Department of Education

GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language ........................................................................................................ L-1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes....................................................................... L-2

Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers ............................................................................. L-3

Authorizing Legislation............................................................................................................ L-4

Appropriations History............................................................................................................. L-5

Activity:

Gallaudet University ...........................................................................................................L-6
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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Appropriations Language

For the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, the Model Secondary School for the 

Deaf, and the partial support of Gallaudet University under titles I and II of the Education of the 

Deaf Act of 1986, $121,275,000: Provided, That from the total amount available, the University 

may at its discretion use funds for the endowment program as authorized under section 207 of 

such Act.

1

NOTES

A full-year 2018 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the budget was prepared; therefore, 

the budget assumes this account is operating under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (Division D of P.L. 115–

56, as amended). The amounts included for 2018 reflect the annualized level provided by the continuing resolution.

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document that follows the appropriation language.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1

... Provided, That from the total amount 

available, the University may at its discretion 

use funds for the endowment program as 

authorized under section 207 of such Act.

This language provides authority for the 

University to use funds from the general 

appropriation for the Endowment Grant 

program.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation/Adjustments/Transfers 2017

2018 

Annualized CR 2019

Discretionary appropriation:

Discretionar y budget authority: Appropriation ................................................... $121,275 0 $121,275

Discretionar y budget authority: Annualized CR (P.L. 115-31) ........................... 0 $120,451 0

Discretionar y budget authority: Total, discretionary appropriation ............... 121,275 120,451 121,275
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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L-4

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2018

Authorized

2018

Annualized CR 

2019

Authorized

2019

Request

University programs (EDA l-A) 01 $120,451 To be determined1 $121,275

Elementary and Secondary Education programs (EDA I-A) 01 (2) To be determined1 (2)

Construction (EDA l-103) 01 0 To be determined1 0

Endowment grant (EDA ll-207) 01 (2) To be determined1 (2)

Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting (EDA II-205) 01 0 To be determined1 0

Total appropriation 120,451 121,275

Portion of the request subject to reauthorization 121,275

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015. Reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2019. 2 Funding for the Elementary and Secondary Education programs and Endowment Grant program is provided together with funding for operations through a single 

appropriations amount. The University determines the split between the University programs, Elementary and Secondary Education programs, and the 

Endowment Grant program.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

University

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Appropriations History 

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate 

Allowance Footnote AppropriationFootnote

2010 $120,000 $120,000 $126,0001 $123,000

2011 118,000 123,0002 128,000 122,7543

2012 118,000 122,7544 125,7544 125,516

2013 117,541 125,5165 125,0005 118,951

2014 117,541 N/A6 118,541 119,000

2015 119,000 N/A 121,5507 120,275

2016 120,275 121,2758 120,2758 121,275

2017 121,275 121,2759 121,2759 121,275

2018 120,451 128,00010 121,27510 120,45110

2019 121,275

 

1 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Committee action only. 2 The level for the House allowance reflects the House-passed full-year continuing resolution. 3 The level for appropriation reflects the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 

(P.L. 112-10). 4 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill and the level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate 

Committee action only.

5 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2013 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 112th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and the Senate Committee. 6 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action.

7 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

8 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee.

9 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill.

10 The levels for the House reflect floor action on an Omnibus appropriation bill; Senate allowances reflect Committee 

action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the annualized Continuing Resolution 

level.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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Gallaudet University

(Education of the Deaf Act, Title I, Part A and Section 207)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2019 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

2018 

Annualized CR 2019

Change from

Annualized CR

$120,451 $121,275 +$824

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015; reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal 

year 2019.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Gallaudet University (University) is a private, nonprofit institution of higher education (IHE) 

located in Washington, DC. The University received its Federal charter in 1864, and since has 

sought to provide high-quality, bilingual (American Sign Language and English) undergraduate, 

graduate, and continuing education programs for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, 

and for hearing students wishing to pursue careers in fields related to deafness. 

