Department of Education

NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

Fiscal Year 2016 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:

National Technical Institute for the Deaf .......................................................................... L-6
NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

For the National Technical Institute for the Deaf under titles I and II of the Education of the 

Deaf Act of 1986, $67,016,000: Provided, That from the total amount available, the Institute may 

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

Act1

. (Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2015.)

NOTE

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

Provisions and Changes document which follows the appropriation language.

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1

... Provided, That from the total amount 

available, the Institute may at its discretion 

use funds for the endowment program as 

authorized under section 207.

This language provides authority for the 

Institute to use funds from the general 

appropriation for the Endowment Grant 

program.

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

Appropriation Adjustments and Transfers

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation/Adjustments/Transfers 2014 2015 2016

Discretionary budget authority:

Discretionar y budget authority: Appropriation .......................................................... $66,291 $67,016 $67,016

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2015

Authorized

Footnotefootnote

2015

Estimate

ootnote

2016

Authorized

ootnote

2016

Request

ootnote

Operations (EDA l-B) Indefinite $67,016 To be determined 1 $67,016

Construction (EDA l-112) Indefinite --- To be determined 1 ---

Endowment (EDA II-207) Indefinite2 --- 2 To be determined 1, 2 --- 2

Total definite authorization 0 0

Total appropriation 67,016 67,016

Portion of the request subject to reauthorization 67,016

1 The GEPA extension expires September 30, 2015. Reauthorizing language is sought for fiscal year 2016.

2 Funding for the Endowment Grant program is provided together with funding for operations through a single appropriations amount. Appropriations 

language is included to authorize NTID, at its discretion, to use funds for the Endowment Grant program from the total amount available.

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

Appropriations History 

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance ootnote

Senate 

Allowance ootnote Appropriation

2007 $55,349 N/A1 N/A 1 $56,141

2008 56,262 $60,757 $59,000 59,696

2009 59,195 64,2122 62,000 2 64,212

2010 68,437 68,437 68,437 3 68,437

2011 64,677 68,4374 64,677 5 65,546

2012 65,037 65,546665,546 6 65,422

2013 65,037 65,422

7

65,422

7

62,000

2014 65,422 N/A

8

66,422

3

66,291

2015 66,291 N/A

8

66,291

9

67,016

2016 67,016

1 This account operated under a full-year continuing resolution (P.L. 110-5). House and Senate allowances are 

shown as N/A (Not Available) because neither body passed a separate appropriations bill. 2 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2009 appropriations bill, 

which proceeded in the 110th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and the Senate Committee. 3 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Committee action only. 4 The level for the House allowance reflects the House-passed full-year continuing resolution. 5 The level for the House allowance reflects the House-passed full-year continuing resolution. 6 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill and the level for the Senate allowances reflects 

Senate Committee action only. 7 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. 8 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action. 9 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

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

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2016 Authorization: To be determined1 

Budget Authority:

 

 2015 2016 Change

$67,016 $67,016 0

__________________

1 The GEPA extension expires September 30, 2015; reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2016.

-

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Congress created the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) in 1965 to promote the 

employment of persons who are deaf by providing technical and professional education for the 

Nation's youth who are deaf. The National Technical Institute for the Deaf Act was superseded 

by the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986 (EDA). This Act continued the authority of the 

Department of Education to maintain an agreement with a host institution for the operation of a 

residential facility for postsecondary technical training and education for individuals who are 

deaf and to provide a Federal subsidy to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf so that it 

may continue to provide postsecondary educational opportunities for individuals who are deaf. 

The Department maintains a contract with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for the 

operation of NTID. The purpose of the special relationship with the host institution is to provide 

NTID students access to more facilities, institutional services, and career preparation options 

than could be otherwise provided solely by a national technical institute for the deaf. RIT 

provides NTID students with options for courses of study from its seven other colleges; health 

and counseling services; library, physical education, and recreation facilities; and general 

services such as food, maintenance, grounds, and security. Indirect cost rates are established 

by RIT governing reimbursement for each of the services it provides and to cover tuition 

charges for NTID students enrolled in RIT programs. These rates are approved by the Division 

of Cost Allocation of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. 

