Arizona State University
Department of Speech & Hearing Science
Quarterly Report for the Arizona Department of Education
Professional Enhancement Program for SLP
ASU Accounts PRS0031; PRS0044, PRS0060
March 30, 2009
Purpose of the contract: To support personnel required to increase the number of
individuals trained as graduate-level speech-language pathologists by Arizona State
University. These individuals will be employed by an Arizona Public School District on at
least a half-time basis at the time they begin the Professional Enhancement Program (PEP)
graduate program or as soon as possible thereafter.
ASU Responsibilities:
Responsibility A: To accept up to eight additional qualified students per year into the MS
degree program in Communication Disorders (speech-language pathology - SLP).
Progress: We received 20 applications for the third cohort of PEP master’s program speechlanguage pathology by the January 15, 2009 application deadline. Two applicants met the
criteria and an additional 5 students did not meet the academic standards but will be admitted
on probation because of their overall adequate GPAs and GREs and strong letters of
recommendation from their school districts. We expect these seven students to begin the
PEP course work in August 2009; bringing the total number of PEP students for 2009-2010
to include 25 students.
The table below provides information about the applicants to the master’s in speech language
pathology program at ASU. The mean grade point average (GPA), graduate records
examination score (GRE) for the PEP applicants were significantly below the applicants to
the full-time SLP master’s program. We expect 42 to 47 new students to begin the SLP
master’s program in August 2009 (including the PEP students). Most ASHA accredited
programs in speech language pathology typically accept approximately 15-20 new masters’
students each year. The Department of Speech and Hearing Science at Arizona State
University will accept more than twice that number! ASU is committed to accepting and
training as many highly qualified master’s level SLPs for the state of Arizona as possible.
Summary of 2009 Applicants to ASU Master’s in Speech Language Pathology
PEP
Total Number of Applicants
Number Arizona Residents
Average GPA
Average GRE
20
20
3.20
920
Full-Time SLP Master
Program
210
67
3.51
1020
Summary of 2009 Applicants
(continued)
Accepted Applicants
Number expected to attend
Number Arizona Residents
Average GPA
Average GRE
PEP
Full-Time SLP Master
Program
77
35-40
24
3.75
1150
7
7
7
3.48
980
The Department of Speech and Hearing Science at Arizona State University is committed to
addressing the shortage of speech language pathologists. ASU with the help from grants like
this is able to training significantly more speech language pathologist for Arizona’s public
schools. Where as most ASHA accredited University programs in speech language pathology
accept an average of 15-20 masters students each year, ASU has admitted 30-35 students to
the full time program each year and an additional 8-11 students to the PEP. The chart below
indicates the number of new graduate students beginning the master’s SLP program each
year at Arizona State University.
New Students Accepted into the SLP Master’s Program Each Year at ASU
60
50
40
PEP
30
Full time
20
10
(e
xp
e
ct
ed
)
20
08
20
09
20
07
20
06
20
05
20
04
0
Responsibility B: To offer a graduate curriculum that provides students the opportunity to
complete an MS degree in Communication Disorders in a 3-year period while employed in
an Arizona public school. The curriculum will be comprised of academic coursework and
clinical practicum experiences designed to satisfy the Knowledge and Skills required for
certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) as well as
satisfying the requirements for a regular license as an SLP in the state of Arizona.
Progress: The courses for the master’s degree in speech language pathology in the Department
of Speech and Hearing Science at ASU are now offered in the evening beginning at 4:40pm.
Most classes meet once per week so PEP students have two evenings each week where they are
in class. There are two classes (out of 13 required courses for graduation) that currently are only
offered Friday afternoons. An online course is being developed for SHS 575 Aphasia and
Related Neurogenic Disorders since it can no longer be offered by the instructor in the evenings.
This will allow the PEP students more flexibility with their class schedule during the fall
semester of their second year.
PEP students complete clinical practica in their district each semester, under the supervision of
ASHA certified SLP in the district that the PEP student is employed. Supervisors of the PEP
students were invited to join the ASU Cadre of Clinical Supervisors and a workshop was
provided to all the supervisors in January to provide them with training on supervision and
mentoring of graduate students in speech language pathology. The workshop was attended by 33
SLPs who were able to receive 3 CEU for their participation (see workshop brochure in
Appendix A).