The University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Undergraduate students can choose from more than 40 areas of study leading to a Bachelor of 

Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. Recently developed programs—i.e., pre-law, pre-medicine, 

pre-architecture, and pre-business—are designed to increase the numbers of individuals who 

are deaf or hard of hearing who enter these professions. Graduate programs are open to deaf, 

hard of hearing, and hearing students and include Master of Arts and Master of Science 

degrees, specialist degrees, certificates, and doctoral degrees. Many of the University’s 

programs are accredited by the respective professional accrediting bodies: the American 

Psychological Association; the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Council on 

Academic Accreditation; the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs; the 

Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs; the Council on Social Work 

Education; the Council on the Education of the Deaf; and the National Council for the 

Accreditation of Teacher Education. 

To increase the effectiveness of its instructional programs, the University also offers 

communications training, counseling, and other support services for the campus community. 

Research is a key component of Gallaudet’s mission as a university and has a prominent role 

as a major goal in the current Gallaudet Strategic Plan. Major grant support includes research, 
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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development, and training programs in visual language and learning, access to communication 

for deaf and hard of hearing people, genetics, and technology assessment. 

Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center

Gallaudet University also operates the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center (Clerc 

Center), which includes two accredited demonstration schools serving deaf and hard of hearing 

elementary and secondary students: the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) and 

the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD). The Clerc Center maintains and operates 

KDES and MSSD for the primary purpose of improving the quality of education afforded to deaf 

and hard of hearing students by developing, evaluating, and disseminating innovative curricula, 

instructional techniques and strategies, and other materials that can be used in a variety of 

educational environments. Through its National Mission programs, the Clerc Center is 

responsible for conducting research related to deaf education and for the provision of training 

and technical assistance to professionals and families around the country. 

To help ensure the materials developed by the Clerc Center are relevant to potential users, the 

Education of the Deaf Act (EDA) requires KDES and MSSD to serve students preparing for 

college, other postsecondary opportunities, or the workplace; as well as those with a broad 

spectrum of needs, including students who are lower achieving academically, come from nonEnglish speaking homes, have secondary disabilities, are members of minority groups, or are 

from rural areas. For students placed in KDES or MSSD by a local educational agency (LEA), 

the LEA is responsible for ensuring that special education and related services are provided to 

those students in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Part B of the Individuals 

with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For students who are enrolled by their parents, the EDA 

requires the University to ensure that any special education and related services are provided in 

accordance with Part B of IDEA. The EDA also makes specific requirements and procedural 

safeguards from the IDEA applicable to parentally placed children at KDES or MSSD that would 

not otherwise apply because they are not placed by their LEAs. 

The EDA, as amended, requires the University, in administering the Clerc Center, to select 

challenging academic content standards, academic achievement standards, and academic 

assessments of a State and adopt them pursuant to specified requirements under the 

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended. For school years 2008-2009 

through 2014-2015, the Clerc Center partnered with Ohio to meet these requirements.

In fall 2015, the Clerc Center entered into a partnership with the Maryland State Department of 

Education (MSDE) to focus on the continued provision of state-level, standards-based 

instruction and assessments for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Like Ohio, the Clerc 

Center’s prior state partner, Maryland adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in 

2010. The partnership with MSDE will allow the Clerc Center to ensure KDES students in 

grades three through eight and high school students at MSSD take the required assessments in 

reading/language arts and mathematics, and allow the Clerc Center to report assessment 

results publically, as required by the EDA.
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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2014..............................................................................$119,000

2015................................................................................120,275

2016................................................................................121,275

2017................................................................................121,275

2018................................................................................120,451

FY 2019 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2019, the Administration requests $121.3 million, to restore funding to the fiscal 

year 2017 level. The funds will be used to: maintain a wide range of operations and programs at 

Gallaudet University (University) and the Clerc Center that help strengthen educational and 

employment opportunities for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing; support continued 

operations and programming for approximately 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students 

enrolled at the University; and, supporting continued operations for 277 elementary and 

secondary education students enrolled in Clerc Center programs. 

Gallaudet University Enrollment Trends: Between fiscal years 2010 and 2017, the appropriation 

for the University’s program operations increased by approximately 3 percent. During the same 

period, total postsecondary enrollment (which includes full- and part-time degree-seeking and 

non-degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students) declined by 5 percent, from 1,870 to 

1,774. Between fiscal years 2016 and 2017, total postsecondary enrollment at Gallaudet 

increased 6 percent, from 1,670 to 1,774. During this same time, full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduate enrollment at Gallaudet increased nearly 13 percent between 2016 (959) and 

2017 (1,081). Between fiscal years 2016 and 2017, the enrollment of degree-seeking graduate 

students (both full- and part-time) decreased 4 percent, from 444 in fiscal year 2016 to 426 in 

fiscal year 2017.

