Department of Education

GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

Fiscal Year 2018 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

L-1

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, $121,044,000: 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 2017 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the budget was prepared; therefore, 

the budget assumes this account is operating under the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 114–254). 

The amounts included for 2017 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 which 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 2016

2017 

Annualized CR 2018

Discretionary appropriation:

Discretionar y Appropriation.......................................................... $121,275 0 $121,044

Discretionar y Annualized CR (P.L. 115-31).................................. 0 $121,044 0

Discretionar y Total, discretionary appropriation..................... 121,275 121,044 121,044
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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L-4

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2017

Authorized

2017 

Annualized CR

2018

Authorized

2018

Request

University programs (EDA l-A) 01 $121,044 To be determined1 $121,044

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

Construction (EDA l-103) 0

1

0 To be determined1 0

Endowment grant (EDA ll-207) 0

1 (2) To be determined1 (2)

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

Total appropriation 121,044 121,044

Portion of the request subject to reauthorization 121,044

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2015. Reauthorizing legislation is sought for fiscal year 2018. 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

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Appropriations History 

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate 

Allowance Footnote AppropriationFootnote

2009 $119,384 $119,3841 $124,0001 $124,000

2010 120,000 120,000 126,0002 123,000

2011 118,000 123,0003 128,0002 122,7544

2012 118,000 122,7545 125,7545 125,516

2013 117,541 125,5166 125,0006 118,951

2014 117,541 N/A7 118,5412 119,000

2015 119,000 N/A7 121,5508 120,275

2016 120,275 121,2759 120,2759 121,275

2017 121,275 121,27510 121,27510 121,27510

2018 121,044

1 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular 2009 appropriations bill, 

which proceeded in the 110th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and the Senate 

Committee. 

2 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Committee action only. 3 The level for the House allowance reflects the House-passed full-year continuing resolution. 4 The level for the appropriation reflects the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing 

Appropriations Act (P.L. 112-10) passed April 15, 2011. 5 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill; the level for the Senate allowance reflects 

Senate Committee action only. 6 The level 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. 7 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action. 8 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

9 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. 10 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriation bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

Gallaudet University

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Gallaudet University

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

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2018 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

2017

Annualized CR

2017 

Appropriation 2018

Change from

Annualized CR

$121,044 $121,275 $121,044 0

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

2018.

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, development, and training programs in visual language and learning, 

access to communication for deaf and hard of hearing people, genetics, and technology 

assessment. 
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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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 new partnership with the Maryland State 

Department of Education (MSDE) to focus on the continued provision of state-level, standardsbased 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.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2013..............................................................................$118,9511

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

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

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

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

1 Includes $7.56 million for construction.

FY 2018 BUDGET REQUEST

The Administration requests $121 million in fiscal year 2018 for Gallaudet University (University) 

to help strengthen educational and employment opportunities for persons who are deaf or hard 

of hearing through support for University programs and the Clerc Center. The request for the 

University is the same as the fiscal year 2017 annualized Continuing Resolution (CR) level. The 

Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2017, provided $121.3 million for this program. 

The funds will be used to maintain a wide range of operations and programs, serving the 

approximately 1,800 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at the University and the 

280 elementary and secondary education students enrolled in Clerc Center programs. 

Program Operations

In 2016, the Federal Government provided $121.3 million to Gallaudet for the operation of the 

University and the Clerc Center. The Federal appropriation represented approximately 

70 percent of the total 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 

appropriation 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 2018.

These figures understate the true percentage of funding that comes from the Federal 

Government, because the figure the University uses for non-Federal revenue includes interest 

from the Federal Endowment Grant program and revenue from Federal grants and contracts. 

Additionally, University students receive funding from Federal student aid programs and Federal 

vocational rehabilitation programs. 

In addition, 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, but currently 

employs 932 employees, and expects to reduce that level to 921 full-time employees by the end 

of fiscal year 2017 and maintain that number through 2018. Given these factors, the request 

provides sufficient funds to maintain all operations and programs.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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Enrollment trends

Gallaudet University

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 

declined by 5 percent, from 1,870 to 1,774. The Administration acknowledges the cost of 

educating students at Gallaudet has increased over this period, stemming, in part, from the 

increased costs associated with providing the interpreting services required by internship 

placements and the increasing numbers of newly enrolled students who require communication 

access services in the classroom. However, the per student cost increase is partially offset by 

the continued declining enrollment at the University.

