Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP)

What We Do

Roles/Responsibilities:

The school-based speech language pathologist provides services for students with communication impairments using a variety of service delivery models to promote functional communication for these students in their current educational setting and provide support in the general education environment to facilitate the students’ successful participation, socialization, and learning.

Major Responsibilities and Duties:

1. Participate in pre-referral screening process when requested to determine the need for consideration by the pre-referral team
2. Provide Tier II and/or Tier III RTI speech services as appropriate.
3. Conduct appropriate evaluations to determine disabilities related to communication and compose the evaluation document.
4. Develop IEP goals and objectives based on formal and informal evaluation methods.
5. Serve as a member of the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee when appropriate providing all necessary paperwork for dually labeled students.
6. Serve as the Facilitator of the Admission, Review, and Dismissal Committee for speech impaired students and create all necessary paperwork within      
        timeline.
7. Maintain appropriate legal documents and legally mandated timelines in regards to students’ specialized programming.
8. Establish eligibility and discuss programming options with ARD committee members for students with speech impairments.
9. Monitor Speech Only student’s academic progress in coordination with general education personnel during each grading period.
10. Provide parents with written information regarding student progress on IEP goals and objectives at least once per grading period according to district and ARD guidelines.
11. Maintain complete and accurate paperwork needed for compliance purposes in both state audit folder and the campus student folder, as well as SHARS documentation.
12. Maintain lesson plans, a therapy log, or data collection forms indicating objectives addressed, activities planned, results of session, and attendance in a therapy binder that is maintained on the campus at all times.
13. Prepare, incorporate, and/or evaluate new material used in the therapy program.
14. Participate in continuing education activities in order to maintain credentials and keep informed of best practices in the field of speech/language pathology and other related fields.
15. Collaborate as needed with campus personnel to provide the most appropriate services for students with suspected or confirmed communication disabilities.
16. Perform supervision duties for assigned Speech Therapy Assistants as appropriate.
17. Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director and Director of Special Services, as well as the Coordinator for Speech Services.

Expectations:

SLP - BEGINNING OF YEAR PROCEDURES

Where to Begin?

  • Be Flexible, Be Positive, Be Ready!
  • Get to know your campuses and various coworkers by completing the Beginning of the Year Checklist and turn in to your supervisor.
  • If you are an SISD employee traveling between campuses during school hours, you will need to maintain the Official School Business Travel Log.  Obtain a copy of the SISD mileage chart which lists all buildings in the district and driving distances.  Return to Special Services for reimbursement at times designated by the Special Ed. Accounting Coordinator.  Do not record mileage from your home to school.
  • Each school has a handbook that should contain detailed campus information.  Check with your campus school secretary to obtain one of these.
  • If you are going to be absent, contact the Special Services receptionist at ext. 6265 and the Coordinator of Speech Services.  Leave a message before 8:30 in the morning.  Also contact your campus to notify them of your absence.  Be certain that all responsibilities are covered (i.e. ARDs, staffings, etc.) and appropriate people are notified if you need to reschedule a meeting.  
  • In the event of an absence, complete the Absence From Duty form online within 24 hours of your absence.

