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PERSPECTIVES
Research Article
Capturing a Moment in Time: A Survey
of School-Based Speech-Language
Pathologists’Experiences in the Immediate
Aftermath of the COVID-19 Public
Health Emergency
Lesley Sylvan,
a
Erica Goldstein,
a
and Megan Crandall
a
Purpose: Data collected by the American Speech-Language-
Hearing Association in the spring of 2020 showed that most
speech-language pathologists (SLPs) experienced a moderate
to major impact on their work practices as a result of the
COVID-19 public health emergency. This study focused
on gaining a deeper understanding of the experiences of
school-based SLPs at this unique moment in time.
Method: This study involved a survey of 280 school-based
SLPs working across the United States in May 2020. The
results of the survey were analyzed both qualitatively and
quantitatively to identify key themes and trends related to
participants’confidence levels, workload changes, and
personal challenges.
Results: Results indicated that SLPs faced variation in
the guidance, communication, and resources they were
provided by employers and variations regarding the
timelines and expectations for the pivot from traditional
face-to-face school services to remote services. Few
SLPs had previous experience with teletherapy, and
many reported low levels of self-confidence and large
increases in their workload. Additionally, SLPs faced
high levels of stress in their personal lives.
Conclusions: Despite the challenges faced, participants
largely reported they were able to adapt with the support
of the SLP community. Participants reported concerns
regarding the relative success of their students under
new service delivery models, especially for students from
disadvantaged groups, and worries regarding future legal
challenges. This study identifies key issues to consider
with respect to speech-language services in schools
as the COVID-19 public health emergency continues to
unfold.
The COVID-19 public health emergency caused un-
precedented change in society. While governors of
various states enacted different stay at home, shel-
ter in place, and other rules related to social distancing in
the United States in March 2020 (Mervosh et al., 2020),
one key area of public life significantly impacted was K–12
public education. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted al-
most every school district to cease in-person instruction,
close school buildings, and quickly adopt distance learning
for the last several months of the 2019–2020 academic
year. It is estimated that over 55 million students in the
United States were out of school due to the COVID-19
pandemic between March and June 2020 (Kuhfeld et al.,
2020, p. 2). Such a wide-scale, rapid, and long-lasting ad-
aptation of distance learning has never before been seen
in public schools. In order to document and learn from
this moment in time, it is critical to look at how this change
in the educational landscape impacted students as well as
professionals working within schools.
Impact of the Pandemic on Students and Teachers
Given the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pub-
lic health emergency, there is no concrete previous research
SIG 16
a
Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Montclair
State University, Bloomfield, NJ
Correspondence to Lesley Sylvan: sylvanl@montclair.edu
Editor-in-Chief: Brenda L. Beverly
Editor: Celeste Domsch
Received July 27, 2020
Revision received September 3, 2020
Accepted September 9, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1044/2020_PERSP-20-00182
Disclosures
Financial: Lesley Sylvan has no relevant financial interests to disclose. Erica
Goldstein has no relevant financial interests to disclose. Megan Crandall has no
relevant financial interests to disclose.
Nonfinancial: Lesley Sylvan has no relevant nonfinancial interests to disclose.
Erica Goldstein has no relevant nonfinancial interests to disclose. Megan Crandall
has no relevant nonfinancial interests to disclose.
Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups •Vol. 5 •1735–1749 •December 2020 •Copyright © 2020 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association 1735
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to help predict the impact this crisis will have on student
learning. However, various research groups have developed
models to project learning loss associated with school clo-
sures in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. These models,
drawn from prior literature on summer learning patterns
and disruptions to typical schooling (e.g., teacher strikes
and natural disasters), largely predict that most students
experience learning losses during school closures. One model
estimates that students are predicted to retain only around
70% of their typical reading gains and less than 50% of typi-
cal math gains in the 2019–2020 school year, as compared
to a typical school year (Kuhfeld & Tarasawa, 2020, p. 2).
Furthermore, multiple articles on this topic highlight that
such learning losses will be exacerbated for students with
limited resources, impacting their ability to access online
learning (Goldstein, 2020).
While the extent of the impact of school closures on
students remains to be seen, it is also crucial to consider
how this shift impacts teachers. USA TODAY conducted
an online poll in May 2020 to better understand the experi-
ences of over 500 K–12 public school teachers across the
United States (Page, 2020). In this survey, 83% of teachers
reported having a harder time doing their job and 66%
reported working harder during remote instruction than
usual. Teacher education and competence related to tech-
nology also presented a challenge as many teachers worked
to swiftly adapt to distance learning, leaving those without
available technological resources and experience prior to
the pandemic at a disadvantage (König et al., 2020). Anec-
dotal evidence covered in news outlets also suggests teachers
faced challenges. In June 2020, The New York Times re-
leased an article in which several educators shared their
concerns with remote instruction (Goldstein, 2020). One
stated, “This isn’t a good way to teach”and students are
“logging in for an hour a day, and kids are turning their
cameras off and staying quiet”(para. 9). Another expressed
concern about future achievement gaps: “If we continue
doing things the way we do them, we won’tbeabletofill
those gaps”(para. 27). In summary, evidence suggests that
teachers struggled with delivering quality instruction to stu-
dents during school closures.
Impact on Speech-Language Pathologists
Recent studies have discussed the potential negative
impact of COVID-19 for children and families receiving
speech-language services (Tohidast et al., 2020) as well as
the accelerated emergence of telepractice service delivery
within the field of speech-language pathology (del Carmen
Pamplona & Ysunza, 2020; Fong et al., 2020). Within this
context, it is key to understand the experiences of speech-
language pathologists (SLPs), specifically, school-based SLPs,
who were supporting students remotely immediately follow-
ing the school closures. The American Speech-Language-
Hearing Association (ASHA, 2020a, 2020b) conducted
two general surveys of ASHA members in March and May
2020 about their experiences following the COVID-19 health
emergency. Almost 14,000 ASHA SLPs working in school
settings responded to the March ASHA COVID-19 survey
(ASHA, 2020a). At that time, 88% of respondents reported
a major-to-moderate impact of the pandemic on their work
in schools (ASHA, 2020a). A follow-up study was conducted
by ASHA in May, where 92% of 2,784 SLPs working in
schools reported that the pandemic had a major or moder-
ate impact on them professionally, with the most common
challenges being service delivery through telepractice, inabil-
ity to provide services to everyone who needs them, having
the time to balance work and personal responsibilities, and
teaching remotely (ASHA, 2020b). In June of 2020, Law
et al. detailed experiences of individual school-based SLPs
and the challenges they faced during this time. Law et al.
described how many school-based SLPs reported that they
were unable to provide direct services, which made it a
major priority to supply speech-language packets and re-
sources to parents. SLPs also reported that navigating video
platforms, understanding online privacy regulations, mak-
ing sense of state telepractice mandates, and lack of direc-
tion from special education departments were key concerns
(Law et al., 2020).