Hearing Undergraduate Students (HUGS) Program: Gallaudet implemented the HUGS pilot in 

2000 to enroll a limited number of hearing students into this undergraduate program. The 

Department conducted a review of the program in fiscal year 2006 and formally approved a 

policy of allowing the use of Federal funds to support students who are hearing, but stipulated 

that incoming hearing students may not exceed 5 percent of each year’s total number of newly 

enrolled undergraduate students at Gallaudet. The Department also established annual 

reporting requirements for the program related to the number of hearing students admitted and 

enrolled, as well as the respective persistence (i.e., the first-year retention rate measured as the 

percentage of first-year students who had persisted in or completed their educational program a 

year later) and graduation rates, majors, and post-school outcomes for these students. In 

January 2013, the Department approved a request from the University to increase the cap to 

8 percent and to exempt the University’s online programs from the cap for a 5-year period. The 

approval was contingent on the University seeking input from the student and alumni 

community. The University satisfied this contingency. The 82 fall 2017 degree-seeking HUGS 

represented 7 percent of new undergraduate enrollment at the University. A total of 114 hearing 

students are currently enrolled in undergraduate programs, and the University anticipates this 

number will increase to 153 in fiscal year 2019. 
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Clerc Center Enrollment Trends: In fiscal year 2017, the Model Secondary School for the Deaf 

and Kendall Demonstration Elementary School enrolled a combined total of 277 students, which 

represents a 2 percent increase from the fiscal year 2016 enrollment of 272 students. However, 

current combined enrollment at the Clerc Center falls significantly short of the fiscal year 2006 

count of 367 combined students. Fiscal year 2006 was the last year both schools met or 

exceeded their target enrollments. The fiscal year 2017 number represents a decrease in Clerc 

Center enrollment of nearly 25 percent since 2006.

Program Operations: In fiscal year 2017, the Federal Government provided $121.3 million to 

Gallaudet for the operation of the University and the Clerc Center, representing approximately 

70 percent of the total annual revenue for the University. Gallaudet allocated $89.3 million of the 

Federal appropriation for university-level instructional, research, and outreach programs, and 

$31 million for Clerc Center activities. The university-level allocation of the Federal funds

constituted approximately 60 percent of total estimated funding for university-level activities,

while the Clerc Center allocation represented nearly 100 percent of total estimated funding for 

KDES and MSSD operations. The University expects similar allocation levels for fiscal year 

2019.

These figures understate the true amount of funding that comes from the Federal Government, 

because the non-Federal revenue share includes interest from the Federal Endowment Grant 

program and revenue from Federal grants and contracts. Additionally, University students 

receive funding from Federal student aid and vocational rehabilitation programs. 

Also, since 2008, the University has undertaken a long-term reduction in its total number of 

employees. Gallaudet had 991 employees at the end of fiscal year 2009, and has successfully 

reduced that level to 920 through fiscal year 2017. The University plans to maintain this 

approximate number in fiscal years 2018 and 2019, and to explore opportunities for flexible 

staffing arrangements such as job sharing to contain compensation expenses. Given these 

factors, the Administration believes that the request provides sufficient funds to maintain all 

operations and programs.

Federal Endowment Grant Program: The Federal Endowment Grant Program is designed to 

assist in meeting the future needs of Gallaudet University by producing a growing independent 

source of revenue for the University. For all non-Federal contributions to the Federal 

endowment fund, the Department makes matching payments from amounts appropriated for the 

University. No portion of the Federal endowment fund corpus may be withdrawn, except with the 

Department's approval and only due to a financial emergency or life-threatening situation. The 

EDA permits the University to withdraw or expend up to 50 percent of the income generated 

from the fund from the current fiscal year for expenses necessary to the operation of the 

University (e.g., personnel; construction and renovation; community and student services; 

technical assistance; and research). The other 50 percent of the interest returns to the corpus. 

