Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Arkansas speech‑language pathologists tell Senate committee heavy paperwork, low pay and workload push clinicians from schools
Summary
Representatives of the Arkansas Speech‑Language‑Hearing Association told the Education Committee that dual licensure, documentation and district duties create heavy non‑billable workloads, that Medicaid/RMAC reforms increased reimbursements, and that large shares of SLPs have considered leaving; presenters asked for workload models, flexible scheduling pilots and consideration of a previously approved stipend.
A group of school‑based speech‑language pathologists told the Senate Education Committee that recruitment and retention problems stem from heavy non‑direct‑service workloads, inconsistent district practices, and pay differentials with clinical settings.
Lauren Rogers, lead SLP for Conway Public Schools, introduced the Arkansas Speech‑Language‑Hearing Association (ARCSHA) ad hoc committee and said the group represents several hundred school‑based clinicians. Presenters explained that school SLPs are dually licensed (state clinical license plus teacher licensure) and perform a broad range of duties — direct therapy, evaluations, individualized‑education‑plan work, documentation and many school duties —…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
