Virginia should regulate SLPAs as per ASHA. We don't need to be inventing some 'Virginia Way'. Regulatory Action should also clarify what term we're using- ASLPs (Assistant SLP) or SLPA (SLP Assistant) - and line up with the ASHA term.

Does this Regulatory Action cover those individuals in the public schools who get hired off a substitute list for 10 extra hours of training by the SLP Coordinator if they are given a title other than SLPA or ASLP, such as Speech Therapist Assistant, Speech Therapist Substitute? At this time, new staff are introduced at SLP meetings and we don't know if they're SLPs or not. Same goes when these 'assistants' are assigned a caseload. Who has the responsibility to tell admin and staff who is in the building- a SLP or a SLPA? Is there any responsibility to inform the parents who's the service provider? Why so covert about this?

In past years, 'assistants, aides, subs' have signed off on IEPs, conducted evals because they were not given written documentation of the limits of their duties.  SLPs assumed they were being supervised by someone else when they may not have had any supervision at all because the SLP Coordinator resigned. No one seems to question what is going on. The OTRs have their act together and make sure to clarify to school personnel when they're in public school buildings who are the OTRs and who are the COTAs and their limitations as well as what 'supervision' looks like, rather than what SLP may be doing, such as a bi-annual email? 'how's it going?" and not telling staff if the person is a SLP, SLPA, aide. SLP supervisors, coordinators should be doing the same as OTRs. Be upfront with the info.

I suspect there is an economic impact, especially on the public schools. Salaried public school staff, with apparently lower salaries than private practice but with steady, predictable hours (and summer flexibility to practice privately or not)  with retirement and health insurance, seem to be on the way out. Contracted personnel are increasing. It also seems there's high turnover so there's no real connection to a school (schools don't want to pay for contractors to be at faculty meetings, department meetings, back to school nights). So in 10 years will the cheaper SLPAs be the main service providers in the public schools with a SLP supervising dozens of them?  Is this a move forward or backward in the practice? As noted in the Regulatory action, supervision by a SLP should be to a limited and specified number of SLPAs.