Kendall Demonstration Elementary School
“Connect with the world leader in deaf education. Because our kids deserve it.”
“World leader in deaf education”
Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (KDES) is a federally chartered school for deaf and hard-of-hearing students serving preschool through 8th grade. KDES operates on the Gallaudet University campus at 800 Florida Avenue NE in Trinidad / Northeast, Ward 5, as part of Gallaudet's Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.
Federally chartered
KDES and its sister middle/high school MSSD (Model Secondary School for the Deaf) were established by Congress as demonstration schools — model programs whose mission is to develop and disseminate best practices in deaf education nationally. Tuition is fully federally funded for eligible students.
Bilingual ASL-English instruction
Instruction at KDES is bilingual in American Sign Language (ASL) and English:
- Deaf and hearing teachers use ASL as the primary instructional language
- English literacy is developed alongside ASL fluency
- Students develop biliterate capacity from preschool onward
This model serves deaf students who would otherwise face limited language access in mainstream classrooms — a model used at relatively few schools nationally.
Programs
- Standard academic core (literacy, math, science, social studies, arts) delivered in ASL-English bilingual format
- Educational technology integration designed for deaf students (visual cues, captioning, video resources)
- Co-located with Gallaudet University — students benefit from proximity to the world's only deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-focused university
Admissions
Open to DC residents who are deaf or hard-of-hearing ages 18 months through 8th grade. Eligibility based on hearing status and audiological evaluation. No tuition for qualifying DC students. Some out-of-state students attend via tuition arrangements with their home districts.
Contact and resources
- Phone: (202) 250-2761
- School website: kdes.gallaudet.edu
- Parent organization: clerccenter.gallaudet.edu
- Gallaudet University: gallaudet.edu
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KDES nurtures the whole deaf or hard-of-hearing child through an inclusive, fully bilingual ASL/English environment.
Visit official website →- ✓Tuition-free — federally funded under the Education of the Deaf Act
- ✓100% of teachers are bilingual in ASL and English
- ✓1:5 staff-to-student ratio for highly individualized instruction
- ✓Free bus transportation within 15 miles of the U.S. Capitol
- ✓Free breakfast and lunch for all students
- ✓Free audiological services (cochlear implants, hearing aids)
- ✓Free ASL classes for families
- ✓Parent-Infant Program serves families from birth
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