As of September 30, 2017, the value of the Federal Endowment Grant Program corpus, 

including Federal, private, and reinvested funds, was $73.6 million, the same as it was the prior 

fiscal year. The University has not indicated that it intends to use any of its appropriation to 

match Endowment Grant funds in fiscal year 2019. 
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Research: The University values research as a key component of its mission, and includes 

research as one of five goals of the Gallaudet Strategic Plan. The University is committed to 

conducting a wide variety of basic and applied research on the history, language, and culture of 

people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as to providing public service programs for 

individuals with hearing loss and professionals working in these areas. Research occurs across 

the University, including at the Gallaudet Research Institute, the Rehabilitation Engineering 

Research Center on Hearing Enhancement, the Science of Learning Center on Visual 

Language and Visual Learning and its affiliated Brain and Language Laboratory, the Office of 

Institutional Research, and the Technology Access Program. In fiscal year 2017, the University 

received approximately $2.9 million in research grants and contracts; approximately $2.5 million 

from the Federal appropriation was allocated to research. The University anticipates receiving 

approximately the same amount of sponsored research funding in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 

and allocating approximately the same amount of the Federal appropriation to research. 

Other Revenue: Besides the direct Federal appropriation, which provided 70 percent of the 

institution’s revenue in fiscal year 2017, Gallaudet receives the remaining funds from student 

tuition and fees, auxiliary enterprises revenues, grants and contracts, donations, investment 

income, and a small amount from miscellaneous sources. During academic year 2016-2017, 

Gallaudet students received approximately $12.2 million in vocational rehabilitation payments 

and $11.4 million in Federal student financial aid, including $3.1 million in Pell Grants. 

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

Output Measures: 2017 2018 2019

Total revenues (dollars in thousands):

Total revenues ( doll ars i n thousands): University programs $151,123 $146,666 $145,684

Total revenues ( doll ars i n thousands): Clerc Center programs 32,311 32,634 31,946

Total revenues ( doll ars i n thousands): Total 183,434 179,300 177,630

NOTE: All data are provided by the University. 
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

Output Measures: 2017 2018 2019

Annual tuition and fees (in whole dollars):

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Base Tuition 15,552 16,032 16,513

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Room 6,778 6,914 7,052

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Board 5,840 6,130 6,437

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Fees 526 526 526

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Total 28,696 29,602 30,528

International undergraduate student surcharge, 

non-developing country 15,552 16,032 16,513

International undergraduate student surcharge, 

developing country 7,776 8,016 8,257

Graduate student surcharge 1,548 1,608 1,651

Additional surcharge for international graduate 

students, non-developing country 3,096 3,216 3,303

Additional surcharge for international graduate 

students, developing country 1,548 1,608 1,652

Federal appropriation as a percent of total 

revenues

66%1 68%1 70%1

Estimated average cost per student $60,1632 $63,1712 $68,4772

Program enrollment:

Program enroll ment: Number of full-time degree-seeking 

undergraduates 1,081 1,074 1,090

Program enroll ment: Number of non-degree & part-time 

undergraduate students 396 399 389

Program enroll ment: Number of full-time and part-time graduate 

students 297 288 295

Program enroll ment: Total 1,774 1,761 1,774

International students (in degree and nondegree programs) 158 122 122

International student percentage 8.9% 6.9% 6.9%

Hearing undergraduate students 114 132 153

NOTE: All data are provided by the University. 

1 The revenue base includes unrestricted income from all sources, including research grants and indirect payments 

such as Federal student financial aid and vocational rehabilitation payments. 

2 Amounts are based on total estimated expenditures, excluding the categories of sponsored and other research, 

public services, and auxiliary enterprises. The net amounts are divided by the total estimated enrollment for fiscal 

years 2017, 2018, and 2019. The University does not differentiate between full and part-time students in calculating 

these figures, so part-time students are treated as full-time for the purpose of this calculation. 
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

Output Measures: 2017 2018 2019

Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD) 

students 166 174 185

Kendall Demonstration Elementary School 

(KDES) students 111 115 115

Research:

Sponsored research funding (dollars in 

thousands) $4,000 $4,000 $4,000

Appropriated research (dollars in thousands) $2,500 $2,500 $2,500

Gallaudet research publications 70 70 70

Student/faculty ratios:

Student/faculty r ati os: University 7:1 6:1 7:1

Student/faculty r ati os: MSSD 7:1 7:1 7:1

Student/faculty r ati os: KDES 5:1 5:1 5:1

Number of employees:

Number of empl oyee s:Permanent positions 878 877 877

Number of empl oyees: Temporary 12 5 5

Number of empl oyees: Grant or revenue supported 30 39 39

NOTE: All data are provided by the University. 