Total postsecondary enrollment at Gallaudet (which includes full- and part-time degree-seeking 

and non-degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students) increased 6 percent between 

fiscal years 2016 and 2017, from 1,670 to 1,774. During this same time, full-time degreeseeking 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.

Gallaudet implemented the Hearing Undergraduate Students (HUGS) pilot program 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, and the 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 fall 2016 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.

Clerc Center

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.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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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, 2016, the value of the Federal Endowment Grant Program corpus, including 

Federal, private, and reinvested funds, was $73.6 million. The University has not indicated that 

it intends to use any of its appropriation to match Endowment Grant funds in fiscal year 2018. 

Other Revenue

Besides the direct Federal appropriation, which provided 70 percent of the institution’s revenue 

in fiscal year 2016, 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 2015-2016, Gallaudet students 

received approximately $11.4 million in vocational rehabilitation payments and $11.6 million in 

Federal student financial aid, including $3.2 million in Pell Grants. The University received 

approximately $3 million in grants and contracts in fiscal year 2015 and anticipates receiving 

approximately the same amount in fiscal years 2017 and 2018. 

Research

Gallaudet University values research as a key component of the institution’s 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 2016, the 

University received approximately $4 million in sponsored research funding; 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 2017 and 2018 and allocating approximately the same amount of the Federal 

appropriation to research. 
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES 

Output Measures: 2016

2017

Annualized CR 2018

Total revenues (dollars in thousands):

Total revenues ( doll ars i n thousands): University programs $149,782 $144,754 $145,684

Total revenues ( doll ars i n thousands): Clerc Center programs 31,482 31,946 31,946

Total revenues ( doll ars i n thousands): Total 181,284 176,700 177,630

Annual tuition and fees (in whole dollars):

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Base Tuition $15,078 $15,530 $15,996

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Room 7,080 7,364 7,658

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Board 5,550 5,840 6,132

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

Annual tuiti on and fees (in whole dollars): Total 28,234 29,260 30,312

International student surcharge, non-developing 

country 15,078 15,530 15,996

International student surcharge, developing 

country 7,539 7,765 7,998

Graduate student surcharge 1,518 1,564 1,612

Additional surcharge for international graduate 

students, non-developing country 3,036 3,128 3,224

Additional surcharge for international graduate 

students, developing country 1,518 1,564 1,612

Federal appropriation as a percent of total 

revenues

70%1 70%1 70%1

Estimated average cost per student $64,5462 $66,4822 $68,4772

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. Amounts from 

the appropriation that Gallaudet sets aside for the Federal Endowment Grant program are excluded from 

the revenue calculation. Appropriations for construction are also excluded. 

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 2016, 2017, and 2018. 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: 2016

2017

Annualized CR 2018

Program enrollment:

Program enroll ment:Number of full-time degreeseeking undergraduates 959 1,081 1,130

Program enroll ment: Number of non-degree & parttime undergraduate students 4161 3961 3891

Program enroll ment: Number of full-time and parttime graduate students 295 297 298

Program enroll ment:Total 1,670 1,774 1,817

International students (in degree 

and non-degree programs) 177 154 151

International student percentage 10.6% 8.7% 8.3%

Hearing undergraduate students 97 114 98

Model Secondary School for the 

Deaf (MSSD) students 166 175 175

Kendall Demonstration Elementary 

School (KDES) students 106 115 115

Research:

Sponsored research funding 

(dollars in thousands) $4,0002 $4,000 $4,000

Appropriated research (dollars 

in thousands) $2,500 $2,500 $2,500

Gallaudet research 

publications 75 70 70

Student/faculty ratios:

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

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

Student/faculty r ati os: KDES 4:1 5:1 5:1

Number of employees:

Number of empl oyee s:Permanent positions 888 877 877

Number of empl oyees: Temporary 12 5 5

Number of empl oyees: Grant or revenue supported 32 39 39

NOTE: All data are provided by the University. 

1 This category includes all students not counted in IPEDS, including full- and part-time students enrolled 

in continuing education, the English Language Institute, and online courses, and non-degree seeking 

students.

2 The University did not provide an actual total for sponsored research funding for fiscal year 2016. This 

is an estimate.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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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 2018 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.