NTID offers a variety of technical programs at the sub-baccalaureate degree level (certificates, 

diplomas, and associate degrees). Degree programs include majors in business, engineering, 

science, and visual communications. In addition, NTID students may participate in 

approximately 200 educational programs available through the Rochester Institute of 

Technology. RIT offers advanced technological courses of study at the undergraduate and 

graduate degree levels. NTID initiated a master's degree program of its own in fiscal year 1996 

to train secondary education teachers who will be teaching students who are deaf. Students 

enrolled in the program, who can be deaf or hearing, are charged the same base tuition as 

students enrolled in other NTID programs. However, graduate students enrolled through NTID 

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in either the master of science in secondary education (MSSE) program or one of the RIT 

graduate programs also pay a graduate student tuition surcharge of 10 percent. In addition, 

NTID operates a Bachelor in Applied Science degree program to train interpreters and a 

tutor/notetaker training program. Students who are deaf who enroll in NTID or RIT programs 

are provided a wide range of support services and special programs to assist them in preparing 

for their careers, including tutoring, remedial and language enrichment programs, counseling, 

notetaking, interpreting, mentoring, specialized educational media, cooperative work 

experience, and specialized job placement.

NTID conducts applied research on occupational and employment-related aspects of deafness, 

communication assessment, the demographics of NTID's target population, and learning 

processes in postsecondary education. In addition, NTID conducts training workshops and 

seminars related to deafness. These workshops and seminars are offered to professionals 

throughout the Nation who employ, work with, teach, or otherwise serve persons who are deaf. 

The Federal Endowment Grant program is designed to assist in meeting future needs of NTID 

and reduce long-term Federal funding requirements by stimulating private contributions. NTID 

has the discretion to determine the amount of funds it wants the Department to provide from the 

annual appropriation as matching funds under the Endowment Grant program. The Department 

may allot funds to the program from the appropriation up to the amount contributed to the fund 

from non-Federal sources. The EDA provides that NTID may retain up to 50 percent of the 

income of the fund for expenses necessary to its operation such as personnel, construction and 

renovation, community and student services, technical assistance, and research. The other 

50 percent of the interest returns to the corpus. No portion of the endowment fund corpus may 

be withdrawn, except with the Department's approval and only due to a financial emergency, 

life-threatening situation occasioned by natural disaster, arson, or other unusual circumstance. 

NTID has full discretion in how it invests the funds it raises for this program. However, the EDA 

specifies parameters for investment of the Federal matching funds in order to help safeguard 

that portion of the fund corpus. After a period of 10 years from an initial investment, NTID does 

not have to follow Federal investment restrictions related to the Federal portion of the corpus 

and may use any and all earned interest associated with that year's matching funds. 

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

(dollars in thousands)

Fiscal Year Operations Construction

2011............................................................ $65,306 $240

2012.............................................................. 65,422 0

2013.............................................................. 62,000 0

2014.............................................................. 66,291 0

2015.............................................................. 67,016 0

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FY 2016 BUDGET REQUEST 

The Administration is requesting $67.0 million for NTID for fiscal year 2016, the same as the 

2015 level. The Administration supports funding for NTID to help promote educational and 

employment opportunities for persons who are deaf. The Administration’s request would fund 

operations at the FY 2015 level. The Administration believes that level funding would provide 

sufficient support to maintain program operations at NTID.

Endowment Grant Program. The Administration’s request continues the policy of not specifying 

an amount for NTID’s Federal Endowment Grant program. The Institute would retain the 

discretion to determine how much of the Federal funds provided will be used for the Endowment 

Grant program in 2016. Funds added to NTID’s base for operations in prior fiscal years remain 

available to be used as matching funds for the purpose of the Endowment Grant program. The 

Administration strongly supports the objectives of the Endowment Grant program and believes 

that this program helps to promote NTID’s financial independence through the creation of a 

permanent and increasing source of funds for enrichment activities and special projects. NTID

matched Federal funds with $85,000 in fiscal year 2014. 

 

Other Revenue. In addition to funding from the Federal appropriation, NTID receives revenue 

from tuition and fees, private giving, and grants and contracts. NTID received $26.7 million in 

other revenue in fiscal year 2014, including $18.2 million from tuition, $7.4 million from room and 

board, $336,000 from student activity fees, and $699,000 from other sources, such as 

interpreting and captioning services provided to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and 

programs outside the University, the NTID hearing aid shop, and fees from grant programs 

renting space. This represents an increase of approximately $700,000 in revenue over the 

$26.0 million NTID received from these sources for fiscal year 2013. NTID has the flexibility to 

apply this increased revenue to its highest funding priorities. 

NTID also receives significant revenue from competitive grants and contracts awarded by the 

Federal and New York State governments. In fiscal year 2014, NTID received nearly

$3.4 million in Federal and State grants and contracts, as well as $896,000 in private grants and 

contracts.