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, GPRA 

goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of the 

progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the resources provided in previous years and those requested in fiscal 

year 2019 and future years, and the resources and efforts invested by those served by this 

program.

Goal: To challenge students who are deaf, graduate students who are deaf, and graduate 

students who are hearing, to achieve their academic goals and obtain productive 

employment, provide leadership in setting the national standard for best practices in 

education of the deaf and hard of hearing, and establish a sustainable resource base.

Objective: The University Programs and the Model Secondary School for the Deaf and the 

Kendall Demonstration Elementary School will optimize the number of students completing 

programs of study.
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Measure: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students who 

were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the 

current year; and the percentage of all graduate students eligible to return for the following 

academic year who are enrolled in that year.

Year Undergraduate 

Target

Undergraduate 

Actual Graduate Target Graduate Actual

2014 74% 67% 77% 79%

2015 75 67 80 84

2016 75 80 80 84

2017 75 63 80 81

2018 75 80

2019 75 85

Additional information: The calculation of this measure is based on the persistence of firsttime, full-time freshmen students from one fall semester to the next fall semester and is 

consistent with the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) methodology. 

Other 4-year private, not-for-profit colleges have an average persistence rate of 82 percent. 

The methodology for the graduate measure uses a cohort formula and limits the calculation to 

Master’s level students, because the expected period of enrollment for Master’s level students is 

consistent across programs, whereas the expected period of enrollment for students in other 

graduate programs can vary significantly. This method of calculating the graduate persistence 

rate is comparable to the method of calculating the undergraduate persistence rate.

Measure: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking baccalaureate students who 

graduate within 6 years of enrollment.

Year Target Actual

2014 39% 46%

2015 40 46

2016 42 43

2017 45 53

2018 45

2019 50

Additional information: This measure is consistent with the standard IPEDS methodology that 

uses a 6-year cohort graduation rate, based on the same entering cohort as the IPEDS firstyear persistence indicator; that is the percentage of all incoming first-time, full-time freshmen 

students in one semester who have graduated by the end of 6 years after entry. An IPEDS

analysis of IHEs shows that 4-year public colleges have an average graduation rate of 

45 percent, and 4-year private colleges have an average graduation rate of 53 percent.
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Measure: The graduation rate for Master’s students. 

Year Target Actual

2014 74% 81%

2015 74 83

2016 74 76

2017 74 81

2018 74

2019 74

Additional information: IPEDS does not collect graduation rate data for graduate students so it 

is not possible to make comparisons to other institutions. The University calculates this measure 

using a cohort approach that counts students as graduates if they successfully complete a 

Master’s program within 3 years of enrolling. Doctoral candidates and part-time students are 

excluded from the calculation.

Measure: The graduation rate for MSSD students. 

Year Target Actual

2014 65% 72%

2015 65 73

2016 65 79

2017 65 89

2018 70

2019 70

Additional information: The Center, with the Department’s approval, replaced the 2-year 

cumulative senior graduation rate with a 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, based on firsttime 9th grade cohorts, including students who transfer in and subtracting students who transfer 

out, which is consistent with the Department’s changes to the requirements outlined in the 

regulations governing programs administered under Part A of Title I of the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act of 1965 on October 29, 2008 (34 CFR 200.19). Using this 

methodology, the graduation rate for MSSD was 89 percent in 2017. The University calculated 

graduation rates for prior years but found that data quality issues make these data points invalid 

and unreliable. The Department consulted data from the National Center for Education Statistics 

(NCES) to establish new targets for this measure. According to NCES data, the national 

graduation rate for students with disabilities in 2012 was 61 percent. Using this data point as a 

reference for target setting, the Department identified targets accordingly through 2017 and is 

currently working with the University to identify appropriate targets for future years given the 

trend of strong performance in this measure. 
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Objective: Curriculum and extracurricular activities prepare students to meet the skill 

requirements of the workplace or to continue their studies.

Measure: The percentage of Gallaudet University graduates with baccalaureate degrees who 

are employed, in advanced education or training, or are neither employed nor enrolled in 

advanced education or training during their first year after graduation.