Purpose of Current Study
The purpose of this study is to add additional data to
the ASHA surveys to provide a more detailed and nuanced
understanding of the experiences and reactions of public
school-based SLPs in the immediate aftermath of school
closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This current study,
which presents the results of a survey conducted in May 2020,
aims to provide an empirical description of school-based
SLPs’experiences, including reactions, adjustments, and
responses during the time period immediately following
school closures. While it is clear at the time of writing this
article that the COVID-19 public health emergency will likely
continue to impact SLPs’experiences in schools moving into
the 2020–2021 school year, the purpose of this study is to doc-
ument their experiences at the end of the 2019–2020 school
year. It is important to document this unique moment in
time, not only to provide a critical record of what SLPs
experienced but also to potentially inform how to best sup-
port SLPs to serve students in future public health crises or
as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact schools.
Method
Survey Development
Survey questions were designed to explore communi-
cation with the school district, transition in services, changes
in job requirements for SLPs, confidence and workload ap-
propriateness, and personal reactions and reflections. Based
on the desire to distribute this survey in a timely manner,
formal piloting of the survey was not completed but several
school-based SLPs informally reviewed the survey for read-
ability, relevancy, and flow. Their preliminary feedback on
the survey was incorporated.
In order to gather both quantitative and qualitative
information about the impact of the COVID-19 public
1736 Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups •Vol. 5 •1735–1749 •December 2020
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health emergency on school-based SLPs, the survey included
a consent form agreement, nine demographic-related ques-
tions, eight multiple-choice questions, 16 Likert scale questions,
and 14 open-ended questions. On many multiple-choice
questions, participants were able to select multiple answers
and/or were invited to provide supplemental written responses.
Several questions prompted participants to respond using
a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 4 (1 = strongly agree,2=
agree,3=disagree,4=strongly disagree) to gauge how par-
ticipants felt about several issues related to the COVID-19
public health emergency.
We felt that the length of the survey was necessary
to capture a holistic picture of the experience of school-
based SLPs. All questions following the first question, which
obtained consent, were optional. The administration of the
survey was reviewed and approved by the institutional re-
view board at Montclair State University for completion
of this study. The survey was administered using Qualtrics
(2018), a secure survey software (Qualtrics, 2020). A list
of the survey questions (excluding the consent information
and demographic questions) analyzed for the article, as well
as the possible responses (if Likert scale or multiple choice)
and the response rates for each question, can be found in
Table 1.
Procedure
Given the study’s purpose to explore school-based
SLPs’perspectives of their experiences in the time directly
following the COVID-19 pandemic, survey data were col-
lected directly from SLPs who were working in schools at
the time of the survey. We distributed the survey nationally
through three relevant Facebook groups: SLPs for Evidence
Based Practice, School-Based SLPs: For Professionals Only,
and Speech Pathologists at Large. No compensation was
provided. Participants accessed the survey via an anony-
mous link and completed it, on average, in 15–20 min. The
survey was open from May 8, 2020, to May 29, 2020. We
decided to keep the survey open for only a short period of
time given the highly time-dependent context of the questions
and the evolving nature of the situation. Our intent was to
capture SLPs’experiences as close to the initial adaptation
to the COVID-19 public health emergency as possible and
before the end of the 2019–2020 school year.
Participants
The first part of the survey included nine questions
focused on demographic information about the survey partici-
pants, including their employment situations (e.g., working
directly for a public school district, working for a contract
company), hourly or annual salary, years as an SLP and
with the current employer, geographic location, and whether
they practice in the same state in which they reside. The in-
formation gathered from these demographic questions is
included in Table 2. Additionally, participants were asked
about their caseload size, grade levels, and severity levels of
students on the caseload (e.g., mild-to-moderate, severe).
The results of these questions are summarized in Table 3.
Data Analysis
All survey data were captured by Qualtrics (2018) and
subsequently were uploaded into Excel for data analysis. For
the multiple-choice and Likert scale questions, percentages,
averages, and standard deviations were calculated. With re-
spect to the open-ended questions, the research team, consist-
ing of the three authors of this article, coded and analyzed
all responses.
For open-ended responses, the coding process was
both collaborative and iterative. To start, each open-ended
question was separated into its own tab within Excel. The
research team then familiarized themselves with the data
by reading through each response to identify common cat-
egories to serve as the codes. Codes were developed using
a combination of open coding and codes derived from the
study’s conceptual framework (Maxwell, 1996; A. Strauss
& Corbin, 1998). The research team shared ideas for codes
with each other in order to reach a consensus on the best
way to categorize responses. Each research team member
reviewed all responses to the open-ended questions to iden-
tify appropriate codes and mark their columns. Once all
responses were coded by each of the research team mem-
bers, we came together as a team to resolve any inconsis-
tencies and reach a consensus. When the coding process
was finalized, the percentage of responses in each open-
ended question that contained the related codes was calcu-
lated to identify the most frequently occurring responses.
Results
This study provided data regarding SLPs’perceptions
and experiences in May 2020 in five key areas: (a) commu-
nication with the school district, (b) transition in services,
(c) changes in job requirements for SLPs, (d) confidence
and workload appropriateness, and (e) personal reactions
and reflections. The results from varying types of survey
questions (including open-ended, multiple-choice, and
Likert scale questions) provided data relevant to each of
these key areas.
Communication With School District
General Communication
Survey participants were asked about the communi-
cation and reaction from their employers after the onset
of the COVID-19 public health emergency. A Likert scale
was used for seven statements, with lower numbers indicat-
ing that participants felt more positive about certain as-
pects of the employer’s communication and reaction. Few
participants agreed that their employers were prepared or
had a contingency plan in place for the COVID-19 public
health emergency (M= 3.18, SD = 0.83), but most agreed
this experience would help the district be more prepared
for similar events in the future (M=1.93,SD =0.60).There
Sylvan et al.: School-Based SLPS and the COVID-19 Aftermath 1737
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Table 1. Survey questions and response rate.
Survey question Response count
Response
percentage
Communication with school district
Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statements below.
e
My employer was prepared/had a contingency plan in place for the COVID-19 public
health emergency.
279 99.6%
Strongly agree (2%, n=6)
Agree (20%, n= 57)
Disagree (34%, n= 96)
Strongly disagree (43%, n= 120)
My employer communicated swiftly and effectively to explain how my role would change
due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
277 98.9%
Strongly agree (8%, n= 21)
Agree (35%, n= 98)
Disagree (33%, n= 91)
Strongly disagree (24%, n= 67)
I was given the equipment (e.g., webcam, access to digital materials) needed to transition
to the new service delivery model.
