth through high school. Core offerings include Early Intervention/Parent-Infant services (birth to age 3), a NJ Department of Education Approved Private Preschool (ages 3-5), and Itinerant Teacher of the Deaf services delivered across 65-66 New Jersey public school districts, complemented by an on-site Audiology Center with three full-time audiologists.
Is Summit Speech School a public or private company?
Summit Speech School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Summit Speech School founded?
Summit Speech School was founded in 1967.
Where is Summit Speech School based?
Summit Speech School is headquartered in New Providence, United States, in the North America region.
How does Summit Speech School make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. School District Contracts are the primary driver. The others are preschool Tuition, early Intervention Services, donations and Charitable Giving and audiology Services.
Who are Summit Speech School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hearts for Hearing, John Tracy Center, CID at Fontbonne University, Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech, St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf and Moog Center for Deaf Education. Others are Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Oberkotter Foundation. American School for the Deaf is listed as an emerging player. California School for the Deaf (CCHAT-style / Pediatric Hearing Centers) is listed as a regional player.
Does Summit Speech School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Summit Speech School.
What industry is Summit Speech School in?
Summit Speech School's product category is Special Education and Pediatric Audiology Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAKAI, Deaf/Hard of Hearing & Vision Services (Audiology, Interpreting, Orientation & Mobility), with a secondary code of EDACAFAB, Speech & Language Therapy (Early Intervention). Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.