Personnel Issues in Education: Recruitment and Retention of Qualified Speech-Language Pathologists in the Public Schools

July 2006

As part of the 2006 Focused Initiative on Personnel Issues in Healthcare and Education, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) has developed this packet of resources dedicated to the issues surrounding recruitment and retention of qualified speech-language pathologists in the school setting.

ASHA has been receiving anecdotal information from members about the difficulty schools have in recruiting and retaining fully credentialed, master's level speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to serve the needs of children who require speech-language services. This packet of information examines possible reasons for that difficulty, offers effective strategies for hiring qualified personnel and includes examples of successful strategies and resources used by school districts and states to address this issue.

• Shortage? Vacancies? Perceived Need?
  The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics provides common terminology to help examine the problem. There are a variety of reports that further identify and quantify the issue.
  
  
• Supply vs. Demand 
  The issue of supply is an important part of the equation in the personnel shortage debate. The Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders has studied this issue and has collected data to support its conclusions and recommendations. Supply and Demand for Speech-Language Pathologists Resource List [PDF] (November 2004)
  
  
• Barriers/Challenges to Successful Recruitment and Retention
  Barriers to attracting qualified SLPs into the profession and retaining them have been documented by ASHA surveys and many sources outside the profession.
  
  
• Effect of Vacancies
  ASHA survey data and information from other reports point to the negative consequences of persistent vacancies in school settings on the students served and the profession of speech-language pathology.
  
  
• Need for Qualified Personnel Under Federal Law
  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA '04) resulted in important changes that may affect the personnel qualification requirements for SLPs in school settings. These changes may influence how states and districts manage personnel shortages in their schools.
  
  
• General Recruitment Information
  How do we recruit and retain a sufficient number of highly qualified SLPs to work in the nation's most precious enterprise, our public schools? There are a number of strategies being used in general and special education settings which are helping to alleviate the problem.
  
  
• General Retention Information
  Once qualified professionals are recruited into the profession, how do we retain them? Report findings outline a number of factors that enhance the retention of special and general education teachers. Many of these ideas have merit for the profession of speech-language pathology.
  
  
• State Recruitment/Retention Initiatives 
  Initiatives are underway to increase the supply of qualified SLPs by offering financial incentives or workload management strategies to attract school-based SLPs.
  
  
• Successful District Recruitment/Retention Ideas
  Progressive school systems are using a number of strategies—some old, some new—to enhance their recruitment and retention of qualified personnel. These strategies include:
  • Financial Incentives
  • Workload Management Ideas
  • Model Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA) Programs
  • Model Collaborative University/School District Partnerships
  • Model University Distance Learning/Incentives Programs 
  
  
• Urban/Rural Recruitment Strategies - Urban and rural school districts have particular challenges involved with recruiting and retaining qualified providers; these challenges require unique strategies that often differ based on setting. Model urban and rural strategies are included here.
  
  
• Reward Yourself With a Career as a School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist [PDF]
  This prepared presentation in PDF format is based on the brochure of the same title. This resource can be used for career day presentations or other recruitment activities for the profession.
  
  
• Recruitment Sources
  
  
• References