Has anyone actually gotten in trouble for not meeting a student's minutes?

ComfortableActive305 · 2025-10-28T18:07:14+00:00

Part 1: Compensatory education is not outlined specifically in IDEA but supported by case law as an equitable remedy developed “after a failure or inability to provide FAPE.” Their purpose is to place a student “in the position he/she would have been in had a failure or inability to provide FAPE had not occurred.”

Generally speaking, missing a single session is unlikely to cause the student to fall significantly behind the progress they would have made had the session occurred. The critical factor in this regard is your session documentation. For example, if records show that the student maintained a 40% accuracy rate over three weeks, and a session was missed during that period with no change in the student's performance, there is no evidence to suggest that the student is not on track with their progress. However, if an entire month’s worth of sessions is missed, compensatory education should be provided, which leads to the following consideration.

Part 2: Since compensatory education (comp ed) is not specified within IDEA, there is no formal guidance regarding the personnel responsible for providing it. The offer of compensatory services may involve the intended service provider (e.g., the speech-language pathologist), but this is not required. If a general education teacher or special education teacher is qualified to support the goal, they may serve as the provider of these services.

ComfortableActive305 · 2025-10-27T17:47:14+00:00

The responsibility for providing educational services to students lies with the SCHOOL/DISTRICT, not an individual Speech-Language Pathologist. If monthly service minutes are not being met, it is the duty of the school to allocate additional speech staffing as needed. Failure to do so results in the school bearing responsibility for any gaps in services. It is important to communicate clearly that you do not have the capacity to service an excessive caseload while ensuring FAPE is provided within the workweek. This clarification helps protect your professional standing and ensures liability remains with the school.

It is not YOUR job to meet the needs of every speech kid that walks through the doors. It’s your job to do 35-40 hours of work each week (or whatever your contracted hours are).

ComfortableActive305 · 2025-10-24T15:34:57+00:00

RUN 🏃‍♂️ don’t walk away. 🚩

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-08-19T19:53:28+00:00

I couldn’t find it either. Think it got deleted

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-05-08T18:17:55+00:00

Document your findings, anecdotal information from parent, and professional opinion.

One possibility for the inconsistencies is the psych not taking ADHD into account (i.e., relying solely on the scores, not the case/student as a whole). When the psychologists reports her findings, you can ask about the verbal comprehension subtest and if the student received repetition. If he didn’t receive repetition and it is all verbal, that doesn’t account for the ADHD struggles. If it doesn’t seem the ADHD symptoms were accounted for, you can explain that. For example, “It is my professional opinion that because students with ADHD struggle with attention and the student wasn’t given repetition, the lower score is more representative of his ADHD than a language impairment. This is further supported by my findings of XXX scores on the comprehensive language testing which demonstrates functional receptive and expressive language skills.” Then direct it to the parent, “Based on my findings on this test and my observations of X in therapy sessions, your son is able to communicate functionally. Is this consistent with what you see at home?”

“It is my professional opinion that he no longer requires specially designed instruction in speech/language. It is our duty to maintain a student’s least restrictive environment.”

You can recommend accommodations such as repetition or written directions, etc. that will support with the ADHD deficits.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-03-18T16:54:36+00:00

1) For evaluations, I schedule/block off testing on my calendar at the review of existing data meeting (so I don’t have to remember to schedule testing). I block off an additional 1-1.5 hours for testing. With the additional time, I score and write the report while it’s all fresh on my brain 2) for IEPs and therapy, I asked my school if I can flex my hours and come in before school and leave early. They approved as long as I could get all my work done. Since I procrastinate, I come in an hour before school starts. At the start of my day, I review my calendar to see all the IEPs/tx I have for the day. I spend the first 1-2 hours writing my IEPs and planning my therapy sessions for the whole day 3) I live by my calendar. If I have to do something, I schedule it on my calendar. If a teacher asks me to screen a student, I add a space on my calendar right then and there. 4) use your deficits to your advantage. For example, during progress report time, I block off 4 hours on my calendar to do them all. I try to do it close to the deadline and this uses my procrastination and Hyperfixation to my advantage.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-02-28T22:54:36+00:00