The PEP coordinator has conducted regular visits to all of the public schools that the PEP
students are providing speech and language services. Some PEP students have been visited more
frequently because some districts have not been able to provide supervision often enough for
students to obtained required ASHA clinical clock hours. The PEP students that are employed in
the schools as Speech Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs) have had the best access to
training and mentoring. PEP students employed as Speech Language Technicians (SLTs) were
responsible for their own caseload and had varied access to supervision and support. Some
school districts hired master’s level SLPs for the sole purpose of supervising and mentoring the
SLTs (PEP students). Other PEP students used their prep hours and release time to seek out
supervision and support within their district for the practica.
In addition, ASU has provided additional clinical supervision in the ASU Speech & Language
clinic and at Banner Baywood Hospitals to provide clinical training in assessment and
intervention of communication disorders in adults. This allowed the students in the full-time
SLP masters program to acquire their adult clinical clock hours during the fall and spring
semesters so that the PEP students will be able to acquired needed clinical training with adults
during the summer sessions.
Responsibility C: To advise and monitor the progress of PEP students as they matriculate
through the curriculum.
Progress: Our first two PEP students graduated with their master’s in speech language
pathology on December 18, 2008! An additional two PEP students will complete their
master’s in speech language pathology in August 2009 - one year ahead of schedule! The
other cohorts of ASU PEP students completed the fall semester of course work with varied
amounts of success. The demands of working and completing rigorous graduate classes were
challenging for the PEP students. Regular study groups were offered to provide extra support
as needed. Progress for the students enrolled in the Professional Enhancement Program
(PEP) at Arizona State University is summarized in the table below.
PEP Student Progress to Date
Students
Cohort 1
Started August 2007
2 transferred from
ASU’s full-time
Master’s program
Expected
Graduation
(2) December 2008
Participating School
District
Mesa
Creighton
(2) August 2009
Scottsdale
Deer Valley
(6) May 2010
Washington Elem
Mesa - 2
Kyrene
Murphy Elem
Roosevelt
9 PEP (began 8/08)
Cohort 2
Started August 2008
Cohort 3
To start August 2009
9 PEP students
(*11 accepted)
7 new PEP students
expected to begin
(1) May 2011 dismissed
from program due to
poor academic and
clinical performance
(8) May 2011
(1) dismissed from
program due to poor
academic and clinical
performance
(7) May 2012
Mesa
Deer Valley
Gilbert
Mesa
Queen Creek
Scottsdale
Washington Elem
Washington Elem
Peoria/Glendale
Tollesin
Gilbert
Scottsdale
1 additional student has
transferred from the fulltime SLP program to the (1) May 2010
Kyrene
PEP
* 1 moved out-of-state; another decided to continue working for a contract company rather than switch to work
directly for a school district – direct employment by an Arizona school district is a requirement for the PEP
Additional Activities
Training for Clinical Supervisors in the Schools
Other activities to increase the number of highly qualified SLPs in the Arizona public schools
have been completed by the PEP coordinator and the faculty in the department of speech and
hearing science. A “Cadre of Clinical Supervisors” was created to provide training,
mentoring and support to speech language pathologists that supervise ASU SLP students
completing internships in the public schools. Dedicated, highly motivated SLPs were
recruited from school districts and hospitals/clinic settings throughout the metropolitan area
to apply to become an ASU adjunct clinical faculty and member of the Cadre of Clinical
Supervisors. We held two workshops, one in August 2008 and one in January 2009, for our
Cadre of Clinical Supervisors (see workshop announcement in appendix A). We see benefits
for our supervisors and our SLP students, including the PEP students. Students that work
with the bright, energetic SLP in our Cadre of Supervisors are receiving state-of-the-art
training in their school internships and seem more likely to seek employment in schools
when they graduate.
Internship Seminar: SLP Services in the Schools
We have also continued a seminar, developed by the PEP coordinator, for all of our graduate
students during the semester that they are completing their internship in the public schools.
The seminar meets regularly throughout the semester and provides a forum for students to
share ideas and discuss issues related to SLP services in schools. This seminar is another
way of encouraging students in the full-time SLP master’s program to consider careers in the
public schools upon graduation. The number of ASU graduates that take jobs in the public
schools is summarized in Appendix B.
ASU Job Fair in Speech Language Pathology
The ASU chapter of the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association held
it’s annual SLP Job Fair on January 30th 2009. We had 35 companies participate including
20 school districts from across the state of Arizona. Undergraduate and graduate students at
ASU were invited and approximately 65 master’s students in speech language pathology
attended. It was a successful event to connect schools and future SLPs.
Proposal and Development of a Certificate Program
We are developing proposals for a certificate program to be offered to undergraduate speech
and hearing majors during their junior/senior year. This certificate program would include
additional clinical coursework and practica that would prepare the student with bachelors in
speech and hearing to work in the public schools as a speech language assistant. This
certificate program could also be available to students in another field who are interested in
pursuing careers in speech language pathology.
