Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Special Education Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves contracted speech-pathology services amid debate over virtual care and noncompete clauses
Summary
The board approved contracts with two vendors to provide speech-language pathology services — one virtual full-time contract and one mixed virtual/in-person contract — after members raised concerns about remote delivery and noncompete clauses; votes were 5-1 in favor for each contract.
Miss Nixon, who presented on behalf of special education staffing, recommended renewing and expanding contracted speech-language pathology services after the district’s own postings yielded no applicants. The board voted to approve a contract with Ashby Therapy Solutions to hire two speech-language pathologists at $98 per hour (one full-time for Southview and one three-days-per-week for preschool) and to approve an additional virtual SLP through Soliant Health to cover caseloads at Northridge and Danville High School.
Miss Nixon said the district currently employs eight speech-language pathologists and one speech-language pathology assistant, but two summer resignations and zero current applicants for posted positions left the district short. She told the board that Illinois law limits a single SLP caseload to 60 students and that contracting was necessary to meet legal and IEP requirements.
Board members debated the tradeoffs between virtual service delivery and in-person presence. One board member said an in-person speech pathologist is preferable for younger students and announced intent to vote against the contract, calling physical presence the "personal touch." Superintendent Mister Hart and other board members said they were open to exploring virtual options in the future and noted that overall compensation and benefits can make agency staffing costs comparable to direct hires.
Another board member raised concerns about noncompete clauses in the contracts, saying such language is not in the public interest for professional services where the employee holds the professional license; that member signaled opposition to clauses but not necessarily to service delivery. Contract terms discussed included the hourly rate ($98) and that one Ashby position would be in-person three days per week for the preschool caseload while the Southview position was virtual.
Outcome: The board approved both contracts by roll call vote, 5–1, for Ashby Therapy Solutions and 5–1 for Soliant Health. The board did not remove noncompete clauses in the meeting; one board member said they would vote no because of that clause.
Why it matters: The contracts are intended to ensure the district meets its special education obligations under students’ IEPs while the district continues to recruit permanent staff. The choice to use virtual providers for some caseloads and to accept noncompete language drew clear concerns from members about long-term staffing strategy and community impact.
Next steps: The contracts will be executed as approved and the business/human resources offices will continue recruiting for in-house SLPs. Board members asked administration to consider piloting virtual models and to review contract language going forward.
Ending: The approvals address immediate caseload needs; board members signaled they will revisit virtual delivery and contract terms as recruitment and budget discussions continue.