Year

Students 

Employed 

Target

Students 

Employed 

Actual

Students in 

Advanced 

Education 

or Training 

Target

Students in 

Advanced 

Education 

or Training 

Actual

Not 

Engaged in 

Either 

Activity 

Target

Not 

Engaged in 

Either 

Activity 

Actual

2014 50% 77% 45% 19% 5% 4%

2015 53 67 45 27 2 7

2016 53 70 45 26 2

2017 53 (Oct 2018) 45 2

2018 53 (Oct 2019) 45 2

2019 55 (Oct 2020) 43 2

Additional information: The “Students Employed” category includes both full- and part-time 

employment. Advanced education or training includes students enrolled full- or part-time in a 

master's or Ph.D. program, a vocational or technical program, or another type of program, e.g.,

law school or medical school. In fiscal year 2011, the University and the Department agreed to 

count each alumnus only once in his or her primary category, with employment given the 

highest ranking. Thus, those graduates who were employed and in advanced education or 

training 1 year after graduation are categorized only once—in the “Students employed” 

category.

Data for these measures are reported to the Department 1 year following graduation. The source of 

the data is an annual survey sent to students who have graduated from the University within the 

previous year. The average response rate in recent years is 33 percent. The University is seeking 

to improve the response rate by utilizing web-based as well as mailed surveys to collect these data. 
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Measure: The percentage of MSSD graduates who are employed or in postsecondary education or 

training, or are neither employed nor enrolled in postsecondary education or training during their 

first year after graduation.

 Year

Students in 

Postsecondary 

Education or 

Training or 

Employed Target

Students in 

Postsecondary 

Education or 

Training or 

Employed Actual

Not Engaged in 

Either Activity 

Target

Not Engaged in 

Either Activity 

Actual

2014 100% 93% 0 7%

2015 100 83 0 17

2016 100 79 0 21

2017 100 0

2018 100 0

2019 100 0

Additional information: Gallaudet previously provided data to the Department on the 

percentage of MSSD graduates who are (1) employed, (2) in postsecondary education or 

training, and (3) not engaged in either activity. With the Department’s approval, Gallaudet has 

decided to report on the percentage of students who are either (1) employed or enrolled in 

postsecondary education or (2) not engaged in either activity. The data on employment and 

postsecondary education or training is derived from an annual survey of students who 

graduated from MSSD during the previous year. In fiscal year 2017, the response rate for the 

2016 graduating class was 81 percent. 

For 2017, the data indicate that within 1 year of graduation, 79 percent of MSSD graduates 

were either employed, enrolled in postsecondary education, or both, while 21 percent of MSSD 

graduates were not engaged in either activity. In the past three years, the Clerc Center did not 

meet these targets, and the trend has been negative. 

Objective: Gallaudet works in partnership with others to develop and disseminate educational 

programs and materials for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

Measure: The number of programs and/or institutions adopting Model/Kendall innovative 

strategies/curricula or modifying their strategies as a result of Model and Kendall’s leadership.

Year Target Actual

2014 55 187

2015 120 77

2016 120 360

2017 140 99

2018 140

2019 140

Additional information: Gallaudet has noted that the number of programs adopting innovations 

from year to year will vary based on the number and type of strategies and curricula being 

disseminated by the Clerc Center at a given point in time, the changing needs of programs 

serving students who are deaf, and the financial and personnel resources available within these 

programs for training and implementation activities. The Department is working with Gallaudet 
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on developing more valid, reliable and meaningful measures related to the national mission 

activities of the Clerc Center as alternatives to this measure that would indicate a percentage 

rather than a number. The goal is to identify alternatives that would assess the impact of 

evidence-based research projects, other scholarly activities, and demonstration and program 

development activities on improving educational outcomes for individuals who are deaf and hard 

of hearing. In the interim, the Department increased the 2017, 2018, and 2019 targets for the 

existing measure to make them more ambitious. In fiscal year 2017, the Clerc Center fell 

significantly short of the target for this measure. 

Efficiency Measures 

Objective: To improve the efficiency of operations at Gallaudet, as defined by the cost per 

successful student outcome, where the successful outcome is defined as graduation. 

Measure: Federal cost per Gallaudet graduate.

