A school speech-language pathologist (SLP) evaluates and treats students whose speech, language or communication needs get in the way of learning. Most of that work runs through the IEP: the SLP helps decide eligibility, writes communication goals and delivers the service minutes the plan requires.
What a school SLP does
A school speech-language pathologist, or SLP, evaluates and treats students whose speech, language or communication needs get in the way of learning. Most of that work runs through the student's IEP, or Individualized Education Program: the written plan a district must follow under IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
IDEA's regulations name speech-language pathology as a related service (34 CFR 300.34). Speech or language impairment is also a disability category a student can qualify under. So the SLP is often both a service provider and a key evaluator.
A typical week mixes therapy sessions, evaluations, IEP meetings, progress notes and time with teachers. In districts that bill Medicaid, the SLP also documents each session for reimbursement.
Caseload, ages and settings
A caseload is the list of students an SLP serves. Common needs include:
- Speech sounds (articulation and phonology): saying sounds clearly enough to be understood.
- Language: understanding and using words and sentences, following directions and telling a story.
- Social communication: conversation, turn-taking and reading cues.
- Fluency, such as stuttering, and voice.
- AAC, or augmentative and alternative communication: devices, apps or picture systems for students who cannot rely on speech alone.
- Feeding and swallowing, in districts that serve students with those needs.
Students range from preschoolers, starting at age 3, through high school and transition programs. Therapy happens in a therapy room (pull-out), in the classroom (push-in), in special education classrooms or online, at one school or several.
Some states set caseload limits in law or regulation; others leave it to districts. ASHA, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, encourages a workload approach that counts evaluations, meetings and paperwork, not just students.
Evaluations and eligibility
When a concern comes up, the district asks the parent for written consent to evaluate. Under IDEA, the initial evaluation must be completed within 60 days of receiving that consent, or within your state's timeline (34 CFR 300.301).
An SLP evaluation usually combines standardized tests, a language sample, observation and input from teachers and parents. IDEA requires a variety of assessment tools and bars using any single measure as the only basis for a decision (34 CFR 300.304). Tests must be given in the student's native language or other mode of communication unless that is clearly not feasible, which is one reason districts look for bilingual SLPs.
The SLP reports results at the eligibility meeting, and a team that includes the parent decides whether the student qualifies. If so, the meeting to write the IEP must be held within 30 days. Students are reevaluated at least every three years unless the parent and district agree it isn't needed.
IEP goals and service minutes
For each student who qualifies, the SLP drafts measurable annual goals. A goal names a skill, a target and how progress is measured: for example, saying the /r/ sound correctly in sentences in 8 of 10 tries.
The IEP also states the frequency, location and duration of each service (34 CFR 300.320). Many districts call these "IEP minutes," such as 30 minutes twice a week in a small group. The SLP delivers the minutes, logs each session and reports progress on the schedule the IEP sets.
The minutes are a legal commitment. If sessions are missed because the SLP is out or the position is open, the district still owes them, and the IEP team may need to plan compensatory services: extra services to make up for what a student missed.
Working with teachers, families and the team
Much of an SLP's impact comes through other adults. The SLP gives teachers strategies for vocabulary, directions and classroom talk, and may co-teach lessons. In schools that use MTSS, a multi-tiered system of supports, SLPs may help plan early language help before a referral.
The SLP works closely with special education teachers, occupational therapists on AAC access and motor needs, educational audiologists when hearing may be involved, school psychologists on shared evaluations, and paraprofessionals who help students use AAC during the day. With families, the SLP explains results in plain terms, suggests practice at home and talks through progress at IEP meetings.
Credentials: degree, CCC-SLP, state license and supervised roles
A school SLP holds a master's or doctoral degree in speech-language pathology. Under ASHA's 2020 certification standards, the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) requires:
- A graduate program accredited by ASHA's Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA), with 400 hours of supervised clinical practicum, 375 of them in direct client contact.
- A passing score on the Praxis exam in speech-language pathology.
- A clinical fellowship of at least 36 weeks of full-time work (35 hours a week, at least 1,260 hours) or the part-time equivalent, mentored by an SLP who holds the CCC.
The CCC is a national certification, not a license. Each state sets its own rules for school SLPs: a license from the state board, a credential from the state education agency, or both.
Clinical fellows (CFs) have finished graduate school and are completing the fellowship. They carry a caseload under their mentor, and your state may require a provisional or intern license. See clinical fellow staffing. Speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) carry out therapy plans a supervising SLP writes; they do not evaluate students or set IEP goals. ASHA offers an assistant certification (C-SLPA), which some states accept. Supervision rules for both vary by state, so confirm the supervisor and the required supervision before either one starts.
Teletherapy for school SLPs
In teletherapy, the SLP runs live sessions over video while the student is at school. An onsite facilitator, often a paraprofessional, helps students who need support with the device. The SLP can also join IEP meetings by video when the parent and district agree, which IDEA allows (34 CFR 300.328).
It fits some students better than others. The IEP team should weigh each student's age, attention and need for hands-on support. The school needs a quiet room, a reliable connection and a plan for materials.
Licensing still applies: a teletherapy SLP must hold the license or credential the student's state requires, and should check the rules in the state they work from too. See school SLP teletherapy.
How districts staff the SLP role on contract
When a position is open, or a leave or caseload spike leaves a gap, many districts contract an SLP for the school year or semester. The contract SLP works the district's calendar, uses its IEP system and follows its procedures, while the staffing firm is the employer. If the fit is right, the district can extend the contract or hire the SLP directly later.
With MedPoint Partners:
- Send a job description or place a job order with the caseload, ages, campuses and whether teletherapy is an option.
- Get a blinded shortlist in 48 to 72 hours. Every résumé arrives with answers to your screening questions, and candidates are invited to film a short video intro.
- Licenses and certifications, including the CCC and state credential, are checked before a candidate is sent.
- For contract staff, MedPoint is the employer of record: weekly payroll, taxes and workers' comp, on one invoice.
Paste a job description into our school match tool to see a matched candidate, or read more about school SLP staffing.