278 99.3%
Strongly agree (5%, n= 15)
Agree (21%, n= 59)
Disagree (38%, n= 107)
Strongly disagree (35%, n= 97)
This experience will help my district be prepared for future pandemics and/or disasters. 278 99.3%
Strongly agree (20%, n= 55)
Agree (69%, n= 193)
Disagree (9%, n= 25)
Strongly disagree (2%, n=5)
I am in regular touch with my supervisor as the COVID-19 public health emergency
continues to unfold.
280 100%
Strongly agree (31%, n= 86)
Agree (52%, n= 145)
Disagree (14%, n= 38)
Strongly disagree (4%, n= 11)
I am in regular touch with the principal and teachers in the schools where I work as the
COVID-19 public health emergency continues to unfold.
279 99.6%
Strongly agree (32%, n= 88)
Agree (51%, n= 143)
Disagree (14%, n= 39)
Strongly disagree (3%, n=9)
I know who to contact if I need help performing required functions of my job at this time. 279 99.6%
Strongly agree (26%, n= 73)
Agree (55%, n= 154)
Disagree (14%, n= 40)
Strongly disagree (4%, n= 12)
What did your school district do well to support the needed transition in reaction to the
COVID-19 public health emergency?
a
236 84.3%
What did your school district do that made the transition more difficult?
a
248 88.6%
Transition in services
Has the plan for speech-language service delivery evolved as the COVID-19 public
health emergency continues to unfold?
c
276 98.6%
No - a plan was put in place and followed consistently (11%, n= 31)
Yes, major changes - the plan keeps changing over time (34%, n= 93)
Yes, minor changes - the main plan is consistent but details are refined over time
(55%, n= 152)
Did you feel you had adequate time to transition your services to accommodate the
COVID-19 public health emergency? Why or why not?
a
271 96.8%
If you transitioned to telepractice, how long was the transition period to learn and execute
telepractice for a full session?
a
201 71.8%
Did your district seek SLP input in making the plan for how to transition services? If so,
who consulted you and how?
a
272 97.1%
Is the same plan in place across your whole district with respect to speech-language
services or is there variability depending on specific circumstances? Please explain.
a
270 96.4%
Changes in job requirements for SLPs
Are you still holding IEP meetings according to original timelines?
b,c
278 99.3%
Yes (69%, n= 193)
No (6%, n= 18)
Other (please explain; 24%, n= 67)
(table continues)
1738 Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups •Vol. 5 •1735–1749 •December 2020
SIG 16 School-Based Issues
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Table 1. (Continued).
Survey question Response count
Response
percentage
What solutions did your school district put in place regarding your services? Check all
that apply.
b,d
280 100%
Require SLPs to transition therapy and services online (i.e., virtual services, telepractice;
75%, n=209)
Require SLPs to provide packets and other take-home materials to parents (70%, n=195)
Require SLPs to provide regular check-in meetings with families (73%, n= 204)
Require SLPs to support teachers in providing online education (31%, n= 87)
Require SLPs to amend and alter all IEPs (19%, n= 52)
Outsource services in district to existing online SLP telepractice services (e.g., separate
companies that exclusively provide telepractice; 0%, n=0)
Require SLPs to offer to meet with some students in person (4%, n= 10)
Put speech-language services on hold (8%, n= 23)
Other (please explain; 24%, n= 67)
Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statements below.
e
I was easily able to change my service delivery model to accommodate social distancing
during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
276 98.6%
Strongly agree (5%, n= 13)
Agree (32%, n= 89)
Disagree (46%, n= 127)
Strongly disagree (17%, n= 47)
If you provide virtual services/use telepractice, do you follow the same minutes designated
in the IEP for service delivery or follow a modified schedule? Explain.
a
246 87.9%
Did you have a choice about the transition and approach that would work best for you or
your students?
a
274 97.9%
Prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency, did you provide services to children who did
not have IEPs as part of an integrated model, such as multiple tiers of student support
(MTSS) or response to intervention (RTI)? If so, have you been able to continue to support
students without IEPs and/or consult with teachers about “at risk”students?
a
254 90.7%
Confidence and workload appropriateness
Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statements below.
e
I am confident in my understanding of how to maintain the regulations of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in this situation.
280 100%
Strongly agree (7%, n= 19)
Agree (31%, n= 88)
Disagree (48%, n= 134)
Strongly disagree (14%, n= 39)
I have previously experienced similar disruptions to my standard service delivery (natural
disasters, local tragedies, unforeseen emergencies, etc.), so I felt confident about
how to proceed during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
275 98.2%
Strongly agree (1%, n=3)
Agree (3%, n=7)
Disagree (30%, n= 82)
Strongly disagree (67%, n= 183)
I feel confident that I am able to help support my students during the COVID-19 public
health emergency.
278 99.3%
Strongly agree (8%, n= 22)
Agree (51%, n= 143)
Disagree (35%, n= 98)
Strongly disagree (5%, n= 15)
Had you ever provided telepractice in your experience as an SLP prior to the COVID-19
public health emergency?
c
280 100%
Yes (9%, n= 26)
No (91%, n= 254)
Have you completed training or continuing education units in telepractice, and if so, when?
c
278 99.3%
Prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency (5%, n= 14)
As a reaction to the COVID-19 public health emergency (60%, n= 166)
I have not completed training or continuing education units in telepractice (35%, n= 98)
To what extent do you think your workload has changed as a result of the COVID-19 public
health emergency?
c
276 98.6%
My workload has increased, but it is still manageable. (48%, n= 133)
My workload has become unmanageable, and I am not able to complete the required
tasks. (24%, n= 65)
My workload has decreased. (12%, n= 34)
My workload and job expectations are similar to those in place before the COVID-19
public health emergency. (16%, n= 44)
(table continues)
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were mixed reactions about whether survey participants
agreed their employers provided necessary equipment (M=
3.03, SD = 0.88), with only 27% indicating that they agreed
or strongly agreed they were provided needed tools (e.g., web-
cam, access to digital tools). Similarly, survey participants
were mixed regarding whether their employers swiftly and
effectively communicated role changes due to the COVID-19
public health emergency (M=2.74,SD =0.91).Mostsurvey
participants agreed they communicated regularly with the
principal and teachers (M=1.89,SD = 0.76) and with their
supervisors (M= 1.91, SD = 0.77). It was also notable that
most participants agreed they knew who to contact if they
Table 1. (Continued).
Survey question Response count
Response
percentage
Do you agree with this statement?: I feel like the workload expected of SLPs during
the COVID-19 public health emergency is commensurate with the workload
expected of teachers or other educators.
bc
278 99.3%
Yes (13%, n= 37)
No (81%, n= 226)
Other (please explain; 5%, n= 15)
Do you feel confident that you have all the resources and guidance needed to
adequately perform your job during the COVID-19 public health emergency?
