The following information summarizes the requirements currently necessary to begin work in the public school system as an:
Audiologist or Speech-Language Pathologist
This information has been collected by researching individual state department of education regulations and policy documents, state administrative code provisions and by contacting each state department of education. Please be advised that regulations and policy may change at any time, so always check with your state department of education for the most up-to-date information.
Audiologist
No additional requirements for audiologists to provide services in schools.
Speech Language Pathologist
The speech and language pathologist, Initial Student Services Certificate, valid for a period of four (4) years from the effective date of the certificate, will be issued to those persons meeting the following requirements:
- Master's degree in speech pathology from a college or university having a teacher education program approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or from a college or university having a teacher education program approved by the state education agency in states other than Missouri.
- Recommendation of designated official for teacher education in the college or university.
- Grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale in the major area of study.
- Praxis II Specialty Area Test titled Speech-Language Pathology designated by the State Board of Education with a score equal to or greater than the Missouri qualifying score.
- Completion of professional requirements as determined by the recommending college or university, which may exceed these minimum requirements.
or
- Master's degree or higher from a state-approved program for speech-language pathologists.
- A valid, unencumbered, undisciplined Missouri license as a speech-language pathologist from the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts.
- Complete the Praxis II Specialty Area Test entitled Speech-Language Pathology with a score equal to or greater than the Missouri qualifying score.
Continuing Education Requirement
The speech-language pathologist student services certificate may be renewed every five years by verification by the employing school district that the certificate holder has completed 20 contact hours of professional development annually; or verification of a valid, unencumbered and undisciplined Missouri license as a speech-language pathologist from the Missouri Board of Registration for Healing Arts.
Emergency Certification
Temporary Authorization Certification requires a bachelor's degree or higher in subject area to be taught or in a closely related field.
Support Personnel
Missouri uses speech implementers supervised by speech-language pathologists. Prior to requesting approval for the use of the Implementer Model during a given school year, the agency must advertise/recruit and attempt to hire a certificated speech-language pathologist. This recruitment must be done annually and documentation of recruiting efforts must be maintained on file by the agency. The Implementer Model requires a supervising speech-language pathologist who must hold either a valid Missouri license to teach as a speech-language pathologist or a license from the Missouri Board of Healing Arts. The supervising speech-language pathologist is ethically responsible for practices and activities provided under this model and must be prepared to attest to the appropriateness of each student's individual therapy program. The individual hired as the implementer must hold a Missouri teaching certificate, preferably in an area of special education or in elementary education, or hold a bachelor's degree in communications disorders. No exceptions to these requirements will be granted.