Talking Points to Advocate for...
Salary Supplement and Other Compensation | Utilizing a Caseload/Workload Model to Determine Caseload Size | Talking Points for Recruitment and Retention
Salary Supplement and Other Compensation
Providing a salary supplement for ASHA-certified SLPs would ensure that:
- districts would be more likely to attract highly qualified SLPs;
- SLP vacancies would be reduced or perhaps eliminated; and
- SLPs who meet ASHA's national certification requirements are treated the same way as teachers who hold a certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and who receive additional compensation.
Districts may provide a salary supplement, stipend, or increased compensation for any or all of the following:
- obtaining or maintaining the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) credential
- obtaining or maintaining state licensure
- taking on increased work due to Medicaid billing and paperwork requirements
- engaging in professional development and continuing education
- serving as a mentor to early-career SLPs or ASHA Clinical Fellows
- supervising speech-language pathology assistants (SLPAs) or graduate students
- providing multilingual services
- attending individualized education program (IEP) meetings outside of the contractual day
- providing summer school or after-school programming
Increased IDEA funding to states and local districts could be used to offset the cost of additional compensation, as could Medicaid payments for services provided by ASHA-certified SLPs.
Providing SLPs with salary supplements, stipends, and other compensation increases job satisfaction and enhances recruitment and retention of highly qualified SLPs.
- Districts that offer paid release time or reimbursement for continuing education demonstrate a commitment to quality and ongoing improvement of skills and capabilities.
- Providing access to current technology shows the district’s willingness to streamline workflow and paperwork burden to improve working conditions.
- Hiring additional staff or dedicating the work time of existing staff to help SLPs manage administrative tasks, allows the SLP more time for service delivery, planning, and increased collaboration time with teachers and parents.
Developing a separate salary scale based on attainment of the CCC or a separate scale or lane change that is based on other comparable district schedules, such as those for school psychologists
Talking Points for Utilizing a Workload Model to Determine Caseload Size
Manageable workloads allow SLPs to provide quality services to students; time to collaborate with members of the IEP team, including caregivers; and vary service delivery for optimal student outcomes. For each child who is added to an SLP’s caseload, the SLP may have up to 10 additional meetings and 52 additional forms (ASHA, 2002)—which results in less time for direct intervention and collaboration with teachers and families.
High workload demands may contribute to
- missed sessions or interruption of services,
- inability to complete compliance tasks (paperwork) associated with maintaining a caseload in a timely manner,
- provider burnout and overwhelm,
- high staff turnover and low retention rates, and
- difficulty recruiting additional staff.
Talking Points for Recruitment and Retention
There are several ways that school districts can attract, retain, and recruit qualified SLPs and SLPAs to fill open positions and address persistent vacancies:
- Utilize a workload model for determining caseload.
- Provide a stipend for tests and materials.
- Offer a mentoring program for new hires.
- Offer salaries that are competitive with neighboring districts.
- Offer student loan support.
- Provide a sign-on bonus.
- Provide a housing allowance, access to affordable housing or access to a low-interest loan.
- Credit an applicant’s previous work experience, regardless of setting, toward placement on the salary scale.
- Release time and payment to the SLP for continued professional development.
- Provide compensation for state licensure fees and ASHA dues.
- Offer tuition reimbursement for those wishing to further their education.