Why or why not?
a
259 92.5%
What additional comments do you have about how the COVID-19 public health
emergency has impacted your workload?
a
171 61.1%
Personal reactions and reflections
Please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statements below.
e
I am concerned about job security due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 280 100%
Strongly agree (6%, n= 18)
Agree (19%, n= 52)
Disagree (49%, n= 138)
Strongly disagree (26%, n= 72)
I am worried about my health due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 275 98.2%
Strongly agree (20%, n= 54)
Agree (52%, n= 143)
Disagree (25%, n= 68)
Strongly disagree (4%, n= 10)
I am worried about my family’s health due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 279 99.6%
Strongly agree (29%, n= 82)
Agree (53%, n= 149)
Disagree (16%, n= 45)
Strongly disagree (1%, n=3)
I am worried about the health of my students due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 276 98.6%
Strongly agree (34%, n= 93)
Agree (55%, n= 152)
Disagree (11%, n= 29)
Strongly disagree (1%, n=2)
I am facing financial stress within my family due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. 280 100%
Strongly agree (7%, n= 20)
Agree (17%, n= 47)
Disagree (51%, n= 142)
Strongly disagree (25%, n= 71)
Are you currently balancing working while also providing care to dependent children
in your household due to the COVID-19 public health emergency?
c
272 97.1%
Yes (48%, n= 130)
No (52%, n= 142)
What other personal issues have you faced as a result of the COVID-19 public health
emergency?
a
173 61.8%
Has your district communicated what will happen when the COVID-19 public health
emergency ends? Do you think you will be expected to offer students compensatory
services? What are your concerns about this?
a
261 93.2%
What else would you like to share about your experiences as a school-based SLP during
the COVID-19 public health emergency?
a
149 53.2%
Note. Based on a sample of 280 total survey respondents. All question responses in this table were optional. SLP = speech-language pathologist;
IEP = Individualized Education Program.
a
Open-ended question: Respondents were provided an empty text box to respond to questions.
b
Multiple-choice question with option to
provide additional written information.
c
Multiple-choice question, one answer only.
d
Multiple-choice question, select all that apply.
e
Likert
scale question.
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SIG 16 School-Based Issues
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Table 3. Characteristics of speech-language pathologists’caseloads that participated in the survey.
Demographic parameter Response count Response percentage
Caseload size n= 278
30 or less 43 15.47%
31–60 176 63.31%
61–80 39 14.03%
81+ 14 5.04%
Other
a
6 2.16%
Grades of students on caseload n= 280
b
Pre–K 156 55.71%
Elementary school (Grades K–5) 219 78.21%
Middle school (Grades 6–8) 109 38.93%
High school (Grades 9–12) 70 25.00%
Transition services 21 7.50%
Make-up of caseload n= 278
Mostly general education with mild-to-moderate disorders 69 24.82%
Mix of mild, moderate, and severe disorders 166 59.71%
Mostly significant needs and moderate-to-severe disorders 41 14.75%
Other
c
2 0.72%
a
Caseload/workload consists of augmentative and alternative communication support services only, evaluations
only, and program supervisor/district coordinator role.
b
Respondents were able to select multiple grade levels.
c
Caseload consists of students who are deaf and hard of hearing, and students in alternative education (i.e.,
postexpulsion, virtual learning hybrid, home hospital).
Table 2. Characteristics of survey participants.
Demographic parameter Response count Response percentage
Geographic regions
a
n= 274
Midwest 58 21.17%
Northeast 55 20.07%
South 67 24.45%
West 94 34.31%
Practice in a state other than residence n= 230
No 221 96%.
Yes 94%.
Employment situation n= 280
Public school 224 80%.
Private/independent school 3 1.07%
Contract company 29 10.36%
Independent contractor/self-employed 10 3.57%
Nonpublic school receiving students for out-of-district placement 5 1.79%
Other (not specified) 9 3.21%
Type of pay n= 280
Salary 240 85.71%
Hourly 40 14.29%
Number of years as an SLP n= 280
0–3 41 14.64%
4–10 77 27.5%
21–30 66 23.57%
11–20 72 25.71%
31+ 24 8.57%
Number of years spent working for current employer n= 280
0–3 95 33.93%
4–10 89 31.79%
11–20 72 25.71%
21–30 18 6.43%
31+ 6 2.14%
Note. SLP = speech-language pathologist.
a
Geographic location was determined by how states are classified into geographic regions by the U.S. Census
Bureau (n.d.).
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needed help performing the required functions of their job
at this time (M= 1.97, SD = 0.76).
What Districts Did Well to Support the Transition
Survey participants were asked in an open-ended ques-
tion what they felt their school districts did well to support
the transition to remote learning. When prompted to reflect
on what went well, many responses identified consistent
communication (33%), making statements such as “our
superintendent has been very transparent”and “communi-
cation with parents and families was issued daily.”Survey
participants also appreciated the support they received from
districts. Sixteen percent indicated the district had reason-
able expectations, and 15% appreciated that the district
showed flexibility. Participants also highlighted timing is-
sues as a positive: 10% indicated the district had a quick
response, and 9% mentioned they appreciated the gradual
transition and being provided time to prepare. Finally, 14%
mentioned that they appreciated how the district showed
empathy and focused on health and safety (e.g., “They were
understanding that it was going to take time to acquire new
technology skills to serve students and families”).
Responses also indicated that survey participants felt
their districts did well with providing resources. Notably,
23% mentioned the district did well with providing resources
to staff (e.g., “Our SPED partners created step-by-step
documents listing the procedure and protocol for each road-
block that could potentially come our way”). However, some
participants indicated the district did well with providing
resources to teachers but not necessarily to SLPs (e.g., “For
the teachers they gave guidance. We, the SLPs, were on our
own to figure it out!”). Participants also said they appreci-
ated the support provided directly to students, with 23%
mentioning that learning-related resources were provided
to students (e.g., “Laptops and devices were issued to
families in need”) and 8% said meals were available to
students through the school (e.g., “The school nutrition
program provided meals to families in need since day 1
of quarantine”).
What Districts Did That Made the Transition
More Difficult
In another open-ended question, participants were
asked what their school districts did that made the transi-
tion more difficult. In response to this, the most promi-
nent themes included communication and organization.
Many participants noted insufficient guidance and planning
(37%), inconsistency and disorganization (25%), unclear or
unrealistic expectations (21%), and poor communication
(21%). Related to this, participants mentioned issues sur-
rounding the timing of such communication, with some
participants noting their districts were too slow to give di-
rection (14%), while others thought the transitions moved
too quickly to allow for adequate planning time (7%).
