Founded in 1817, the New York School for the Deaf, the second oldest school for the deaf in the United States, is a private non-profit 501(c)3 organization operated in cooperation with the New York State Education Department. The mission of New York School for the Deaf (NYSD) is to maximize the whole person potential of each student through comprehensive, rigorous educational programs and services within a communication and language-rich environment. NYSD is also committed to serve as an exemplary resource in the education of deaf and hard of hearing students. As a community and to achieve its goals, NYSD collaborates with families, school districts, agencies, the deaf community, the educational research community, philanthropic sources and other key stakeholders.