Kelston Deaf Education Centre (KDEC) is governed by a Board of Trustees whose strategic plan focuses on raising student achievement. Student outcomes are lifted when the Board promotes excellence in staff performance and manages change to ensure that evidence based practice is demonstrated in all areas of operation.

KDEC provides educational programmes and services to Deaf and hearing impaired students throughout the northern half of the North Island of New Zealand. It was opened in 1958 as a residential and day school.
 
Through an Agreement for Service with the Ministry of Education, KDEC is also able to provide:

Residential facilities - up to 23 students can be accepted for residential placement.

Regional mainstream - KDEC employs Resource Teachers of the Deaf (RTD's) throughout the North Island. RTD's work with students who are enrolled in and attend their local school. They may also work with the student's mainstream teacher as well as their family and whanau.

Resource and Technical services - maintenance and repair of hearing aids and assistive devices and development of specialist resources such as in-service courses, multi-media and a range of print based resources.

A licensed pre-school for students from 2 - 5 years of age - the pre-school charter defines eligible children as being Deaf or hearing impaired, Children of Deaf Adults (CODA) or siblings of Deaf children.

One of eight national Residential Special Schools, the day school caters for Deaf and hearing impaired enrolled students from Years 1 to 15. The School operates satellite Deaf unit classes in partner schools in North, West and South Auckland. For each partner school a detailed Memorandum of Understanding is completed; it defines the day to day and medium term working relationship between the schools.

Services are delivered in a complex environment. Staff employed are skilled in adopting collaborative relationships, evidence based practices and ensuring the best possible utlilsation of resources; both human and physical. Of particular note is the need for staff to be able to use, as well as English, New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) as a communication and learning language for students to achieve their maximum potential.

Kelston Deaf Education Centre and staff maintain a close association with the Deaf community.