School Services

Vice President for School Services,
Elizabeth McKerlie, MS, CCC-SLP

Welcome to the School Services News portion of the MSHA website. The purpose of this portion of the website is to provide information related to practice of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology in Missouri public schools. Also included are items of interest to professionals practicing in Early Childhood Special Education settings. MSHA members’ suggestions for additions or changes in the format of the Schools News section are appreciated. You can comment by emailing Beth at msha@showmemsha.org

Latest Information from the VP for School Services

Posted 3/8/2013

ASHA Releases New Method of Evaluating School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists

System Designed to Create More Accurate and Equitable Measure Than the Teacher Evaluation Assessment

In an effort to improve upon current methods of evaluating school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has developed a new accountability measure, the Performance Assessment of Contributions and Effectiveness (PACE).

Recognizing that SLPs are likely to be included in value-added assessment (VAA) systems designed to measure individual  teacher effectiveness, ASHA designed PACE to more accurately reflect the SLP's unique role in a child's academic success.

The PACE accountability measure comprises a portfolio review, self-reports, and on-site classroom observation. The PACE document includes background information on VAA, an extensive review of the research on VAA for teachers, a performance review process, and ways to advocate for the adoption of PACE at the state and local levels. Advocacy tools include a step-by-step process for ASHA state associations and members to advocate for change, a sample PowerPoint presentation, and frequently asked questions. All of the PACE resources can be accessed by clicking here.

"We hope that school districts will adopt PACE to support an accurate determination of our members' critical roles in improving student  performance," ASHA President Shelly Chabon, PhD, CCC- SLP, says. "PACE provides our state associations and members with a comprehensive approach to help them accomplish this."

Missouri Has Seals?
State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEALs) are appointed by ASHA-recognized Speech-Language-Hearing Associations to act as advocates on issues related to education. The State Education Advocacy Leaders were established in 1999 under ASHA's Priorities. The mission of the SEALs network is to “enhance and perpetuate the advocacy, leadership, and clinical management skills of school-based ASHA members at the state and local levels to influence administrative and public policy decisions that affect the delivery of speech-language pathology and audiology services in school settings.” (www.asha.org). Missouri’s SEAL is Elizabeth McKerlie, MS, CCC-SLP , emckerli@nkcshools.org

School Certification and Licensure
Important: The Missouri Speech-Language-Hearing Association is NOT a licensing agent. MSHA supports ASHA, the State Board of Healing Arts, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the agencies which license or credential professionals.
Missouri has a dual certification system for SLPs practicing in the public schools of the state. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires a Student Services Certificate of License to Teach as a Speech-Language Pathologist. This can be obtained by completing specific requirements in a teacher education program including professional course content in Speech Pathology and a minimum of 300 practicum hours or it can be obtained by possession of a Missouri license as a Speech-Language Pathologist from the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts. In either case, it is necessary to apply for the Student Services Certificate.

Click here for information about certification.
Click here for an application form for the Student Services Certificate.
Click here for an application form for renewal of the Student Services Certificate.

Click Here for information about obtaining a Missouri license through the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts as either a Speech-Language Pathologist or Audiologist.

Eligibility
Federal law requires each state to establish criteria for qualifying children ages 0-21 as eligible to receive Special Education and Related services. DESE’s criteria for each category of disability are summarized in the State Plan for Special Education.

Click here for to access further information about eligibility for Sound System Disorder.

Substitute SLPs & Missed Therapy Sessions
The question of how to handle missed therapy sessions in the public schools comes up frequently. On 11/2/06, ASHA requested clarification from the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) as to interpretation based on the IDEA Amendments of 2004. On 3/8/07, OSEP responded by addressing ASHA’s question about the need to use substitutes and to schedule make up sessions when speech/language sessions are missed as a result of either the child’s absences, the SLP’s absences, or other causes such as school activities. OSEP stated that these issues are not addressed in the federal law or the federal regulations. According to OSEP, it is up to each state to ensure a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Therefore, each school entity needs to consider the effect of absences (child’s or SLP’s) or other causes of missed sessions on the child’s progress toward IEP goals. If the goals are not likely to be met, missed sessions may be a denial of FAPE.

In an attempt to receive written clarification from DESE as to the state policy and ask them to consider the OSEP opinion, the MSHA Executive Board developed a Position Statement about missed sessions and presented a draft to Heidi Atkins Lieberman, assistant commissioner of education, on May 19, 2008.

Click here for a copy of the Position Statement.

DESE responded quickly and on 5/23/08, the following message was sent to school administrators via the DESE SELS List: ”The U. S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) issued a policy letter in March 2007 (Letter to Clarke). That letter included several issues; one of those issues was compensatory services. In the letter, OSEP changed its mid-1990's position on compensatory services by noting that IDEA really does not provide for compensatory services, that the issue boils down to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and that whether a child is in need of compensatory services is an individualized issue. It "encouraged" schools to convene IEP teams to address compensatory services when there has been a failure to implement due to things like provider absences.
After careful consideration and discussion, we have reached the conclusion that our long-standing position that provider absences requires either full make-up services OR an IEP team meeting and decision on the extent, if any, of compensatory services needed, is without authority. However, we strongly recommend that responsible public agencies consider continuing to address provider absences by either full make-up of services OR convening the IEP team to address the need for compensatory services. This is one way to ensure FAPE has been addressed. We also encourage you to discuss this with your school district lawyer.”

Early Childhood News

Click here for DESE’s FAQ Re: First Steps

School Affairs News

Check back soon for updates.

Links

ASHA

Missouri State Board for the Healing Arts

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Parents as Teachers National Office

Project ACCESS

Missouri Council for Administrators of Special Education

SLP/Audiology Job Site

Eligibility Criteria for Sound System Disorders in Missouri Public Schools
Following is information to assist SLPs determine eligibility for diagnosis of children with Sound System Disorders (SSD) in Missouri public schools.

1. DESE System for SSD with Single Error Sound
   The first item is the chart accepted by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in September, 2007 for initial diagnosis of a single sound disorder. Click here for the chart.
   
   For further information about initial determination of eligibility for Sound System Disorder, go to http://dese.mo.gov/se/compliance/documents/se-cc-statenormativedata.pdf  for a Q&A on the DESE website.
   
   
2. System for Guiding Professional Judgment for SSD with Multiple Sound Errors
   A procedure for using professional judgment in determining eligibility when sound system disorders involve more than a single sound was developed by Dr. Julie Masterson and Sarah Basye (Missouri State University) with input from a team of clinicians working in Missouri Schools, including Susan Borgmeyer, Elaine Kempker, and Brenda Martien. The system is based on current research on typical phonological development in children. A "Quick Start" for Recommendations for Using Professional Judgment can be obtained by clicking here. For the accompanying research base, click here.



3. DESE-MSHA 2001 Chart for Developmental/Non-Developmental Errors
   This chart was developed by a task force including DESE and MSHA representatives in 2001 that is based on studies by Shriberg, 1993. School districts that were using this chart prior to the publication of the DESE chart in 2007 may continue to use it when considering initial eligibility for SSD on the condition that there is more than a single sound error present.