Arkansas Support Personnel Requirements
The following information includes speech-language pathology and audiology support personnel requirements in educational and other practice settings. The information is reviewed on an annual basis. Please be advised that regulations and policy may change at any time, so always check with your state for the most up-to-date information.
Speech-Language Pathology
School Setting Requirements
Speech-Language Pathology Aide
- Minimum of a high school diploma
- Demonstrate competency in oral and written communication skills
- A minimum of 40 clock hours of in-service training during the initial year of employment pertaining to the duties of the SLP aide, and
- During subsequent years of employment, complete continuing education requirements of 12 clock hours annually pertaining to the designated duties of the SLP aide
- 100% direct on-site, in-view supervision is required for the first 10 hours of direct student contact.
Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
- Bachelor's degree in speech pathology
or
- An associate's degree from a speech-language pathology assistant training program, under the supervision of an appropriately licensed master's degree level SLP may be used in public education agencies with the approval of the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Special Education Unit in accordance with guidelines adopted by the Arkansas Department of Education and a written agreement between the ADE Special Education Unit and the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology (ABESPA).
- A minimum of 100 clock hours of fieldwork experience supervised by a speech-language pathologist with a current and valid license from ABESPA or the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology.
- A total of at least 30% direct and indirect supervision must be documented for the first 90 work days.
Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
- Speech-language pathology assistants must register with the Board of Examiners except that those wishing to be employed in a public agency will register with the Arkansas Department of Education.
- Speech-language pathology assistants must have a bachelor's degree in speech-language pathology or complete a speech-language pathology assistant training program culminating in an associate degree from an institution accredited by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
- Both degrees require completion of 60 semester credit hours, including a minimum of 100 clock hours of supervised fieldwork experience.
- For speech-language pathology assistants, a total of at least 30% direct and indirect supervision is required and must be documented; after the initial 90 days, 20% minimum documented supervision is required of which 10% must be direct supervision.
- Speech-language pathology assistants must complete 1 hour of continuing education for every month of registration (maximum of 10 hours per fiscal year).
- A licensed speech-language pathologist may only supervise 2 full-time or 3 part-time speech-language pathology assistants/aides; supervisors must have 2 years of full-time professional experience after the completion of the paid professional experience (clinical fellowship year); Board of Education certificate holders prior to Aug. 1, 1997, are exempted; all professional liability for services remains the responsibility of the licensed SLP.
- Speech-language pathology aides must have a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
Speech-language pathology aides must have 100% direct on-site, in-view supervision for the first 10 hours. At least 50% direct and indirect supervision is required and must be documented for the next 90 workdays. Indirect supervision is required no less than 20% of the actual student contact time.
Audiology
School Setting Requirements
Audiology support personnel are not regulated in this setting.
Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
Audiology support personnel are not regulated by the state.
Resources
For further information on laws and regulations for speech-language pathology and audiology support personnel in educational and other practice settings, please visit these websites:
Guidelines for Speech-Language Pathology Assistants and Aides [PDF]
Laws and Regulations for Speech Language Pathology Assistant and Aide
To see where your state stands on support personnel licensure trends, please view the trend charts which are updated periodically:
Support Personnel in Other Settings [PDF]
Questions regarding state advocacy issues? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.