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

2013 73% 69% 77% 83%

2014 74 67 77 79

2015 75 67 80 84

2016 75 80 80 84

2017 75 (October 2017) 80 (October 2017)

2018 75 (October 2018) 80 (October 2018)

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.
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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

graduate within 6 years of enrollment.

Year Target Actual

2013 35% 47%

2014 39 46

2015 40 46

2016 42 43

2017 45 (October 2017) 

2018 45 (October 2018)

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. The 

University’s 2010-2015 Strategic Plan originally identified a goal for improving the graduation 

rate of undergraduate students to 50 percent by fiscal year 2015. In an effort to get closer to 

this goal rate, targets for fiscal years 2013 through 2018 were raised. 

Measure: The graduation rate for Master’s students. 

Year Target Actual

2013 74% 75%

2014 74 81

2015 74 83

2016 74 76

2017 74 (October 2017)

2018 74 (October 2018)

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

2013

2014 65% 72%

2015 65 73

2016 65 79

2017 65 (October 2017)

2018 TBD (October 2018)

Additional information: The Center, with the Department’s approval, has recently decided to 

replace the 2-year cumulative senior graduation rate with a 4-year adjusted cohort graduation 

rate, based on first-time 9th grade cohorts, including students who transfer in and subtracting 
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

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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 79 percent in 2016. 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 has identified targets 

accordingly through 2017 and is currently working with the University to set targets for 2018 and 

beyond.

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

2013 50% 59% 45% 38% 5% 3%

2014 50 77 45 19 5 4

2015 53 67 45 27 2 7

2016 53 (Oct 2017) 45 (Oct 2017) 2 (Oct 2017)

2017 53 (Oct 2018) 45 (Oct 2018) 2 (Oct 2018)

2018 53 (Oct 2019) 45 (Oct 2019) 2 (Oct 2019)

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.
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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

2013 100% 76% 0 24%

2014 100 93 0 7

2015 100 83 0 17

2016 100 (Oct 2017) 0 (Oct 2017)

2017 100 (Oct 2018) 0 (Oct 2018)

2018 100 (Oct 2019) 0 (Oct 2019)

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. For 2015, the data indicate that 

within 1 year of graduation, 83 percent of MSSD graduates were either employed, enrolled in 

postsecondary education, or both, while 17 percent of MSSD graduates were 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. Unfortunately, the 

small number of MSSD annual graduates impacts the response rate, limiting the usefulness of 

this data. Specifically, the number of responding 2013 graduates was 29 of 37, a rate of 

78 percent. Of the 45 graduates of 2014, 30 responded—a rate of 67 percent. Consequently, 

small changes can have significant impacts on the confidence level and margin of error of the 

data reported.

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

2013 55 113

2014 55 187

2015 120 77

2016 120 360

2017 140 (Oct 2017)

2018 140 (Oct 2018)

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 
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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 on developing more valid, reliable and meaningful measures related to the 

national mission activities of the Clerc Center as alternatives to this measure. 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 and 2018 targets for the existing measure to make them more 

ambitious. 

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

2013 $253,277 $232,117

2014 258,343 222,140

2015 263,768 238,197

2016 269,307 223,219

2017 269,307 (Jan 2018)

2018 269,307 (Jan 2019)

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 2016 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 2011 to 2016. Gallaudet’s 

Federal cost per graduate decreased by 6 percent in fiscal year 2016. The improvement on this 

measure is a function of the increasing number of graduates each year during this period. 

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. As updated information becomes available regarding the projected 
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inflation rate for the next fiscal year and outlying years, the targets will be adjusted accordingly. 

2017 data will be available in January 2018.

Measure: Total educational cost per Gallaudet graduate.

Year Target Actual

2013 $302,339 $263,927

2014 308,386 250,882

2015 314,862 270,652

2016 321,474 256,199

2017 321,474 (Jan 2018)

2018 321,474 (Jan 2019)

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 2016 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 2011 to 2016. As noted above, Gallaudet has steadily 

improved its performance on this measure since 2012 by graduating an increasing number of 

students each year.

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 and 2018. As 

updated information becomes available regarding the projected inflation rate for the next fiscal 

year and outlying years, the targets will be adjusted accordingly. Fiscal year 2017 data will be 

available in January 2018. 

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 will be transmitting 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. 
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The Department plans to conduct a formal on-site monitoring visit of the Clerc Center in spring 

2017 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.