Speech‑language pathologists press El Rancho Unified for promised national‑board stipend as contract talks continue

Dozens of speech‑language pathologists urged the El Rancho Unified School District board on April 16 to fulfill a written promise to provide a stipend to clinicians who hold national board credentials.

"Is it ethical and fair to deny students the best in the field where there are needs? Is it ethical to deny the compensation that was stipulated in the 6/24 memo?" asked Sylvia Mendoza, lead speech pathologist, during public comment, saying 12 of the district's 15 SLPs already hold national certification.

Speakers from the district’s speech‑language team described the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech‑Language‑Hearing Association (ASHA CCC‑SLP) as a nationally recognized credential that qualifies holders to supervise clinical fellows and support recruitment. Several speakers said the June 6, 2024 memo from Human Resources signaled stipend eligibility, but SLPs did not receive payments in October while school psychologists and nurses did.

"We respectfully ask that you evaluate awarding the professional recognition that we've earned through this national certification," said Christy Diaz, a nationally certified SLP with 30 years in the district.

Union leaders pressed related bargaining items. Rancho Federation of Teachers representative Sean Cunningham said the union is also negotiating reimbursement language for the federation president’s release time and urged the board to treat SLP eligibility equitably as negotiations continue.

District staff acknowledged confusion in October about qualifying designations and said meetings were held with SLPs to clarify eligibility. The board did not announce a final resolution during the meeting.

Why it matters: SLPs and several witnesses warned that excluding clinicians from the stipend risks worsening recruitment and retention at a time national surveys show growing shortages in school‑based SLPs. Several speakers also cited programmatic impacts — for example, the district’s ability to supervise trainees and to bill clinical services — and provided dollar figures tied to medical billing for their caseloads.

What the board heard: Speakers provided three lines of factual evidence: (1) the June 6, 2024 HR memo inviting submission of certification for stipend consideration, (2) SLPs’ clinical roles that include supervision required by training programs, and (3) examples of billing revenue and local recruitment challenges. "This stipend is a symbol of the professionalism and dedication that certification represents," said Ursula Devi, who urged equitable inclusion.

What’s next: Board members did not vote on the stipend during the meeting. Several trustees asked staff to follow up and to share documentation and recommendations; the union’s bargaining session was noted as continuing on May 7, 2025.

The session also included other public comment items and routine business unrelated to the SLP stipend. The board will receive staff follow‑up and legal/HR analysis before taking further action.