SLP-A Comments on Proposed Regulatory Action

Background:  Marie Owens (mowens@nkcps.k12.va.us) is a SLP-CCC and Heidi Dellert (hdellert@nkcps.k12.va.us) has a Bachelor’s degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology with a TSHH (Teacher of Speech and Hearing Handicapped).  Marie has twenty five years of experience and Heidi has twenty years of experience in this field.

Ideas to be considered in proposal:

• Education.  In our opinion a bachelor’s degree is necessary for the capacity in which we have utilized the SLP-A position.  The SLP-A has a unique skill set which, if utilized in a productive manner, can increase the productivity and efficiency of the speech team dramatically. If an SLP-CCC was to utilize an assistant to merely execute administrative tasks, it would be a waste of a manning resource.

• Responsibilities.  Ultimately these are at the discretion of the SLP-CCC. For New Kent Elementary School, SLP-A responsibilities have included:

~Hearing and kindergarten screenings

~Selective (usually articulation and language based) direct therapy

~Administrative duties (typing IEP outlines, making copies, constructing therapy schedules, scheduling meetings)

~Recording progress in cum files  

~Recording data when taking fluency or intelligibility counts

~Taking data in a small articulation groups to maximize the therapy time

~Obtaining updates on consultative students from classroom teachers, IEP information (recent grades, SOL scores, etc.), scheduling meetings, etc.

• Location/Proximity.  We initially began in different buildings and both agree that it is very important not only to be in the same building but to be in close proximity in that building.

• Disclosure.   We mail an informational letter at the beginning of each year to parents/guardians of all speech therapy students that clearly states the background and education of the SLP-CCC and SLP-A.

Cost/Benefits:

• We feel that SLP-A’s are a financial “bargain” for school districts.  They can be hired for a substantially lower salary than a SLP-CCC and help to reduce the workload and allow execution of therapy to be done efficiently while maintaining a high caseload.

Potential impacts of the regulation:

• Several positive impacts (costing and reduction of workload, as mentioned above) are potential positive results.
• A potential negative impact could result in compromised quality of therapy if not strictly regulated by the supervising SLP-CCC.