Related to communication and expectations, issues
also came up concerning different treatment between pro-
fessionals. An issue that was identified was the lack of under-
standing of the nature of the role of SLPs in schools. As one
participant noted, there seemed to be a “lack of understand-
ing...towards all of what they expected of SLPs”and another
explaining that “the district fought the union when the SLPs
tried to inform the district of ASHA standards.”Differing
communication and guidance to district and contract em-
ployees was also an issue, with some saying that contractors
faced unique issues like being “unable to use the approved
platforms due to IT/security issues.”Other themes regarding
what the district did to make the transition more difficult in-
cluded lack of access to resources (15%), technology-related
issues (6%), an overall lack of empathy or understanding
(5%), and limitations regarding the resources provided to
students (4%). It is important to note that several respon-
dents (4%) acknowledged that the difficulties related to the
transition were not to be blamed on the district but rather
reflected the overall challenging nature of the situation. One
SLP mentioned that their district “did the best to their ability
to help us all navigate this new time in our lives,”while an-
other pointed out that “everything is just so complicated.”
Transition in Services
Timing Issues
Participants were asked if they had sufficient time to
make the transition. Over half (56%) of participants reported
they did not have enough time, 31% indicated that the time
for the transition was sufficient, and 12% indicated they
had mixed feelings on this topic. While it was more com-
mon to feel the time to transition was insufficient, some
participants indicated too much time was spent on the tran-
sition, which was also detrimental (i.e., “Students did not
get the therapy that they needed and I experienced a loss of
income”). Regarding the exact amount of time participants
had to transition to virtual services, 56% reported that they
had 1–2 weeks, 19% reported the transition occurred in less
than a week, and 12% said they had 3 or more weeks.
SLP Input Regarding Transition Plan
A majority of SLPs (62%) reported that districts did
not seek their direct input in making the plan for how to
transition services. Most felt this lack of input was detrimen-
tal because administrators did not understand the nature of
SLPs’work so they ended up putting SLPs in a difficult posi-
tion. For example, one participant responded to the question
about SLP input on transition plans stating, “No. Not at all.
And this was a slap in the face. They dictated how things
would be done but have NO IDEA what our job entails and
how feasible certain things would be.”Others mentioned the
district’s main concern seemed to be liability and not quality
service delivery explaining, “We are in a quite litigious dis-
trict, so they were more concerned about what the attorneys
wanted us to do [than what we wanted to do]. We got word-
ing to put disclaimers in IEPs and progress reports.”Partic-
ipants who indicated that SLPs were included in transition
planning largely noted it was actually their manager or de-
partment lead that played the main role in sharing their
input with the district (i.e., “I feel my direct supervisor and
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program director advocated for the SLPs and considered
our feedback”).
Consistency in Transition Plan
SLPs were asked about the consistency of the plan
to transition from face-to-face services to remote services
across their district and over time. When asked if the tran-
sition plan from the district changed over time or remained
consistent, the majority of respondents (55%) reported mi-
nor changes to the plan over time, while 34% said there
were major changes and 11% reported a consistent plan.
Participants were also asked if the plan put in place for
remote speech-language services was consistent across their
district. About half (48%) indicated that there was variabil-
ity between SLPs in terms of how they carried out remote
services, while most others (46%) said the plan was the same
district-wide.
Of the participants who indicated the transition plan
was consistent across the district, most reported the plan
was flexible and consisted of general guidance rather than
detailed specifics. For example, one respondent explained,
“We have general guidelines. We have a list of dos and
don’ts. A frequently asked questions paper was given out”
and another stated, “Yes, same plan, but some SLPs had
more parents who ‘opted out’of telepractice than others,
depending on the geographical location in the district.”Of
those who said the plan was not consistent across the dis-
trict, many of these variations related to the resources and
ability to participate in remote learning opportunities. For
example, one participant explained, “My district is low in-
come with varying home situations for devices and working
parents. The district provided devices, but parents aren’t
picking them up.”Others echoed that socioeconomic varia-
tions between families and school drove the variability (e.g.,
“There is complete variability: I do over 30 televisits a week
in my high-SES school while other SLPs do none”). An-
other participant noted SLP motivation as a contributing
factor to the variation, stating “All SLPs have been in-
formed of the same plan, but I don’t think all are following
the plan. There is major variability in regards to which stu-
dents are accessing services, depending on technology, par-
ent support, SLP motivation, and much more.”
Changes in Job Requirements for SLPs
In public schools, SLPs are required to be involved
in Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, pro-
vide direct services to students with IEPs, and engage in
prevention-oriented work for at-risk students. Expectations
for how these tasks were carried out often changed in light
of the pandemic.
IEP Meetings and Minutes
While the majority of SLPs (69%) reported that they
were still holding IEP meetings according to original time-
lines, many mentioned that keeping to the timelines depended
on availability and wishes of parents (e.g., “Parents were
given the choice to hold the IEPs virtually or waiting until
we are back in school”). Several participants reported some
IEP meetings (like annual reviews) were held, while others
(like re-evaluations or initial meetings) were delayed or not
held. One issue related to IEP meetings was the challenge
of following IEP guidelines related to timelines and prior
written notice. Some participants noted the great lengths
taken to ensure compliance at this challenging time (e.g.,
“We are supposed to mail draft paperwork out to families
10 days before meeting, but the county will only do mailing
twice a week. So I end up rushing to finish it in time...drop-
ping off the paperwork to the parent’s house myself to make
sure it gets there in time”).
IEPs specify a certain number of minutes SLPs spend
on direct services. Seventy-six percent of SLPs reported
following a modified schedule for service delivery with re-
spect to providing direct services to students with IEPs.
Participants reported there were a variety of reasons for these
modifications, including (a) family schedules/situations,
(b) technology access, (c) student attention over a virtual
platform, and (d) direct instruction from the district about
how to modify IEP minutes. Those who received direct
guidance about how to modify IEP minutes ranged from
being instructed to “provide services for half of a student’s
designated minutes”to reducing minutes “by the percent-
age of general education time on the IEP.”
Direct Services: Ranges of Choices, Autonomy in Selecting
the Best Choice
It is notable that, in reaction to the pandemic, there
were a variety of expectations for what direct service should
look like, and a number of possibilities were considered.
When asked what solutions school districts put in place
regarding SLP services, 75% of participants reported SLPs
were required to transition to providing therapy and ser-
vices online (i.e., virtual services, telepractice). Others reported
they were required to provide packets and other home pro-
gram materials to parents (70%), regular check-in meetings
with families (73%), or support to teachers providing online
education (31%). Twenty-four percent of respondents pro-
vided other solutions through a text entry option (n= 67).
One of the most prominent themes within this text entry op-
tion was virtual classrooms, posting, or e-mailing materials
(n= 14). Although many options seemed to be explored and
proposed, participants had mixed feelings when asked how
much they agreed with the following statement: “I was easily
able to change my service delivery model to accommodate
social distancing during the COVID-19 public health emer-
gency”(M=2.75,SD =0.79).