Year Target Actual

2014 $258,343 $222,140

2015 263,768 238,197

2016 269,307 223,219

2017 269,307 228,727

2018 269,307

2019 269,307

Additional information: This measure provides information on the average Federal cost per 

successful outcome. This measure looks at how the ultimate outcome of the Federal investment 

relates to the appropriation for Gallaudet. The Federal cost is calculated by averaging the 

appropriation amounts, excluding funds allocated to the Clerc Center, for the year the students 

graduated and for the prior 5 years, and dividing this average by the number of graduates in the 

graduation year. This approximates the IPEDS indicator length of 6 years to graduation. 

Graduates include students receiving bachelor’s degrees, graduate certificates, master’s 

degrees, and doctoral degrees. Federal student financial aid, vocational rehabilitation payments, 

other Federal support for students, Federal grants and contracts, appropriations for 

construction, and the Federal Endowment Grant program are not included in this calculation. 

The fiscal year 2017 data on the Federal cost per graduate, as reported by Gallaudet University, 

is based on an average of the cost per graduate from fiscal year 2012 to 2017. Gallaudet’s 

Federal cost per graduate increased by 2.5 percent in fiscal year 2017. 

Gallaudet proposed to establish targets that account for future inflation by using the Consumer 

Price Index (CPI), with the goal of limiting increases on the Federal cost per graduate to less 

than those of the CPI. Gallaudet and the Department determined that the Consumer Price Index 

for All Urban Consumers (CPIU) represents the most reasonable basis for calculating inflation. 

The Department set an initial target for fiscal year 2010, which was increased by the estimated 

rate of inflation for fiscal years 2011 through 2016. The Department maintained the 2016 target 

in 2017, 2018, and 2019, since the trend has been consistently below that amount. 
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

L-18

Measure: Total educational cost per Gallaudet graduate.

Year Target Actual

2014 $308,386 $250,882

2015 314,862 270,652

2016 321,474 256,199

2017 321,474 266,033

2018 321,474

2019 321,474

Additional information: Total educational cost per Gallaudet graduate is calculated by dividing 

the average of the current year’s and the previous 5 years’ total student expenditures by the 

number of undergraduate and graduate students awarded degrees during a given fiscal year. 

The cost is composed of the total program budget excluding IPEDS expenditure categories 

associated with research, public services, auxiliary enterprises, and construction, plus the 

Endowment Grant program. This approximates the IPEDS indicator length of 6 years to 

graduation. This figure is then divided by the number of graduates in that school year. The 

measure looks at the total cost of educating a student at Gallaudet as an indication of how 

efficiently the University operates. The measure uses existing cost data reported to the 

Department as part of the University’s budget submission. The fiscal year 2017 data on the 

Federal cost per graduate, as reported by Gallaudet University, is based on an average of the 

cost per graduate from fiscal year 2012 to 2017. 

Gallaudet proposed to establish targets that account for future inflation by using the CPI, with 

the goal of limiting increases on the total cost per graduate to less than those of the CPI. 

Gallaudet and the Department determined that the CPIU represents the most reasonable basis 

for calculating inflation. The Department set an initial target for the total educational cost 

measure for fiscal year 2010, which was increased by the estimated rate of inflation for fiscal 

years 2011 through 2016. The Department maintained the 2016 target in 2017, 2018, and 2019, 

as the trend has been consistently below this target amount. 

Other Performance Information

The Department conducted a monitoring visit of the Gallaudet University programs in June 

2016. The visit focused on Gallaudet’s implementation of its Strategic Plan 2010-2015, the 

institution’s efforts in the following areas: compliance with applicable requirements; use of 

Federal funds; quality of GPRA and other program data; performance of selected programs 

within the institution; and implementing the University’s 2012-2022 Campus Master Plan. The 

Department transmitted a letter and report to the University in fiscal year 2017, summarizing the 

results of the monitoring visit. The next on-site monitoring visit will take place in spring 2018. 

The Department also conducted a formal on-site monitoring visit of the Clerc Center in spring 

2017 with a focus on compliance with relevant provisions of the IDEA and on progress made 

toward achieving educational results and functional outcomes for students. The Clerc Center 

will also need to implement requirements of the recent reauthorization of the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act. The Department plans to transmit the Clerc Center monitoring report 

in early 2018.