Workload Assessment
Presently in North Carolina there are two methods to help Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP),
Principals and Directors of Exceptional Children programs appraise the workload of the school based
SLP. One is a calculation of IEP hours for every student (speech primary, secondary and related service)
on the workload and one is a calculation of direct service hours provided by the SLP. This document will
detail exactly how each method is to be calculated.
IEP hours:
Examine the IEP of every student primary, secondary and related service on the caseload of the SLP.
Although IEP hours are likely X number of hours per reporting period (for this purpose) imagine that
they are by week for this calculation
Add all the IEP hours together. For example; Susie’s IEP calls for 2 hours per week, John’s 1 hour per
week, Jorge’s 1 hour per week…. and so on. The total we have so far is 4 hours. Do this for ALL the
students, primary, secondary and related service that the SLP serves.
A recent small sampling of North Carolina SLPs that took into consideration small and large caseload
numbers as well as urban and rural districts suggested that between 35-40 IEP hours calculated in this
way produced one average Full Time Equivalent (FTE) unit. One may use this method of IEP hours to
calculate workload.
Direct Services method:
Examine the schedule of the SLP and simply determine how many hours of a day are devoted to direct
service. For example on Monday an SLP may see students directly in groups, individually or in
classrooms for 4.5 hours of the day. (Do not count hours per student here. For example if 3 students are
seen for a one hour group it counts as ONE hour of direct service for the SLP (not 3 hours).
Total the number of hours per week
Multiply the number of direct service hours per week by 1.5 (suggesting that for every hour of direct
service an SLP provides they should have ½ hour of time to write IEPs, and hold conferences, complete
Medicaid documentation, plan with teachers, meet with the student assistance team…… and other
duties captured on the ASHA workload wheel)
Divide the number above by 37.5 the number of hours a week and SLP is paid to work in the schools or
one Full Time Equivalent.
The end result should be about 1.0 or 1 FTE.
The form Copy of Speech-Language Caseload Worksheet on the web site will automatically do this
calculation for you if completed properly. There is no calculation for the other 3 quadrants on this form
but rather they document the services provided on behalf of students. (Go on to next page)
The following questions may also serve to clarify the workload of an individual SLP:
Workload Calculation for Speech Language Pathologists
SLP name ___________________________ School(s) _________________________________
No one method of calculating caseload /workload seems to represent a clear picture of the SLPs workload. A
combination of several methods does seem to present a clear picture of workload. Here are some suggested
questions to use in conjunction with the two methods provided above:
Please answer these questions:
How many students does the SLP serve? _______________
How many are Speech Primary? _____________________
How many Speech Secondary? ______________________
How many are Related Service? _____________________
How many are on Related Service Support Descriptions? _____________
How many schools does the SLP serve? __________________
Is a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant used to cover the workload? ___________ If yes how many SLPAs?
______________
How many students are seen in groups? _____________
How many classrooms (self-contained or regular) does the SLP serve students in per week through an inclusion
model of service delivery? ________
What is the number of IEP hours per week (see calculation method above) that this SLP serves? ____________
How many regular education students are seen for interventions through RtI/ MTSS _____________________?