SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA

1. SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA

2. Referral Process for Speech and Language Support • All referrals for children suspected of having a speech and/or language impairment goes through the Comprehensive Student Assistance Process (CSAP) • Tier I – A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) (also called a Speech-Language Therapist) can screen groups of children in the classroom and classroom interventions can be implemented to see if the potential problems can be resolved • Tier II – If Tier I interventions do not resolve the issues, then an SLP can screen a child individually and try individualized interventions in addition to trying classroom interventions • Tier III – If a child’s speech and/or language issues cannot be resolved either through Tier I or Tier II interventions, then the SLP refers the child for formalized testing and a Permission to Evaluate (PTE) needs to be issued and signed by the parent for the evaluation to proceed • As with all other referrals to CSAP, the team is required to follow all CSAP protocols and timelines and must document strategies implemented to support progress made and/or to support the necessity to move a child to the next Tier level

3. Eligibility RequirementsSpeech and Language Support • According to Pennsylvania Chapter 14 Special Education Regulations • Speech and Language Supportis defined as: Services for students with speech and language impairments who require services primarily in the areas of communication or use of assistive technologies designed to provide or facilitate the development of communication capacity or skills. Children become eligible for Speech and Language Support under two conditions: • A child must be diagnosed as having a speech and/or language impairment (child with a disability) • The child’s speech and/or language impairment must be interfering with his/her ability to access and progress in the general or special education curriculum • A child identified as having a disability in speech and/or language MUST BE EVALUATED AND DIAGNOSEDby a CERTIFIED AND/OR LICENSED SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST (SLP) as having a speech and/or language impairment. • SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SUPPORT IS A SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICE AND FOLLOWS ALL SPECIAL EDUCATION PROTOCOLS AND TIMELINES

4. LEVELS OF SERVICE Roles and Responsibilities of the School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)

5. Roles and Responsibilities of the School-Based Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) • Prevention • May include consultation/collaboration with and education of parents and school staff regarding the appropriate acquisition and development of speech, language, and communication skills in children • May include school-wide or community outreach and in-service • May include CSAP interventions • May include home intervention programs (packets of materials sent home for children to practice) • Identification • Of children with developmentally appropriate speech and language skills • Of children who are speech and/or language impaired • Of children who still may be at risk, even though they are receiving Speech and Language Support, and who may need to be referred for further testing

6. Roles and Responsibilities of the School-Based SLP (continued) • IEP Development and Implementation • For Speech and Language Support as a Primary Service (children only needing speech services) - An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is developed and implemented by the SLP. The SLP is the primary provider of services and is the case manager of the IEP team. • For Speech and Language Support as a Related Service (children receiving other special education services as their primary service), the IEP document is developed by the entire IEP team, including the speech-language pathologist, but the SLP is not the case manager and is not delivering the primary service.   • Caseload Management • Includes decisions regarding the type, amount, and location of services based on a child’s needs and supported by evidenced-based best practices • Includes duties performed as case managers of students where speech is the primary disability • Includes accountability documentation – Therapeutic intervention is documented through daily logging on Professional Services Logs and progress is monitored through quarterly Progress Reports

7. LEVELS OF SERVICE TYPES OF SERVICE DELIVERY AND SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS

8. Determining the Need for Speech as a Primary Service vs. the Need for Speech as a Related Service • Speech and Language Support as Special Education • A child is eligible to receive Speech and Language Support as a PRIMARY service (the only service provided) if they are found to have a speech and/or language impairment AND this disability is interfering with their ability to progress in the general education curriculum • Speech and Language as a Related Service • A child is eligible to receive Speech and Language Support as a Related Service when the speech and language impairment accompanies another disability and the child needs speech and language services to benefit from the special education program designed to address the primary disability

9. Service Delivery Models • Recommendations regarding service delivery models or type of services delivered are based on a child’s needs and are supported by evidenced-based best practices. • Recommendations regarding service delivery models or type of services delivered are based on the need to provide a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). There is no single special education program or setting that benefits all students. A range of options continues to be the most effective approach and is part of Pa., Chapter 14, special education law.

10. Types of Service Delivery Models

11. Conclusion Speech and Language Support is a special education service that can either be delivered as a PRIMARY or as a RELATED SERVICE. Children need to be found eligible for this service and, if so, the level and type of service delivered is based on a child’s needs and is supported by evidenced based best-practices. The roles and responsibilities of the school-based SLP are varied and support a child’s progress in the curriculum in many different ways. Paramount to the delivery of school-based speech and language services is the legal obligation (IDEA 2004) to provide those services as a Free, Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).