Bi-Annual DES Education Report | 2024-2025 Grant Cycle

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Confirmed Minimum Reach: 284 students

States Reached: South Carolina, New Jersey, Arizona, Illinois, Missouri 

Educator Support Areas: Curriculum – SEL – Technology – Vocational Readiness

“Our 2024–2025 grantees served complex learners across D/HH, multilingual, and multi-exceptionality profiles—reflecting the true diversity of deaf education today.”

Our grantees supported learners representing the full spectrum of today’s Deaf education system:

• Deaf & Hard of Hearing with additional disabilities
• Multilingual households (ESL)
• Learners of color in urban and high-poverty districts
• Students preparing for transition, self-advocacy, or vocational pathways 

Focus Area & Percentage of Projects

Curriculum & Literacy

50%

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)

25%

Technology Integration

12.5%

Vocational/Transition Readiness

12.5%

These themes emerged consistently across the grant data and educator narratives:

• Increased use of curriculum-aligned materials and Language Ladder tools
• Early literacy and vocabulary gains tied to auditory development strategies
• SEL supports that encouraged self-advocacy and emotional regulation• Successful technology adoption (e.g., visual access, ASL/voice-to-text tools)
• Teachers applying coaching strategies and professional development supports
• Expanded access for multilingual families via translated materials, coaching, and home support 

States: SC, NJ, AZ, IL, and MO.

District Types: 6 large districts, 3 urban, 4 suburban, 1 rural/suburban mix, 1 charter

Settings: Single-classroom, itinerant, multi-classroom, district-wide leadership, vocational learning

DES funding directly supported classrooms and communities with high equity needs:

✓ ESL households

✓ High-poverty districts

✓ Students with multiple exceptionalities

✓ Urban districts with learners of color

What our grantees made possible:

📘 Students accessed grade-level academic content

💬 SEL coaching increased student communication confidence

📷ASL direct from their teachers of the deaf was used in concentrated programs for direct access to language.

🔧 Assistive technology was integrated meaningfully into daily instruction

🎧 Early auditory development tools were successfully implemented

DES continues to bridge classroom tools, equity, and educator development—elevating what is possible for Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners nationwide. Each grant brings us one step closer to shaping pathways where every student can learn, advocate, and lead.