Regulating the Use of Support Personnel in Schools

Abstract

Abstract Rules and regulations governing the use of support personnel in Arkansas were approved in 1996. These regulations allow school districts to employ support personnel, assistants or aides, to assist master's level speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with clerical and clinical tasks. School district personnel must develop proposals, receive approval, and participate in training before the support personnel can be used in the delivery of speech-language services. The supervising SLPs manage the caseload, provide direct services, and supervise the support personnel. This model of service delivery has been used effectively in Arkansas schools to enhance services provided by the SLPs. Support personnel are employed primarily in the rural parts of the state where there is a shortage of SLPs.