As of September 30, 2014, the market value of the Federal Endowment Grant program at NTID, 

including Federal, private, and reinvested funds, was $52.4 million. In addition, NTID had 

$5.4 million in endowments that were not part of the Federal Endowment Grant program. In 

fiscal year 2014, the Institute distributed $1.7 million in earnings from all endowment sources. 

NTID has been successful in raising private funds. In fiscal year 2014, NTID received 

$1.3 million in cash donations to endowment and other restricted funds and $57,000 in gifts in 

kind, primarily equipment and software for specific programs at NTID. The funds raised in 

addition to endowments are restricted by the donors to NTID activities and include such projects 

as the Sebastian and Lenore Rosica Hall, the Pre-College Education Network, and selected 

research projects. Restricted gifts totaled $1.2 million in fiscal year 2014.

The fiscal year 2016 request for operations represents approximately 71 percent of NTID's total 

projected budget. The remaining funds will come from tuition, fees, private contributions, 

endowment income, and Federal grants and contracts. However, the revenue derived from 

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tuition, room, board, and fees is substantially comprised of payments from Vocational 

Rehabilitation (VR) State agencies and Federal student financial aid programs. For example, in 

fiscal year 2014, NTID students received $10.5 million from funds made available under the VR 

State Grants program to support their postsecondary education and $2.8 million in Pell Grants. 

Students also received $100,000 from RIT grants-in-aid, $523,000 in State grants, and 

$3.0 million in scholarships from institutionally-supported grants, endowment income, and 

external groups in fiscal year 2014. Student aid, excluding loans, averaged approximately 

$13,029 per domestic student for both deaf and hearing students, including students in the 

sub-baccalaureate, baccalaureate, graduate, and interpreter training programs. In addition to 

grants and scholarships, NTID students received nearly $5.2 million in subsidized and 

unsubsidized Federal student loans and Parent PLUS loans. Many NTID students also receive 

Federal Social Security and Supplemental Security Income payments. 

International students pay tuition, room, board, and fees, and these payments are included in 

the revenue figure cited above. However, these students, with the exception of permanent 

residents, are not eligible for Federal student financial aid or assistance under the VR State 

Grants program. International students receive support from two private endowments. During 

fiscal year 2014, $357,000 in interest accrued from these endowments was used for this 

purpose.

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES (dollars in thousands)

Measures 2014 2015 2016

Tuition (U.S. students):

Undergraduate $13,512 $14,040 $14,588 

Graduate 1 14,880 15,444 16,046

Fees 492 512 532

Charges for Resident Students:

Room $6,530 $6,758 $7,022 

Board 4,648 4,810 4,998

Total cost (U.S undergraduate students, 

with tuition and fees) 25,182 26,120 27,140

Tuition (International students):

Undergraduate 1,3 $27,024 $28,080 $29,176 

Graduate 2,3

29,760 30,888 32,092

Percent of support for operations 

provided by this appropriation 72% 71% 71%

Estimated average Federal cost per 

graduate $151,300 

4

$155,900 

4

$160,500 

4

Estimated average educational cost per 

graduate $182,200 

5

$187,700 

5

$193,300 

5

Student data (deaf students only –

includes international students):

Applications 833 833 833

Acceptances 507 507 507

Percent of applications accepted 61% 61% 61%

Registrations 381 381 381

Percent of accepted who register 75% 75% 75%

Enrollment (deaf students only – includes 

international students):

Total students 1,237 1,237 1,237

Technical (669) (669) (669)

Professional:

Undergraduate (526) (526) (526)

Graduate (42) (42) (42)

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES (dollars in thousands)

Measures 2014 2015 2016

Other enrollments (hearing and deaf students)

ASL Interpreter Bachelors 147 147 147

Master’s in Secondary Education 48 48 48

International deaf students 39 39 39

International students as a percent of total 

enrollment 2.7% 2.7% 2.7%

Minority deaf enrollment 369 369 369

Minorities as a percent of U.S. deaf student 

enrollments 

36% 6 36%6 36% 6

Summer Vestibule Program Enrollment 300 300 300

Summer Quarter Enrollment 350 350 350

Graduates 424 424 424

Associate and certificate degrees (166)7 (166) 7 (166) 7

Baccalaureate and graduate degrees (258) (258) (258)

Co-op (work experience) placements 295 295 295

Student services:

Hours of interpreting 145,000 145,000 145,000

Hours of in-class interpreting (111,800) (111,800) (111,800)

Hours of note taking 67,700 67,700 67,700

Hours of tutoring 17,800 17,800 17,800

Hours of C-print captioning 18,300 18,300 18,300

Number of persons trained in Access Services 

and Student Services:

Interpreters trained (continuing education) 104 104 104

Tutors/note takers trained 262 262 262

C-print captionists trained 6 10 10

Employees/career counselors trained 413 413 413

Explore Your Future participants (HS jrs) 192 192 192

Deaf Initiative in Technology participants 23 23 23

Public service activities (in thousands) $1,832 $1,887 $1,944

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES (dollars in thousands)

Measures 2014 2015 2016

Research:

Federal funds (in thousands) $1,643 $1,832 $2,076

Sponsored research (in thousands) $4,916 $2,930 $3,018

Personnel (in full-time equivalents): 8

Faculty 172 172 172

Interpreters 117 117 117

C-print captionists 52 52 52

Clerical/Technical 76 76 76

Professional 113 113 113

Total 530 530 530

Minorities as a % of faculty 11.1% 11.1% 11.1%

Minorities as a % of staff 7.8% 7.8% 7.8%

Disabled as a % of faculty 34.0% 34.0% 34.0%

Disabled as a % of staff 11.7% 11.7% 11.7%

NTID faculty/student ratio 9,10 1:7.8 1:7.8 1:7.8

NTID teaching faculty/student ratio10 1:9.4 1:9.4 1:9.4

Average Faculty Salaries 11:

Professor $111,329 $114,113 $116,509 

Associate professor 91,020 93,296 95,255 

Assistant professor 70,940 71,714 73,220

Senior lecturer 63,933 65,532 66,908

Lecturer 59,433 60,918 62,197

Average full- and part-time staff salary 11:

Exempt staff $64,283 $65,890 $67,274 

Non-exempt staff 12 45,646 46,787 47,770

All staff 51,529 52,817 53,926

____________________________________

NOTE: Data for fiscal year 2014 are actual, while data for fiscal years 2015 and 2016 are estimated.

1 Tuition rate increases are proposed by NTID annually. However, through an agreement with the Department, the 

increase may not exceed 10 percent in any given year. NTID is proposing a 3.9-percent increase in graduate tuition

for fiscal year 2016. 2 Graduate students are charged a 10-percent surcharge above the tuition rate for undergraduate students. 3 A tuition surcharge of 100 percent for international students is required by the authorizing statute; however, the 

Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 provides that NTID may develop a sliding scale model to reduce the 

surcharge, with different surcharge levels set depending on student need and whether the student’s country of origin 

is considered developed or developing. 

 4 Excludes expenses related to sponsored and other research, public services, auxiliary enterprises, and 

construction. 

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 5 Excludes expenses related to sponsored and other research, public services, auxiliary enterprises, construction, 

and student support services such as audiology, speech, remedial English, and psychological services. It also 

excludes portions of the cost of admissions, placement, instructional media, and some other administrative categories 

that address unique aspects of NTID's mission.

 6 Excludes interpreter training program students, international students, and MSSE students.

 7 Includes students who obtain a certificate, diploma, or associate degree, including graduates who are 

transferring into RIT to pursue an undergraduate degree.

 8 Counts are taken as of October of each fiscal year. 9 Includes administrators and researchers who have faculty rank. 10 Faculty/student ratios do not include RIT faculty who teach the 46 percent of NTID’s students enrolled in RIT 

courses or RIT faculty teaching NTID students in pre-baccalaureate programs.

 11 FY 2014 salaries are actual and FY 2015 and FY 2016 salaries assume a 2.5 percent increase from the previous 

year. All salaries are in actual dollars and not thousands of dollars.

 12 Includes interpreters, C-print operators, clerical, and technical staff.

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 2016 and future years, and the resources and efforts invested by those served by this 

program.

Goal: To provide deaf and hearing students in undergraduate programs and professional 

studies with state-of-the-art technical and professional education programs, undertake a 

program of applied research; share National Technical Institute for the Deaf expertise, 

and expand outside sources of revenue.

Objective: Maximize the number of students successfully completing a program of study.

Measure: The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking sub-baccalaureate and 

baccalaureate students who were in their first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous 

year and are enrolled in the current year.

