School Advocacy Resources

Success Stories

School District Success Stories—Learn how school-based SLPs have successfully advocated for improved conditions in their district.

Caseload and Workload

Template letter to your administrator [DOC] – use to request a meeting to go over data from the workload calculator, highlight results, and identify next steps to address workload successes and challenges.

State Caseload Chart [PDF] – caseload guidance from states, including contacts and links to state regulations.

ASHA Workload Calculator – weekly, monthly, and telepractice worksheets and workload analysis tools to identify workload responsibilities for your caseload.

2022 Schools Survey: Caseload and Workload Characteristics [PDF] – data from the Schools Survey on employment, caseload and workload sizes, areas of intervention, and workload responsibilities.

NEA Backgrounder: Special Education Workload Analysis Model [PDF] – framework to adapt to the changing responsibilities of special education service providers.

Negotiating for Improved Working Conditions, Salaries, and Funding

Working for Change: A Guide for Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists in Schools [PDF] – Strategies on how to negotiate with school unions/associations and school administrators to advocate for identified individual and local needs.

School Funding Advocacy – Tools to identify and understand the complex and multiple funding processes involved in public school–based services from federal, state, and local perspectives.

Increasing Salaries in the Schools – Information on advocating for higher salaries and additional benefits with school unions and administrators.

Salary Supplement Initiative – Steps to advocate for a salary supplement through state legislation and regulation as well as through local district initiatives.

Schools Survey Workforce and Working Conditions [PDF] – Data from the latest Schools Survey on employment, years of experience in the profession and in the schools, geographic location, and other work-related questions.

Appropriate School Facilities for Students With Speech-Language-Hearing Disorders –Minimum requirements for creating optimal learning and assessment environments for students.

Working with Culturally, Linguistically, or Gender Diverse Students

IDEA Part B: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students – Federal regulation that supports service delivery that recognizes cultural and linguistic diversity.

HHS Notice and Guidance on Gender Affirming Care, Civil Rights, and Patient Privacy [PDF] – Clarification and guidance on gender affirming care and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Supporting and Working with Transgender and Gender-Diverse People – Guidance on appropriate practices when working with transgender and gender-diverse people.

State Advocacy

State Association Workload Advocacy Survey Template – State association leaders can survey their members about workload challenges using this state workload survey template.

ASHA State-by-State – state requirements and contact information, hot topics, trends, and advocacy resources.

State Education Advocacy Leaders (SEALs) – Appointed by ASHA-recognized state speech-language-hearing associations, SEALs advocate on education issues, including caseload/workload, salary supplements, and maintenance on personnel standards. SEALs is one of the ASHA State-Based Advocacy Networks.