Roles and Responsibilities of a

 
·         SLPs work across all grade levels to provide appropriate speech-language services in early intervention, Pre-K, elementary, middle, junior high, and high schools.
·         SLPs work with students who exhibit a full range of communication disorders, including those involving language, articulation (speech sound disorders), fluency, voice/resonance, and swallowing.
·         The SLP performs diagnostics to determine whether the student’s suspected disorder has an impact on his/her education. Therefore, SLPs address personal, social/emotional, academic, and vocational needs that have an impact on attainment of educational goals.
·         SLPs are involved in RTI (response to intervention) when considering language and articulation.
·         SLPs conduct assessments in collaboration with others that help to identify students with communication disorders as well as to inform instruction and intervention, consistent with EBP.
·         SLPs provide intervention that is appropriate to the age and learning needs of each individual student and is selected through an evidence-based decision-making process. Although service delivery models are typically more diverse in the school setting than in other settings, the therapy techniques are clinical in nature when dealing with students with disabilities.
·         SLPs are responsible for meeting federal and state mandates as well as local policies in performance of their duties. Activities may include Individualized Education Program (IEP) development, Medicaid billing, report writing, and treatment plan/therapy log development.
·         SLPs collaborate with students, fellow special educators, general education teachers, administration, and parents in order to provide quality speech and language intervention.
·         SLPs play a vital role in inducting new professionals. They are involved with supervising student SLPs and clinical fellows, as well as in mentoring new SLPs. They also may supervise paraprofessionals.
·         SLPs commit to lifelong learning because of their involvement in a quickly growing and changing field.