When participants were asked what level of autonomy
they had to select the approach to direct services that would
work best for them or their students, 64% of participants
stated that they had a choice about how services should be
delivered (e.g., “Yes, we were to make decisions of what we
felt would best support each student taking into consider-
ation their needs, our needs and parent preference”). While
many appreciated the autonomy, some responses indicated
more guidance would have been helpful. For example, one
participant noted, “It was too much leeway for approach
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and inadequate materials support...we were instructed to
look at TPT [Teachers Pay Teachers] for free resources—
ridiculous!”Others noted they had a choice but were wor-
ried about what the long-term implications of these choices
might be (e.g., “The district continues to leave this area grey,
so people have the choice, but no one knows what the reper-
cussions will be for choosing one approach or another, if
any”). Of those SLPs who felt they lacked a choice in how
to deliver services (36%), many noted it was the parents who
were in the position to make the choice (e.g., “Parents could
‘opt out,’but SLPs could not make the decision about who
was and was not appropriate for therapy via telepractice”)
and felt their lack of autonomy did not allow for individu-
alization (e.g., “the whole process was very scripted”).
Prevention-Oriented Interventions for At-Risk Students
Nearly 60% (151 out of 254) of participants noted that
they were not involved with providing prevention-oriented
support to at-risk students, such as multitiered systems of
support (MTSS) or response to intervention (RTI), before
the pandemic. Of the 101 participants who noted they had
involvement in MTSS/RTI prior to the pandemic, most re-
ported they did not continue to be involved with these stu-
dents after the pandemic. They cited time limitations (e.g.,
“I have not been able to support those students because there
isn’t enough time. I could reach out if I wanted to but I have
too many other things to do”) or directives from districts
(e.g., “The district does not want me to serve these students
at this time”) to explain why these activities stopped in the
light of the pandemic. Several mentioned concerns about
these students (e.g., “I wish I could check in on them more,
but because they’re not on my caseload I can’t”). Relatively
few SLPs (24 out of the 254 sample) provided details re-
garding their continued involvement with at-risk students.
Of this group, about half mentioned they worked with stu-
dents directly, whereas the others mentioned they continued
involvement through ongoing consultation with teachers
and providing support to parents with packets and online
resources.
Confidence and Workload Appropriateness
Confidence and Training
SLPs were asked about their confidence in completing
their jobs during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Few SLPs agreed with the statement “I have previously ex-
perienced similar disruptions to my standard service delivery
(natural disasters, local tragedies, unforeseen emergencies,
etc.) so I felt confident about how to proceed during the
COVID-19 public health emergency”(M= 3.62, SD = 0.59).
Despite this lack of similar previous experiences, there were
mixed feelings when participants were asked if they agreed
with the following statements: “I am confident in my under-
standing of how to maintain the regulations of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in this situation”
(M= 2.69, SD = 0.79) and “I feel confident that I am able
to help support my students during the COVID-19 public
health emergency”(M= 2.38, SD = 0.71).
A major change in the job requirements of SLPs was
to deliver services remotely rather than face-to-face. The vast
majority (91%) of survey respondents reported they had
never provided telepractice in their experience as an SLP
prior to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This re-
sponse rate was consistent with the ASHA May 2020 sur-
vey, where almost 95% of school-based SLPs said they had
not routinely provided telepractice before. When asked if
they had completed training relevant to teletherapy, only
5% said they had some training for telepractice before the
COVID-19 public health emergency. About 60% of partici-
pants said they completed some training as a reaction to the
COVID-19 public health emergency, but over 35% reported
they had not completed training related to telepractice.
When asked in an open-ended question format, “Do
you feel confident that you have all the resources and guid-
ance needed to adequately perform your job during the
COVID-19 public health emergency? Why or why not?”
only 28% of respondents indicated they felt confident. Most
(72%) either lacked confidence or had mixed feelings. The
main issues identified in response to these questions were
lack of equipment and resources (35%) and lack of guid-
ance and training (24%). One participant summarized these
feelings, stating:
No, we are given general help and comical “guidance”
on how to magically service students, write IEPs,
contact parents on a weekly basis, send weekly
assignments, document all of this in a 7 hour day.
As if that is realistically even possible. But it has
to get done and done on my personal time and my
mental and physical health pays the price and I get
paid my same hourly rate and maximum 35 hour week.
In response to the same question, many pointed out
that their confidence levels improved over time but they
hadtobeself-drivenorrelyonthecommunityofSLPs
and colleagues to gain the confidence needed to do their
work. One noted that “Timely CEUs, ASHA guidance,
and Facebook groups helped get information quickly,”
and others reported they “have been following many blog-
gers, attending online workshops and researching materials.”
Some SLPs stated that they felt confident with their skills
but were not certain that families and students were able to
access their services, with one participant stating, “Digital
divide affects my low income students. It’s not fair to them
to do distance learning.”Others mentioned how personal
issues (e.g., stress, financial issues, childcare, health) im-
pacted their confidence levels negatively.
Appropriateness of Workload
The survey also probed participants’perceptions of
workload manageability and how they felt SLPs’work-
loads compared to other educators. When asked “To what
extent do you think your workload has changed as a result
of the COVID-19 public health emergency?,”the majority
of responses (72%, n= 198) indicated their workload in-
creased. Of the 198 participants who indicated their work-
load increased, 133 indicated their workload “increased
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but it is still manageable,”whereas 65 responded that the
workload was unmanageable and they were not able to
complete the required tasks. Not everyone felt their work-
load increased, as 12% of participants reported a decrease
and 16% reported that it remained about the same. Partici-
pants were also probed about how their workload com-
pared to others. When asked to agree or disagree with the
statement “I feel like the workload expected of SLPs during
the COVID-19 public health emergency is commensurate
with the workload expected of teachers or other educa-
tors,”the majority of respondents (81%) stated “no”and
13% stated “yes.”Five percent of respondents chose “other”
and explained their reactions. Many who chose “other”
mentioned how workloads were similar or not comparable,
it varied by educator, or they were unsure.
When asked in an open-ended question about addi-
tional comments SLPs had about how the COVID-19 public
health emergency has impacted their workload, 171 respon-
dents made comments related to how their workload increased
because they needed to devote more time to planning and
challenges dealing with parents, as well as increased paper-
work, documentation, phone calls, and e-mails. Other less
frequent comments included fewer group sessions, negative
impact on students, and that the situation related to their
workload was hard but improving. There were many strong
feelings expressed about how overworked SLPs felt, with
one stating:
I worked an insane amount in April and now in
May work 9 hours a day on average. I am trying to
protect myself against lawsuits by providing quality
materials and building relationships with families
but it is draining and physically painful to be sitting
staring at a screen all day after being active and
always moving. My hips hurt, my eyes are strained,
and my work setup is not ergonomic for long hours
at the computer.
