Mississippi Assistants (Support Personnel) Requirements

The following information includes audiology and speech-language pathology assistants and support personnel requirements in educational and other practice settings. The information is reviewed on an annual basis. Please be advised that regulations and policy may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.

Speech Language Pathology

School Setting Requirements

Speech associates receive a five-year renewable standard license from the Department of Education.
Bachelor’s degree program from an accredited institution in speech pathology, communication disorders, or speech and hearing sciences and a 21 ACT or SAT equivalent or achieve A qualifying passing score on the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exam as established by the State Board of Education.
The bachelor’s level speech associate must be supervised by a master’s level fully certified Speech/Language Clinician.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Speech-language pathology aides must be 18 years old and have the minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent.
Speech-language pathology aides must register with the Department of Health.
A licensed speech-language pathologist may not supervise more than three aides.
The supervising licensee must institute a training program and must directly supervise the first five hours the aide works with clients, afterwards the supervisor must directly observe the aide during 20% of the time that the aide works with clients per week.
Aides must wear appropriate identification and written consent is required of clients being served.

Audiology

School Setting Requirements

Audiology support personnel are not currently regulated in Mississippi schools.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Audiology aides must be 18 years old and have the minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent.
Audiology aides must register with the Department of Health.
A licensed audiologist may not supervise more than three aides.
The supervising licensee must institute a training program and must directly supervise the first five hours the aide works with clients, afterwards the supervisor must directly observe the aide during 20% of the time that the aide works with clients per week.
Aides must wear appropriate identification and written consent is required of clients being served.

Resources

For further information on laws and regulations for speech-language pathology and audiology support personnel in educational and other practice settings, please visit this website:

Department of Education: Guidelines for Mississippi Educator Licensure K-12