Commitment to Solutions to the SLP Shortage
The Speech and Hearing Science Department at Arizona State University is accredited and
ranked among the top 20 speech and hearing programs nationally. The number of
undergraduate and graduate students continues to grow. The chart below reflects the growth
from the last five years. With programs and partnerships like this one with the Arizona
Department of Education, we are able to continue to train more SLPs to serve the children
with special needs.
400
350
90
300
78
63
250
200
68
MS
66
BS
150
100
220
227
2005-06
2006-07
250
281
171
50
0
2004-05
2007-08
2008-09
Appendix A Supervisor Workshops
Department of speech and hearing science
Clinical Supervision in Speech Language Pathology
August 9, 2008
8:30 – 3:30
Workshop Description
This workshop will focus on the principles of clinical supervision for speech and language services and the
importance of using evidence-based practice when training student clinicians. Requirements for supervision of
speech-language master’s students and speech-language pathology assistants as outlined by the American Speech
Language and Hearing Association and the Arizona Department of Health will be reviewed. Components of the
supervisory process will be presented including planning, observing, analyzing and integrating components of the
supervisory process. Research in supervision will be summarized.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to
 Identify the required amount of supervision for SLP student clinicians and SLP assistants
 Describe the supervisory process
 Analyze quality supervision
 Identify competencies essential to supervisory situations
 Complete a search of the literature to answer clinical questions using ASU’s online library service
Presenters
Dr. Shelley Gray is an associate professor of Speech and Hearing Science at Arizona State University in Tempe,
Arizona. Her research focuses on early literacy development and assessment and treatment of language disorders in
preschool and school age children. She has published extensively in this area and her research is currently funded by
the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Education.
Cathy Bacon is a clinical faculty member in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at ASU. She
coordinates the Professional Enhancement Program (PEP), ASU’s master’s degree program in speech/language
pathology for professionals working or interested in working in the public schools. Cathy has been fortunate to
provide clinical supervision to SLP students interested in working with children with communication disorders for
over 15 years.
CEUs
ASU is approved by the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA) to provide continuing education activities in speech-language pathology and
audiology. This program is offered for 0.6 CEUs Intermediate Level, Professional Area. ASHA
CE Provider approval does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical
procedures.
Appendix A Supervisor Workshops
Department of speech and hearing science
Developing Clinical Competence: Tools for Supervision
January 24, 2009
9:00am – 12:00pm
Workshop Description
This workshop will focus on strategies and tools for clinical supervision of students in speech language pathology.
Information will be presented regarding the knowledge and skills required by the American Speech Language and
Hearing Association for certification in speech-language pathology and the importance of clinical training and
supervision for developing these skills. Research in supervision will be summarized and participants will learn how
to help student clinicians identify goals and objectives for clinical practicum, provide feedback to student clinicians,
and evaluate clinical performance. The use of Blackboard as a tool to share information with student clinicians and
other supervisors will be demonstrated.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to
 Develop goals and objectives for student clinicians
 Identify strategies for providing feedback on therapy observations
 Describe the supervisory process
 Identify competencies essential to supervisory situations
 Access and post articles and forms for supervision on ASU’s Blackboard system
Presenters
Kelly Ingram is a clinical associate professor in Speech and Hearing Science and clinic director of the Speech and
Language Clinic at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. Her research and clinical interests include
neurologically based communication disorders, and assessment and treatment of severe phonological problems.
Kelly has published in these areas and regularly presents at state and national conferences and meetings.
Cathy Bacon is also a clinical associate professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at ASU. She
coordinates the Professional Enhancement Program (PEP), ASU’s master’s degree program in speech/language
pathology for professionals working or interested in working in the public schools. Cathy has been fortunate to
provide clinical supervision to SLP students interested in working with children with communication disorders for
over 15 years.
CEUs
ASU is approved by the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association (ASHA) to provide continuing education activities in speech-language pathology and
audiology. This program is offered for 0.6 CEUs Intermediate Level, Professional Area. ASHA
CE Provider approval does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical
procedures.
Appendix B
The chart below summarizes the percentage of students employed in different settings upon
graduation. The blue bars and shaded blue bars reflect SLP graduates that are currently
working in school settings either directly for a school district or for a company contracting
SLP services to a school district. We will continue to track the number of ASU SLP
graduates that accept jobs in AZ public schools.
50
45
40
35
30
Schools
Contract
Hospital
Unknown
25
20
15
10
5
0
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008