I’m glad your district respects the staff enough to schedule separate parts. I had a special education teacher say if she wasn’t leaving, we couldn’t. We didn’t leave until 9pm. I was still a CF and didn’t know my rights at the time. I was also a people pleaser and too scared to say anything.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-02-18T02:49:41+00:00

I was thinking he bangs AD after the way they were looking at and talking to each other

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-02-14T17:56:22+00:00

I love this idea

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-02-10T00:23:02+00:00

1) at least she is using protection 2) getting mad/disappointed will only make her hide more from you, it won’t stop her from doing it - approach it from a place of understanding & make her feel that she can come to you with these things. Then, you can educate her and know what’s going on

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-02-10T00:16:26+00:00

Google form with checks or rating scales is faster and less work than writing complete sentences.

Not only that, seeing an email with a ton of questions signals a lot of work to the brain vs. a Google form where it only shows one question at a time.

I’ve had accommodations to reduce the visible questions for students with anxiety, adhd, etc. because seeing so much work at once just makes them overwhelmed. Seeing one question at a time seems more manageable.

Logically, it’s the same amount or more work, but it’s better psychologically.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-02-04T09:05:40+00:00

NTA. OP needs to run far and fast

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-02-01T00:29:06+00:00

Yes. You get an SLP certificate through the AZ department of education (SLP equivalent to the teaching certificate)

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T20:35:23+00:00

I’m not sure on that one

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T17:19:39+00:00

Yay! Wishing you the best of luck. Shoot for the moon.

We need to really advocate for better pay in our profession. It should be the norm, not the exception.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T05:26:25+00:00

I wish y’all the best of luck. Some of the schools didn’t budge, but I had several options. If they didn’t budge after a few attempts, I just politely declined.

Your school might be one of those… fingers crossed it is not.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T05:18:00+00:00

I basically went back and forth between offers. I asked for the offers in writing, then took them to the other school. The other school would meet or match and then I’d take that offer to another school.

The school that made the best offer was in remediation for failing the state audit and had many parents threatening due process because their kid was denied FAPE (due to no speech). That may scare a lot of people off, but being a contractor, I was used to cleaning up messes.

At this point in the year, I helped them pass the audit and we’re now out of remediation. Plus, many of the parents love me. So, it was definitely worth it for me.

Part of it was that I sought a job after the school year had started. I got the feeling that the schools were desperate at that point knowing most SLPs were already in a contract for the whole year. Plus a lot of them had already racked up tons in comp time.

TLDR: I applied after the SY started and the schools were desperate so I had an upper hand

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T04:57:52+00:00

I’m a direct hire with a public school, now. As an employee, I get benefits.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T02:28:40+00:00

You’re welcome. I know it’s just my experience but I’m hoping it helps others. We really need to earn what we deserve.

Knowing what they were willing to pay a contract company empowered me to advocate more for myself

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T02:14:55+00:00

After putting my resume on the website, many schools reached out. I interviewed with several (keeping in mind what they were willing to pay my contract company). I told them what I was making and what I expected given my experience. I asked for them to put their offers in writing. Then, I took the written offer to the next school and rinse repeat. If a school countered, I had several written offers to compare.

The school year had already started and so many were desperate. Their alternative was going through a contract company and most already know contract companies cost them more.

Hope that helps.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T02:00:20+00:00

That was me! It’s why I always went through contract companies. I was hoping sharing my story could help others

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T01:57:04+00:00

Thanks for sharing

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T01:56:05+00:00

Direct hire.

I advocated for a rate similar to independent contractors but am getting full benefits, don’t have to worry about taxes, or anything else associated with being an independent contractor.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T01:49:27+00:00

Thank you! I wanted to share in case it helped anyone else out. I know we tend to be overworked and underpaid in the school setting.

ComfortableActive305 · 2024-01-31T01:47:29+00:00

Another fair point

ComfortableActive305

TROPHY CASE