SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES FOR THE SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
SHORTAGE IN THE OREGON SCHOOLS
John Tracy, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Salem Hospital
Chair Ad Hoc Committee on Shortages
Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association
June 21, 2006
Introduction and Purpose
Over the last 10 years, and increasing in severity over the last five years, the number of open positions for speech-language pathologists in the schools is much greater than the quantity of qualified candidates available. The approach to this shortage by human resource departments and administrators has been to tackle a single dimension of this multidimensional problem. Recruitment efforts that focus only on filling immediate openings over the short run more often than not have failed due to the targeting of two small groups, i,e., experienced speech-language pathologists or those recently completing a graduate program in Communication Disorders.
Unfortunately, national data show the majority of special educators remain in the area or region near the university from which they graduated. This was borne out in an informal survey of graduate students in Speech-Language Pathology at the two state training programs. Of the 25 or so students that finish that program at the University of Oregon each year, approximately 50% remain in or near Lanc County, while the others leave the state to pursue employment. At Portland State University, the 25 new graduates remain in the Portland Metro area. This leaves the majority of the state with no candidates from the Oregon universities to fill open positions. Also, over the last 25 years, one undergraduate degree at a private university and undergraduate and graduate degrees at two regional state universities and Oregon State University have been eliminated.
In order to develop a statewide plan for the shortage of speech-language pathologists, the Oregon Speech-Language and Hearing Association established an ad hoc committee on personnel shortages. Due to the multiple aspects of this problem, this group chose to focus on issues underlying access to training, recruitment and retention of qualified speech-language pathologists. From these three areas, numerous initiatives with action plans have been designed to effectively address the numerous aspects of this problem with positive outcomes being achieved.
In order to continue this progress, the involvement of the school districts and education service districts that employ speech-language pathologists must be involved with the process. This presentation is one activity that addresses the grassroots recruitment initiative. Thus in order implement the plan, the purpose of this presentation is threefold; first to describe the nature of the shortage of speech-language pathologists on the national and state levels, second to present data from research on effective recruitment and retention strategies, and third to describe the roles of educational agencies in grassroots recruitment.
National and State Data on Shortages of Speech-Language Pathologists
I. National and State Survey Results:
A. Largest shortages on west coast
B. Oregon survey
1. ESD’s regional respondents
2. Breadth of the shortage in 2004-2005 school year
3. Substitutes for speech-language pathologists
4. Effective advertising and other means of recruitment
II. National Accreditation and Certification Standards:
A. Training program accreditation by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
B. Achievement of assured outcomes costly and stifles innovation in program format
C. Confusion of three tiered licensing system
D. Access to training in state and distance programs
III. Effective Recruitment Strategies:
A. Teaching Research Institute and other research data
B. Effective advertising makes a difference
C. Use of a singular clearinghouse for hiring
D. Short term process model of effective recruitment
E. Focused career fairs establishing short term and long term relations
F. Grassroots recruitment establishes a committed group of future employees
IV. Effective Retention Strategies:
A. Teaching Research Institute and other research data
B. Speech-language pathologists’ rating of effective approaches to retention
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V. The Role of Education Agencies in Grassroots Recruitment:
A. Identification of district staff further training or a career change
B. Developing a cadre of future speech-language pathologists through grassroots recruitment efforts