Year

Sub-Baccalaureate

Target

Baccalaureate

Target

Sub-Baccalaureate

Actual

Baccalaureate

Actual

2011 70% 85% 70% 88%

2012 70 85 67 86

2013 70 85 68 91

2014 70 85

2015 70 85

2016 70 85

Additional Information: This measure, which was added in fiscal year 2008, is used to gauge 

the persistence of first-time, full-time students from the fall semester of their freshmen year to 

the fall semester of their sophomore year. RIT submits data to the Integrated Postsecondary 

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Education Data System (IPEDS) on its students, including NTID students who are in RIT 

programs. However, it does not break out data separately for NTID students in RIT programs. 

The data for this measure are calculated using the same IPEDS methodology as used by other 

postsecondary education programs funded by the Department. The data will allow for 

comparative analyses between NTID, Gallaudet University, and other higher education 

programs. 

Comparisons with IPEDS data for 2-year public and private higher education institutions indicate 

that NTID's persistence rate of 68 percent for sub-baccalaureate students is comparable or 

higher than the rates for these institutions. Two-year public colleges have an average 

persistence rate of 58 percent, and 2-year private colleges have a persistence rate of 

67 percent. 

NTID's baccalaureate student persistence rate of 91 percent is considerably higher than those 

of other 4-year public and private colleges. For example, IPEDS data show an average 

persistence rate of 73 percent for both 4-year public colleges and 4-year private colleges. The 

Department will consider adjusting targets in 2015 for 2016 and beyond.

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

and baccalaureate students who graduate within 150 percent of the program-based length of 

time. 

Year

Sub-Baccalaureate

Target

Baccalaureate

Target

Sub-Baccalaureate

Actual

Baccalaureate

Actual

2011 26% 60% 46% 66%

2012 27 61 41 62

2013 35 62 42 70

2014 36 63

2015 37 64

2016 38 65

Additional Information: This measure was added in fiscal year 2008 in order to obtain data 

that are consistent with the methodology used by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data 

System (IPEDS) and other Department programs to measure graduation. Program-based length 

of time refers to the stated number of years to complete a degree. Generally, an associate 

degree program is 2 years, and a baccalaureate degree program is 4 years. However, some of 

RIT’s programs include a requirement for an additional internship year. In this case, the 

program-based length of time for a sub-baccalaureate degree may be 3 years and 

baccalaureate degree 5 years. As such, the program-based length of time may be 2, 3, 4, or 5 

years, depending on the program. 

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An IPEDS analysis of public and private not-for-profit 2-year institutions indicated graduation 

rates of 31 percent for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking students within 150 percent 

of normal time to completion; NTID has a higher sub-baccalaureate graduation rate of 

42 percent. IPEDS data indicate that four-year public colleges have an average graduation rate 

of 45 percent and four-year private colleges have an average graduation rate of 53 percent.

NTID has a higher baccalaureate graduation rate of 70. Given NTID’s performance, the 

Department revised targets starting in 2013 and will reconsider targets in 2015 for 2016 and 

beyond.

Measure: The percentages of graduates 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

Employed

Target

Advanced Ed

Target

Neither

Target

Employed

Actual

Advanced Ed

Actual

Neither

Actual

2011 57% 35% 8% 45% 44% 11%

2012 47 45 8 46 46 8

2013 47 45 8 58 32 10

2014 47 45 8

2015 47 45 8

2016 47 45 8

Additional Information: For fiscal year 2013, NTID reported that 58 percent of the graduates 

in that year were employed during their first year after graduation, 32 percent were in advanced 

education or training, and 10 percent were not in the workforce or engaged in advanced 

education or training, a minor decrease from 2013. Any graduate who was simultaneously 

employed and in advanced education or training was placed into the one category that best 

described their status.

Efficiency Measures

Objective: Improve the efficiency of operations at NTID as defined by the cost per successful 

student outcome, where the successful outcome is graduation.

Measure: Total Federal cost per NTID graduate. 

Year Target Actual

2011 $201,230 $205,900

2012 205,657 172,000

2013 209,564 146,000

2014 213,755 183,300

2015 218,030

2016 222,827

Additional Information: The measure is calculated by averaging the Federal appropriation for 

a particular year and the previous 5 years, and dividing the figure by the number of graduates 

for that school year. Federal student aid, vocational rehabilitation payments, other Federal 

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support for students, Federal grants and contracts, and construction funds are not included in 

this calculation. This measure focuses on graduates because it is a key program outcome for 

NTID. The Department plans to investigate how much of the variation can be explained by 

funding levels and what measures, if any, can be taken to lessen the measure’s inconsistency.

