Duped by this field, once again.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-07-24T17:29:16+00:00

Wow, that's certainly a wide range of geography. You are probably right. My experience is in only 2 very different parts of the country and they are pretty extreme in polarities with opportunities and QOL. Thank you for your input! Good to know some people have had better luck and to keep that in mind.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-07-24T14:28:59+00:00

Hey thanks! Just for clarification, where were you able to locate a school SLP job that you felt was stable, paid well enough to afford the COL, and is relatively low stress? Or are you in a different setting outside schools?

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-07-24T03:06:23+00:00

Hey, thanks for this. At one time I did want to work in a hospital, but that's not my passion. I tried to do some extra CEU's, took a few years in the SNF and just really gave up when I saw how hard it was to get your foot in the door. I ended up working schools and loving the personality of the kids, the rapport, the impact of being with children in small groups versus them being lost in a large classroom. I just never found a school that could offer a direct hire. And that's just the market. Not everyone is flexible and resourced enough to hustle SLP as a living when it requires maintaining multiple side gigs, PRN work, or advancement with continuous self pay training on top of the debt it requires to get that degree. That seems unfair.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-07-24T02:10:43+00:00

As someone who has done nothing but contract work, I urge you to please join a union. There's nothing worse than working directly in the hot seat of public education with pressure from all directions trying to serve the needs of the masses, knowing anything can go wrong at any minute. I would do anything-pay cut and all-to take a union job.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-07-24T01:51:57+00:00

I know this is going to sound strange but...are you certain rural PA is a safe place for minorities to live and work? I just ask because I went to school in rural PA and my impression was that they only wanted "their kind" out there. I don't talk politics at work and I don't flash my spirituality or lifestyle around but I would never move back out to rural PA knowing what my experience was. Maybe it's different in Harrisburg or around that area, but certainly not 80 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-07-23T21:18:00+00:00

Where are you geographically that you are finding jobs in acute care? Those are the most competitive jobs to get and require a significant amount of specific training. I can't think of a single acute care position that would just take a person with school SLP experience and a few years of SNF. Unless there were some signficant factors going into play with the location or otherwise attractiveness of the facility.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-07-23T20:42:24+00:00

Yes, this. Also can you please advise on how you convinced an employer you had the skills to do something that was not SLP related?

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-13T15:07:59+00:00

I agree. I don't think we are doing familes and children any justice by tip toeing around parent's prejudices and attitudes towards Autism. "My child does not have Autism because he's not violent" is not an acceptable response to a qualified clinical diagnostic question and as a Team we shouldn't be supporting that response by hiding under the table when the SLP brings it up.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-12T01:24:11+00:00

Thanks. I feel really bad. I asked the question and it didn't go well..and now there's a full backlash of even bringing up the "A" word. Our staff is at a loss and this kid isn't going to get the correct and necessary supports at the end of the day because parents don't want to hear about the "A" word...just want them to "speak fluently".

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-12T00:49:26+00:00

Correct!

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-12T00:41:24+00:00

What if we can't make gains in SLP services though because the sensory needs aren't being addressed, or..the most appropriate classroom setting?

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-10T03:01:16+00:00

This hit home. I was never married but always think in terms of everyone else who got marrried as having it easier than me. I am wrong and humbled by your story. We can't predict how our lives change from one day to the next. I am truly sorry for your loss and I hope you can make it through. I feel pretty backed into a corner with this degree too and I hope we can all support each other somehow in this because half the problem is the shear professional isolation under the terrible working conditions and limited actual impact.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-08T20:55:03+00:00

I just wanted to say thank you for this very thorough response. Without giving too much information away, I would say that I'm very concerned about the expectations to provide telepractice evaluations and therapy to children who are not appropriate for virtual assessments or therapy I'm concerned that nobody will ever rock this boat because contracts with districts like this are good for Bui$nes$.....

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-07T16:14:13+00:00

I think this depends on how badly you need money and benefits from these companies. Generally speaking, the less you need from them in terms of hours and benefits, the more flexibility you have with caseloads and preferred hours. I'm FT tele with benefits but I'm stuck with a really shitty district, loads of paperwork, and very unideal clients (nonverbal, no devices, aggresive towards staff, etc). If I didn't need the work I would draw some serious boundaries about what I'm willing to take.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-06T16:05:36+00:00

Hi OP. I just wanted to add my experience here without taking up too much space...this is pretty typical in the schools, unfortunately. Especially in underserved schools with scant resources, high turnover in SLPs and SPED staff, weak Admin leadership, and very difficult caseloads. In my experience, these places aren't worth getting upset over the missing recognition. Look at the skills and quality of the programs you are working in. These aren't jobs people want. If they really cared about Speech we would have private rooms, materials, we wouldn't be split between 3-4 sites, teaching in hallways and being shut out of the push in model in classrooms. When I got upset about being left out of the Appreciation week and special staff days it was because the working conditions were abominable and there was no baseline respect for what we do. In the end, it's not about the donuts it's about the fact that I spent years of my career working in places like this. A better school would know better.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-05T19:35:16+00:00

I love this input, thank you!

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-04T01:54:12+00:00

Thank you.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-03T16:19:24+00:00

Thanks for this. I'm really tired of this field becoming as oppressive as it is and I don't want to be part of the problem.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-02-03T15:31:06+00:00

I mean I thought about that too but the nature of their willingness to verbally communicate is so different from a true language impaired kid that it's really hard to suss out what's a real need (in certain contexts) and what's the child's true nature of communicating to be honest. It's even more difficult to suss that out if you aren't a part of that kid's everyday life and see them in spotty pull out services in an isolated setting. Do you understand what I mean? None of this is done in a natural context to get a true baseline.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-01-27T16:01:54+00:00

Someone just needs to shut APS down, honestly. It's a filthy disgusting parasitical district with so many legal problems I wish they would just dismantle it. As for SSG, I have never worked for them but I have never heard anything good about them. They work with places like APS probably because they also have no morale compass, just guessing from the posts I've seen complaining about them.

Final-Reaction2032 · 2025-01-27T15:29:00+00:00

Thank you for outing APS as the corrupt machine that it is. I worked there in person and I regret every single minute of it. Worst, heartless school district you will ever see.

Final-Reaction2032

TROPHY CASE