School for Oral Deaf Education

School Mission

Presbyterian Ear Institute School for Oral Deaf Education (PEIOS) is a non-profit organization that exists to provide an early childhood educational program for children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing, or have speech-language delays with typical hearing, and typical peers, in which students listen, learn, and speak without the use of manual signs. We strive to provide a stimulating learning environment in which children can grow socially, emotionally, linguistically and academically

Presbyterian Ear Institute School for Oral Deaf Education is dedicated in providing:

• A focus on children talking and talking well.
• A unique organizational structure that promotes independence and learning to talk.
• Maximum access to sound through hearing aids and cochlear implants.
• Objective driven, consistent, individualized instruction, combined with high expectations and high standards instruction.
• A focus on pre-academic and academic subjects.

Balancing our students' socio-emotional skills, fine and gross motor abilities, and cognitive development with targeted and specific instruction is our goal for each student. Our teachers are qualified, professionals including oral-deaf educators, speech/language pathologists, and early childhood educators.

About our School Program

Presbyterian Ear Institute School for Oral Deaf Education offers a unique program, for children 18 months to 6 years. We focus on developing listening and spoken language skills in a fun and engaging learning environment. Students receive individualized and small group instruction in 30-minute increments. They engage in typical preschool activities including circle time, art activities, center-based play, and phonemic awareness skill development. Moreover, our school offers an innovative teaching plan for children with any type of hearing loss, who use hearing aids and/or cochlear implants and provides a curriculum individualized to meet the specific needs of each child.

Since 1987, PEI's School for Oral Deaf Education continues to be the only school of its kind whose goal is to help deaf and hard-of-hearing children hear and speak at a level comparable to typical hearing children in mainstream school. Because of our staff is highly trained in teaching speech and language to d/hh children whose skills were delayed, we realized that typical hearing children with delays in speech and language could also benefit from enrollment in the school program.

Small class sizes and low ratios, combined with licensed early childhood educators, oral deaf educators, and speech language pathologists trained in oral deaf education, PEI's School for Oral Deaf Education ensures active student participation and high motivation. Our goal is to help all our students to develop their speech, language, audition, academic, and social skills to a level that will bring them success in a mainstream classroom setting and in the larger hearing and speaking world.

Who do we serve

We enroll children between the ages of 18 months and 6 years who are deaf or hard of hearing and whose families are interested in the Listening and Spoken Language Model and children between the ages of 3 and 6 years who have speech and language delays. We welcome students with typically developing language skills to be included as peer models in our classrooms.

When is our School in session

Our Toddler and Pre-School programs are offered full day, five days per week with school beginning in August and ending in June.

2026-2027 Calendar

Why choose PEIOS for your d/hh child or child with speech/ language delays?

Did you know that:

Permanent hearing loss occurs more than any other condition screened at birth 64% of d/hh New Mexican’s are unemployed/ underemployed On average d/hh children graduate at a 4th grade reading level Only 8% of d/hh students graduate from college 1/3 of d/hh New Mexican’s are on some type of public assistance for life Only 1% of the world is fluent in sign language making it difficult for signers to achieve adult literacy because English is a phonetically based system

Through our comprehensive programs, we create an improved ability for d/hh children to participate fully in life – socially and academically. Our students learn age-appropriate social language skills, i.e. understanding expressions, taking turns when speaking, and recognizing that different tones of voice have different meanings. We teach vocabulary, grammar and language structure to gain critical life skills, like reading, writing and speaking, as well as social/ emotional skills needed to participate in society. Students develop a solid foundation as oral communicators allowing them to be self-sufficient, develop strong reasoning skills and expanded relationships. Graduates of PEI's programs typically have communication and language skills equal to their hearing peers by the time they enter mainstream education in kindergarten or 1st grade. They have a better chance to attain adult literacy levels, communicate with their families in their home language; compete with hearing peers in school; pursue higher education and qualify for more job opportunities because they can hear and speak!

Because our school focuses on listening and speaking, we strive for our children to overcome these staggering statistics. In partnership with NM Public Education Department’s (PED) Striving Reader’s Comprehensive Literacy Program, PEI places a strong focus on literacy and teaching children the basic fundamentals needed for advanced reading skills. We teach our children to learn to read so that they can read to learn during their academic career.

Additionally, PEI is unique provider with New Mexico Department of Health’s (DOH) Family, Infant, Toddler (FIT) Program for deaf and hard-of-hearing children 0-3 years of age. Our speech and school services can be added to your child’s care plan (IFSP) for IDEA Part C. PEI School for Oral Deaf Education is part of the FOCUS program with the Early Childhood Education and Care Department (ECECD) of the state of New Mexico. The New Mexico Early Learning Guidelines: Birth through Kindergarten are integrated into the school curriculum. PEIOS is also a licensed NM Pre-K provider.

Tuition

While PEI is tuition based, children ages 0-4 attend our programs FREE of charge, thanks to funding from the New Mexico Family Infant Toddler Program (FIT) and the New Mexico Pre-K Program. New Mexico Pre-K offers tuition free enrollment for 3 and 4 year olds who turn 3 or 4 on or before September 1. Students ages 5 and 6, have access to scholarships and tuition assistance opportunities provided to our families through PEI's fundraising events and generous donors to our programs. Tuition is determined on a sliding scale based on individual family need. For more information about tuition at PEI, please contact Executive Director, Seema LaGree at SLagree@peiabq.org or call 505-224-7020 to schedule an appointment

New Mexico's Universal Child Care program helps make high-quality early childhood education and care more accessible and affordable for families. Through a combination of state-funded child care assistance, free pre-kindergarten, and expanded early learning opportunities, the program supports children from birth through age five while helping parents work, attend school, or pursue job training. By investing in early childhood education, New Mexico aims to strengthen school readiness, support working families, and improve long-term outcomes for children across the state.

Application and Enrollment

Call us today at 505-224-7020 or schedule a tour of our school. We encourage you to come see how children are using the most advanced technologies to open up the endless possibilities of the speaking and hearing world around them.

PEIOS enrolls children into our comprehensive educational programs throughout the year.

We are currently accepting applications for our NM Pre-K program for the 26/27 school year. Please contact our Principal, Elizabeth Finley, M.S., CCC-SLP at efinley@peiabq.org or call 505-224-7020 to learn more about our application process.

PEIOS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational programs.