Personal Reactions and Reflections
Major Stressors and Worries
Survey participants were asked about their personal
concerns and worries. Using a Likert scale (on a scale of
1–4, with 1 indicating the highest level of worry and 4 indi-
cating the lowest level of worry), SLPs were asked how
worried they felt on a variety of issues. Most partici-
pants indicated they did not face high levels of worry about
their job security (M= 2.94, SD = 0.83) or financial stress
(M=2.94,SD = 0.84). Rather, the results suggest that
most faced stress related to concerns for their own family’s
health (M=1.89,SD = 0.70) and the health of their students
(M=1.78,SD = 0.65). To supplement the Likert scale
questions, participants were asked an open-ended question
about what other personal issues they faced as a result of
the COVID-19 public health emergency. Of the 173 responses,
55% reported a negative impact on mental or physical health,
making statements like “My body also just isn’tusedtositting
that much, so weight gain from stress and mental fatigue
without diet changes. I hate feeling chained to my computer
for 8+ hours per day.”Thirty-seven percent stated family
concerns like, “My husband is an essential employee and
is still working his regular shifts plus additional with the
added burden of trying to lessen our exposure. We are
also doing all shopping for older family members.”Other
frequent responses indicated difficulty with maintaining a
work/life balance (16%), isolation/lack of community inter-
action (14%), and increased costs/financial issues (14%).
Some less common responses expressed concern for can-
celed plans (e.g., weddings, vacations) due to COVID-19
and ageism in the workplace (i.e., discrimination against
workers over 65 years old).
Nearly half (48%) of the SLPs who responded were
balancing work with caring for dependent children in the
household. Challenges related to the stress of dependent chil-
dren came up across the entire survey, and several SLPs men-
tioned that the stress of caring for kids at home impacted
their confidence in their ability to do their job. One partici-
pant stated, “Managing my role as a mother and tend to
my child as well as be a professional. Separating time - at
work, there is a clear demarcation of work/home life. Now,
we are encouraged to be available for parents and to work
around their schedule,”and another said, “I need to take
care of my 2 school aged children while my spouse is an es-
sential worker. [Given this], it is difficult to balance work
and home distance learning expectations.”
Uncertainty About the Future
Thinking beyond the current situation, SLPs were
asked about their concerns for the future. Specifically, par-
ticipants were asked about their thoughts and concerns
regarding expectations to offer compensatory speech and
language services to students in the future. In response to
this, 74% reported that there had not been any discussion
about these services yet, 30% said they were concerned
about the possibility or expect that parents will push for it,
and 10% expect it not to be an issue. Others were either
not worried about it or expect that it will be addressed on
a case-by-case basis. In general, responses to this question
were indicative of a high level of uncertainty about the
future. Some participants highlighted worries about how
their jobs might look in the upcoming school year, mak-
ing comments like, “We have heard nothing. I’m worried
what our jobs will look like next year. How do we do speech
in masks 6 feet apart?!”Others expressed concerns about
how special education policy was managed and implemented
during remote instruction, making statements like, “I’m furi-
ous with the government’s decision to have no sped [special
education] waivers. We are overworked and understaffed
already.”
When asked as a final question on the survey about
what else they would like to share, 88 out of 149 (59%) par-
ticipants offered a final reflection mostly about the negative
aspects of their experiences immediately after the onset of
the pandemic. Answers highlighted the stress, ongoing worries,
isolation, and frustration faced by SLPs. One participant
reported, “It has been extremely frustrating, stressful, and
challenging....I feel like the weight of the public school
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world is resting on our ability to get in touch with families
and provide teletherapy.”Another stated:
It feels pretty awful. You are caught in a cycle of “if
you don’t provide, you will pay later,”but “my kids
can’t do this from home/are prioritizing other things,”
but “make sure you keep sending things to parents
regularly to prove you’re doing your job,”but “don’t
bug parents too much because they’re stressed.”No
flexibility to do what is actually right for the student
during this time, just cover yourself so you don’t get
sued/attacked by parents/advocates later.
Unexpected Silver Linings
On the final survey question asking what else they
would like to share, 47 out of the 149 participants who
responded to this question identified some silver linings from
their experiences working as school-based SLPs in the time
immediately following the onset of the COVID-19 pan-
demic. Participants reported feeling grateful in a number
of ways. Some felt grateful for training opportunities (e.g.,
“I enjoy learning teletherapy tips and tricks, and am excited
to implement some of them into my therapy in person when
things return to normal”), whereas others expressed grati-
tude for their community and support from colleagues (e.g.,
“The field stepped up big time. Lots of SLP support from
others. I am so grateful”). Many highlighted the benefits of
working directly with parents as this allowed them the pos-
sibility to increase generalization and focus more on func-
tional skills (e.g., “Parents have become more important in
my work during this time. They have become involved as
facilitators of their child’s language skill development”).
Other participants noted they enjoyed the opportunities
to feel like their work was valuable and important (e.g.,
“The bond some students have with their SLPs...we may
not even realize existed”) and appreciated supportive school
teams (e.g., “We are all [SLPs, administrators, parents, and
students] doing the best we can do in a crazy situation”). The
overall sentiment regarding the silver lining related to these
experiences is summed up well by a participant who stated,
“I’ve enjoyed the skills I’ve learned and love knowing my
students are continuing to receive quality services.”
Discussion
The results of this study are important because they
document the experiences, expectations, confidence levels,
and personal reactions of school-based SLPs at a unique
moment in history, as they provided services to public school
students in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 pan-
demic in May 2020.
SLPs Demonstrated Resilience in a Stressful Time
Immediately following school closures, SLPs were
asked to pivot their work and their day-to-day experiences
in a short period of time with a high level of stress. SLPs
reported mixed experiences with the communication, guid-
ance, and resources they received from the districts they
served, as well as variability in the amount of time and train-
ing they received as they made the necessary transition away
from “business as usual”to working as an SLP in a pan-
demic situation. This survey revealed that this shift occurred
even as SLPs faced a variety of personal stressors including
worries about their health concerns and the challenges of
caring for dependent children without childcare support.
It is notable that school-based SLPs tend to be a female-
dominatedprofession(98%femaleaccordingtoASHA’s
2018 Schools Survey). Although certainly not all SLPs are
mothers, recent publications have shown that the pandemic
is disproportionately stressful and interruptive to mothers’
careers (Grose, 2020; Krentz et al., 2020; Weber, 2020)
and it may stand to reason there are proportionally more
mothers in female-dominated professions like SLPs. In
this survey, 48% of respondents reported they were caring
for dependent children while adapting their service delivery
in the immediate aftermath of the COVID-19 public health
crisis, though it is important to note that the survey did not
ask a question about gender.
With all these stressors, it is clear from the results of
the survey that school-based SLPs continued to work dili-
gently to serve students. Every aspect of their job (i.e., paper-
work, meetings, parent communication, compliance issues,
direct services) was changed, and most SLPs reported their
workloads increased significantly as a result. Even while very
few participants reported having previous experiences with
telepractice and most reporting low confidence levels (at
least initially) with the “new normal,”all participants shared
details of the passion and hard work they brought to these
new circumstances. This reflects the resilience and determi-
nation demonstrated by school-based SLPs during this time.
