Welcome to The Learning Center for the Deaf!
For more than 55 years, TLC has been a place where deaf and hard of hearing children and adults can learn, grow, connect, and discover what is possible when they have meaningful access to language, education, opportunity, and community.
Our mission is clear: to ensure that deaf and hard of hearing children and adults thrive by having the knowledge, opportunity, and power to design the future of their choice. That mission shapes everything we do—from our schools and clinical programs to our family supports, community services, partnerships, and advocacy.
What makes TLC special is not simply the breadth of what we offer. It is the community we have built together.
At TLC, ASL is more than a language. It is a foundation for connection, learning, identity, and belonging. We are proud to foster an ASL-rich, bilingual-bicultural environment where communication is accessible, Deaf culture is celebrated, and individuals are encouraged to discover their strengths, advocate for themselves, pursue their goals, and lead.
We know that access changes what is possible. When children have a strong language foundation, they are better positioned to learn and build relationships. When young people are given opportunities to explore their interests, develop independence, and envision their futures, they are better prepared to shape those futures. And when adults and families have access to the services, resources, and community they need, they can move forward with greater confidence and possibility.
But when I think about what I love most about TLC, my answer is simple: our people.
Our students and clients bring curiosity, determination, creativity, and ambition to everything they do. Our families trust us to be partners in their journeys. Our staff bring remarkable expertise, compassion, and commitment to their work every day. Our alumni carry the spirit of TLC into communities across the country and beyond. Our donors, volunteers, and partners believe in this mission and help us extend our reach and our impact.
Together, these people are what make TLC more than a collection of programs. We are a community.
You can feel that community in our classrooms and hallways, on our athletic fields, in our residential programs, in the relationships formed between staff and families, and in the accomplishments of the people we serve. You can see it in the confidence of a student discovering a new strength, the pride of a family watching their child succeed, and the determination of an adult pursuing a new goal.
As we look toward the future, we are building on more than five decades of experience while continuing to ask important questions: What do our students, clients, families, and communities need next? How can we expand access and opportunity? How can we continue to lead in Deaf education and services? And how can we ensure that TLC remains a place where people can imagine a future that is truly their own—and have the support to make it happen?
I am honored to be part of that work.
Whether you are exploring educational options for your child, seeking services, considering a partnership, reconnecting with TLC, or discovering us for the first time, I invite you to learn more about who we are and what we do.
Better yet, come visit us. Walk through our campus. Meet our students and staff. Experience the energy, connection, and sense of possibility that make TLC so unique.
We would be honored to welcome you.
Together, we are creating a future where deaf and hard of hearing children and adults have the knowledge, opportunity, and power to design the future of their choice.
With warmth and gratitude,
Dr. Sarah Glenn-Smith
CEO
