ASU in the Community - ASU Designs Program to Address Speech Pathologist Shortage

ASU Designs Program to Address Speech Pathologist Shortage

Every year, the number of children in Arizona public schools who need speech and language services increases, while the number of qualified speech-language pathologists does not. To address this shortage, Arizona State University’s Department of Speech and Hearing Science, together with the Arizona Department of Education, is helping technicians who work in Arizona public schools earn a master’s degree while completing their clinical training on the job.

ASU’s Professional Enhancement Program (PEP) provides education and training on a part-time basis to speech-language technicians who are working in Phoenix area public school districts. Students enrolled in the accelerated master’s degree program take classes at night at ASU and are partnered during the day with qualified speech-language pathologists for their clinical training.

In 2006, there were about 50,000 students in Arizona public schools who qualified for speech and language services, according to the Arizona Department of Education. Yet, in that same year, there were only 1,620 qualified speech-language pathologists in public school districts. A qualified speech-language pathologist has a master’s degree and the necessary clinical training to identify and administer therapy to people with speech and language disorders.

While more and more school-aged children need such services, so do adults. People who suffer from strokes or brain injuries often need services from a speech-language pathologist.

ASU and the Arizona Department of Education held a stakeholder meeting May 23 to review data and develop a plan to address the statewide shortage. Stakeholders, including special education directors, Arizona certification and licensing agencies, state lawmakers, school district representatives and other universities met at ASU’s Decision Theater and used the facility’s advanced visualization environment to view detailed, three-dimensional models of potential solutions.

With the goal of increasing the number of qualified pathologists who work in Arizona’s public schools, ASU developed PEP. The part-time, accelerated master’s degree program is designed to be completed in three years, compared to the full-time master’s program, which takes two years to complete. Now in its second year, 11 students are enrolled in the program. They work in the Mesa, Scottsdale, Kyrene, Deer Valley, Murphy Elementary, Roosevelt, Washington or Creighton school districts.

ASU receives more than 200 applications each year to its master’s degree program in speech-language pathology. With the addition of PEP, the program will accommodate 10 additional students for a total of 40 master’s students in speech-language pathology admitted and trained each year. The Arizona Department of Education hopes this program will eventually increase the number of qualified speech-language pathologists to accommodate the overwhelming need.

ASU strives to increase its community reach by providing technicians a place to advance their career while still making a difference. For more information, call or email Cathy Bacon at (480) 965-5475 or c.bacon@asu.edu or visit http://www.shs.asu.edu/.