At the same time, a high number of SLPs reported
feeling underappreciated, overworked, and not understood
throughout the survey. While these perceptions may be re-
flective of larger issues of how SLPs are valued in schools
(Blood et al., 2002; Caesar & Nelson, 2008), it is critical to
consider how these feelings of underappreciation may be
amplified in a stressful time like a public health emergency.
While some SLPs mentioned empathy from districts, others
felt those in decision-making positions did not understand
the nature of their jobs and were unreasonable. It is imper-
ative to consider how school districts and others can work
to support and appreciate the professionals in a challenging
time and how SLPs can advocate for the support and re-
sources they need to remain impactful and motivated, even
in trying circumstances.
Importance of Community and Professional Support
in Challenging Times
SLPs highlighted how their community members
supported each other and expressed gratitude for such a
strong support system. When asked about resources and
confidence, many pointed out their training was self-driven
by using timely resources that were made available and
expressed appreciation for the mobilization of support in
the community. As one SLP said, “Essentially we were all
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trying to figure it out on our own while also helping each
other. Even though no one knew what we were doing we
were still all very open to helping each other.”
This recognition that SLPs are part of a supportive
community is consistent with the general observation that
multiple organizations, companies, and others worked to
bring resources to school-based SLPs in the wake of school
closures. For example, PresenceLearning (2020) moved to
provide training to school-based SLPs and offered some
features at no additional cost to those using the service,
The SLP Solution (2020) offered discounted group rates,
andPearsonprovidedfreeaccesstoonlineresourcesrelated
to assessment (Pearson Education, 2020). ASHA (2020d)
created and consolidated a variety of resources specific to
telepractice and also provided free access to the ASHA
Learning Pass for its SLP members between March 28 and
June 30, 2020 (ASHA, 2020c). The results of this survey
highlighted how much school-based SLPs appreciated this
support immediately following the pandemic and under-
score the importance of the SLP community continuing to
support one another.
Concerns About the Impact on Students Who
Are at Risk for Academic Failure
One issue that came up across the survey was the
concern SLPs showed for their students, especially for
students at risk for academic failure. They expressed con-
cerns about how the move to virtual learning potentially
exacerbated existing inequities between students with many
highlighting how the pandemic disproportionately impacted
disadvantaged families. Many SLPs pointed out that pro-
viding resources like meals and technology for students was
a relative strength of their district’s response, while others
expressed concerns that technology remained a barrier for
some students. SLPs expressed their desire to help students
even as they were not able to consistently do so given the
constraints they faced. While it was heartening to see some
are still providing support to at-risk students through frame-
works like MTSS/RTI, it was concerning that many SLPs
reported not being in a position to support at-risk students
without identified disabilities at this time.
SLPs’concerns for students are consistent with research
and papers exploring the idea that inequities between students
are even further emphasized as an effect of the transition to
online schooling. It is estimated that 12 million school chil-
dren could not adequately complete their schoolwork be-
cause they did not have Internet access in their homes prior
to the pandemic (The Editorial Board, 2020). This means
that vulnerable groups such as “those with special needs, non-
native English speakers, communities of color, and those
living in rural or remote areas”(Hoffman, 2020, para. 12)
are likely to be most negatively impacted academically by
school closures. In this context, the data from this study
further highlighted the upcoming challenges. As the situa-
tion evolves, school-based SLPs can potentially be impor-
tant advocates for at-risk students.
The Need for Policy Guidance at This Time
of Disruption in Education
One issue that arose from these data was that SLPs
appreciated and needed clear guidance and communication
around educational policy at this challenging time. Through-
out the survey, SLPs highlighted their concern about the le-
gal implications of their choices and how best to implement
educational policy during school closures. Few reported full
confidence that they were able to maintain the regulations of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in this situa-
tion, and many reported concerns regarding the potential of
future lawsuits, especially concerning compensatory IEP
minutes. Beyond special education policy, SLPs were also
concerned about Health Insurance Portability and Account-
ability compliance and privacy concerns.
Participants expressed confusion, indicating a need
for guidance around education policy. This perception is
consistent with the larger context of changing guidance
and communication regarding educational policy expecta-
tions in the wake of the pandemic and worries about po-
tential lawsuits. The Department of Education March 21
fact sheet specified that schools should not withhold dis-
tance instruction to students due to difficulty in implement-
ing the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (Office of Special Education and Rehabili-
tative Services, 2020), but many states requested waivers
related to special education (Jones, 2020). In April 2020,
education secretary Betsy DeVos declined to grant waivers
stating the “learning must continue for all students”(p. 3).
News reports highlight that there have been numerous
challenges providing adequate education to students with
disabilities during school closures (Levine, 2020; V. Strauss,
2020). A number of federal lawsuits have already been insti-
gated around the provision of special education services
amid the COVID-19 emergency (Algar, 2020; Mitchell,
2020). Although the extent of the controversy and the na-
ture of the legal cases are beyond the scope of this article,
understanding the challenging legal context SLPs operated
under while serving students during the pandemic under-
scores how important it is for SLPs to receive clear guid-
ance and communication in order to feel confident in their
work.
Limitations of Study and Directions
for Future Research
It is necessary to note that there were some limitations
to this study. First, the data collected in this study were from
an anonymous voluntary survey and therefore were vulner-
able to human error, lack of conscientious responses, and
accessibility issues. Also, considering the survey was volun-
tary, it is not possible to know if the sample was fully repre-
sentative of the population of school-based SLPs, especially
since the main recruitment tool was social media. Another
important issue to consider is possible bias in interpreting
the data. An effort to control for bias was made by making
Sylvan et al.: School-Based SLPS and the COVID-19 Aftermath 1747
SIG 16 School-Based Issues
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decisions regarding this project collaboratively and reflec-
tively as a research team.
Considering that this is an evolving topic area, future
research on the experiences of public school SLPs in the after-
math of the COVID-19 public health emergency is necessary.
Future research could focus on understanding the differences
between the SLPs at varying school levels and geographic
areas. It would also be interesting to document how SLPs’
experiences evolve or stay consistent in the 2020–2021 school
year and beyond.
Conclusions
This survey provides detailed insights into school-
based SLPs’reactions and experiences at a unique time in
history. Never before have school-based SLPs gone through
such rapid and unexpected changes to the nature of their
work in the midst of a public health emergency across the
United States and worldwide. Although it is hard to predict
how education, and school-based speech-language therapy
services in particular, will unfold in the future, it is certain
that the SLPs serving students in public schools during the
spring of 2020 faced an unprecedented situation. The goal
of this study was to capture their professional experiences at
this moment in time both to understand how SLPs rose to
this challenging situation and to discuss how to support
SLPs in the future so they can be best positioned to serve
students effectively. This study highlighted the importance
of clear guidance and communication, the value of a sup-
portive SLP community, and the resiliency of SLPs to adapt
service delivery models while facing personal challenges.
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