Alabama Assistants (Support Personnel) Requirements

The following information includes audiology and speech-language pathology assistants and 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 assistant certificates are issued only at the request of the public school employing superintendent. An SLP who holds a valid Class A or Class AA Professional Educator Certificate in speech or language impairment or a special education coordinator or supervisor who holds a valid Alabama Professional Educator Certificate in an area of special education must supervise the SLP assistant. Speech-language pathology assistant certificates are issued at Levels I and II.

Level I: Bachelor's degree in speech pathology or communication sciences and disorders (with a speech-language emphasis) with 2.75 overall GPA and passing scores on the basic skills assessments of the and the Praxis II subject assessment of the Alabama Prospective Teacher Testing Program, and have a recommendation from a superintendent who wishes to employ the applicant as an SLP assistant full-time. The certificate is valid for three years and is not renewable.

Level II: Have held a Level I Certificate while in full-time employment in one or more Alabama public school systems as an SLP Assistant for at least two years, have a recommendation from a superintendent who wishes to employ the applicant as an SLP Assistant full-time, verification that the two year employment period was appropriately supervised, and a passing score on the Praxis II subject assessment. Level II has additional education requirements. The certificate is valid for five years and is renewable.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Speech-language pathology assistants must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent in communication disorders or related field and register with the Alabama Board of Examiners.
The licensed supervisor must document direct observation of at least 10% of all clinical services provided by the assistant, and the supervisor is responsible for the legal, ethical, and moral professional behavior relating to the work performed under the licensee's supervision.
Speech-language pathology assistants must complete 10 hours of continuing education per year.
Assistant registration expires December 31 of each year. Failure to apply for renewal shall result in automatic revocation.

Audiology

School Setting Requirements

Audiology support personnel are not regulated in this setting.

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

Audiology assistants must have a bachelor's degree in communication disorders or related field and register with the Alabama Board of Examiners.
The licensed supervisor must document direct observation of at least 10% of all clinical services provided by the assistant, and the supervisor is responsible for the legal, ethical, and moral professional behavior relating to the work performed under the licensee's supervision.
Audiology assistants must complete 10 hours of continuing education per year.
Assistant registration expires December 31 of each year. Failure to apply for renewal shall result in automatic revocation.

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:

School Setting Requirements:

To see where your state stands on support personnel licensure trends, please view the trend charts which are updated periodically:

Questions regarding state advocacy issues? Call ASHA at 800-498-2071 and ask for the State Advocacy Team.