Given recent performance, the Department will reconsider targets for 2016 and beyond in 2015.

Measure: Total educational cost per NTID graduate. 

Year Target Actual

2011 $241,882 $246,400

2012 247,203 206,100

2013 251,800 176,900

2014 256,836 224,000

2015 261,973

2016 267,737

Additional Information: The measure is calculated by averaging the total annual student 

expenditures for a particular year and the previous 5 years, and dividing the figure by the 

number of graduates for that school year. Graduates include students receiving certificates, 

diplomas, associates degrees, baccalaureate degrees, and master's degrees. The cost is 

composed of the total program budget excluding expenditures associated with research, public 

services, auxiliary enterprises, and construction. This measure looks at the total cost of 

educating a student at NTID as an indication of how efficiently the University operates. 

Both efficiency measures use existing cost data reported to the Department as part of NTID’s 

budget submission. The increase in efficiency in 2012 and 2013 can be attributed in part to a 

record number of graduates over that time period, coupled with NTID’s internal budget reduction 

efforts in anticipation of Federal spending cuts. In fiscal year 2015, the Department will continue 

its discussion with NTID about how best to use these measures as a basis for examining the 

cost per student, the subcomponents of the expenditures, and whether efficiencies can be 

achieved. The Department also will use IPEDS data to look at cost components of similarly 

sized Carnegie Level IV institutions as a basis for comparison. 

The Department reached an agreement with NTID on a methodology that accounts for future 

inflation by using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) with the goal of limiting increases on the 

Federal cost per graduate and the total cost per graduate to less than those of the CPI. As 

updated information becomes available on the projected inflation rate for the next fiscal year 

and outyears, the targets will be adjusted accordingly. Given recent performance, the 

Department plans to reconsider targets for 2016 and beyond in 2015.

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Other Performance Information

NTID has entered into a three-way partnership with Cornell University and the Social Security 

Administration (SSA) to track the educational and professional attainment of deaf and hard-ofhearing students who applied to NTID from 1965 to the present. The study anonymously links 

SSA records data to applicant files. The initial findings suggested that NTID alumni earned 

more and were employed at a higher rate than the deaf and hard-of-hearing NTID applicants 

who were either denied admission or withdrew. NTID graduates also made use of 

Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance less than students who 

withdrew from NTID. Cornell researchers have also used these data to look at the factors that 

determine both educational success and SSA program outcomes.

NTID has partnered with the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, and 

Cornell University to further analyze available data and determined that, on average, NTID 

graduates fare better than their deaf or hard-of-hearing peers at ages 40 and 50, as detailed in 

the tables below.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing 

individuals at age 40

Participate in 

Supplemental 

Security Income

Participate in Social 

Security Disability 

Insurance

NTID associate degree graduates <2% 28%

NTID bachelor degree graduates 18%

NTID students who withdrew from NTID 8% 35%

Non-NTID college graduates 5% 20%

Deaf and hard-of-hearing 

individuals at age 50 Report Earnings Median Salary

NTID graduates with bachelor degrees 78% $58,000

NTID graduates with associate degrees 73% $41,000

NTID students who withdrew from NTID 58% $34,000

Non-NTID college graduates 69% $21,000

The Department conducted a one-day on-site monitoring visit review of NTID on 

May 21, 2013. The goal of the monitoring visit was to review NTID’s use of its annual Federal 

appropriation to provide “a residential facility for postsecondary technical training and education 

for individuals who are deaf in order to prepare them for successful employment,” as required by 

Section 111 of the Education of the Deaf Act, as amended (EDA), 20 U.S.C. § 4331, and other 

relevant requirements.

Topics covered during the on-site monitoring visit included inquiries about NTID’s activities to 

implement its Strategic Decisions 2020, General Education Studies requirements and addition 

of associate degree programs, a proposed pilot program in partnership with Monroe Community 

College to offer associate degree programs in health care, recent Social Security Administration 

data analysis on earnings of NTID’s graduates, and NTID’s GPRA performance measures.

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NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

National Technical Institute for the Deaf

The Department issued a letter summarizing the results of the monitoring visit, including followup requests, on October 23, 2013. The Department asked NTID to keep the Department fully 

informed of the institution’s activities and implications for the Federal program throughout the 

Strategic Decisions 2020 implementation process, its efforts to reduce certain expenditures and 

better utilize RIT services paid for through overhead charges, and its work with Monroe 

Community College to pilot a joint program in health care for NTID students.

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