  • Print the initial PEIMS printout for your campus. Go over the printout and highlight any student who has a speech disability.  Crosscheck the names on the printout with the speech folders and Master file in the file cabinet.  If a student has a speech folder on your campus, they should be on the PEIMS list and any student on the printout should also have a speech folder.  Resolve any discrepancies and make necessary corrections.   To verify if students are actually enrolled on your campus, talk to the registrar or use the eSchool program.  An updated PEIMS print out (Directions provided by PEIMS Clerk) should be printed for each campus, every grading period throughout the year.  It is important to check each updated PEIMS carefully and make corrections with the PEIMS Clerk as necessary.  
  • If a student is a no-show or moves within district or out of district during the year, follow up either with the registrar or check eSchool to determine where the student has gone.  If it is determined that the student transferred within district to another Spring ISD school it is imperative that the receiving school be notified about the student and the student’s folder needs to be sent to that campus immediately.  (Complete the Folder Exchange document.)
  • If student transfers out of district, hold on to the folder for one school year then pulp if they do not return.  Be sure to update the SPED STATUS to inactive in eSped on the Student Information Screen. 
    • Resolving Discrepancies
      • First check with your registrar to be certain the student is on your campus.  If student is on your campus contact the Special Education Records Clerk xt.6277 to determine if student was dismissed.  If student is not dismissed and is on your campus complete a SEMS sheet indicating updated information and submit to the PEIMS Clerk at the Administration Building in the Special Services Department.  If the student was dismissed, keep their folder in your INACTIVE drawer for one year, then pulp after the year.  If student was not dismissed then you will need to come to the Records room to make copies of the student’s most recent ARD and Assessment for your campus folder.
      • If student transferred to another campus in SISD, speak with registrar to determine where the student transferred.  Contact the SLP at the other campus to be sure they are aware of the student.
  • Dates on the PEIMS list for Annual ARDs and Evaluation dates should be verified in the student folders.  A list should be compiled of annual ARD dates as well as reevaluation due dates by running the Reports in eSped.  Keep a copy of this list and share it with your Diag/SLP Clerk and other Assessment staff.
    • The “Action Pending” form should be at the front of the student’s red folder if something needs to be done within the first 4-6 weeks of school (i.e. Evaluations, Intensive Plan of Instruction (IPI), Student Success Initiative ARDs (SSI) possible retention ARD, etc.). 
    • IPI ARDs – ARDs that must be held for any SI only student who failed STAAR (This will be a Revision or Amendment ARD).  These must be held within first 30 days of school to document the intensive plan of instruction developed by Gen Ed.  
    • Evaluations – Initial Assessments completed at the end of the Spring semester of previous school year need an ARD to review assessment by the 1st day or school.  Note the Action Pending document for student specific information.
    • GPC/SSI ARDs – Check folders of all students 5th and 8th grade to determine if STAAR was passed.  This information is found on the Confidential Student Record (CSR).  Complete the GPC ARD (This is a Revision or Amendment ARD).  5th and 8th Grade SI only students who did not pass the 3rd administration of STAAR Test provided during the summer, must have an ARD to determine grade placement or retention prior to the first day of school.  They must also have an Intensive Plan of Instruction developed for the upcoming school year.
    • Retention ARD - If a student in any grade is to be retained and retention was not discussed last year, an ARD needs to be held before the first day of school to discuss retention.  The ARDC acts as the Grade Placement Committee.
    • Other – Additional Action Items may be listed and are specific to the student’s needs.
    • Create your Caseload Summary to verify student information such as grade level, amount of therapy time/delivery method, language of service delivery (i.e. English, Spanish, etc.), homeroom, and any Medicaid eligible students.  Turn in to your campus Special Ed Department Chair and Coordinator of Speech Services.
    • Read the deliberations page for any important information for every student.  
    • Familiarize yourself with available campus tests.  Also review and understand district eligibility and assessment guidelines.
    • Begin processing transfer students from other school districts by contacting the previous school to verify type and amount of service received in the previous district.  Obtain a copy of the IEP/ARD, and FIE from the previous school district.  Follow the transfer ARD procedures.  The SLP is only responsible for hosting an ARD for speech only students.  The diagnostician is responsible for notifying you of transfer students where speech is a secondary handicapping condition.
    • Set up Monitoring Folders for teachers of your SI only students.  Monitoring folders are to be given to your general education teachers for each speech only student, each grading period to monitor their academic success.  Information regarding each grading period is vital when monitoring your student’s academic success. The folders are passed out to the teachers each grading period and returned to you.  If a student is failing, investigate why.  If they have failed a course for two consecutive grading periods, schedule a Brief Failure ARD to discuss the student’s interventions.  
District Responsibilities:
  • Grant your Assessment Lead access to your calendar and keep calendar up to date.
  • After obtaining your laptop, ensure you have eSped access and eSchool access for the campus(es) you serve.  Contact the Special Ed Technology Coordinator with any questions ext. 6290.
  • Complete your Laptop Checkout and Maintenance Agreement for the beginning of the year.
  • Contact Special Ed Technology Coordinator to ensure all printers are installed and report any difficulties to the Special Ed Technology Coordinator ext 6290.
Suggestions:
  • Utilize the Google calendar for each ARD/Staffing, and to keep track of timelines.
  • Have the following information accessible at all times at each campus:
    1. Spec Ed directory and phone numbers
    2. JAM & SLP Meeting dates
    3. Spring ISD Calendar
    4. Special Education Calendar of Events
    5. Testing schedule for STAAR, CBA’s , etc.
    6. Referral Timeline
    7. Relevant Flow Charts for procedures
  • Set up your Therapy Data Binder immediately for each campus.


SLP Drive and Forms