These comments are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of other members of the Licensure Board for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology.

I strongly oppose these changes.  They will hurt children and parents and help school systems  further delay & deny appropriate services to students.

I strongly oppose the proposed changes to the definition of Autism. I have taught courses in Autism at the graduate level and it is clear to me that the proposed changes would make it easier for schools to deny that a student falls on the Autism Spectrum.

I strongly oppose the changes to the definition of a Hearing Officer and it astounds me that the VDOE would even propose managing them, an OBVIOUS CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

I am a licensed ( in 4 states) speech-language pathologist of 40 years; I earned  the Certificate of Clinical Competence; I am  a Certified Healthcare Compliance Professional working on my Certified Compliance Executive credential; an Expert Witness in ALJudge Hearings for CMS and have been an Expert Witness in  Due Process proceedings. I am married to a Colonel (ret) who has been the Deputy General Counsel for Ethics for the USAF, NAVY, NASA and  Chief Ethics Officer Mid-Atlantic States for Raytheon.   Ethics matters to us; it should matter to the Virginia DOE.