By: Beth Darbe, EdD, CCC-SLP, Public School Committee Co-Chair
Is school-based speech-language therapy meant to be a forever service? At what point should dismissal be considered, and what happens when parents or educators disagree with this recommendation? This article explores these questions, emphasizing legally sound practices and the importance of reevaluation data in making informed, student-centered decisions.
Why Dismissal Matters
From 2021 to 2025, special education enrollment in Texas increased by more than 40% (Texas Education Agency [TEA], 2025b). Meanwhile, the 2024 Schools Survey by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) revealed that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) view staffing shortages as the top barrier to maintaining manageable caseloads. Texas SLPs report average caseloads of 65 students, well above the national average of 50 and the manageable target of 40 (ASHA, 2024).
Given limited staffing, SLPs must focus their services on students whose communication challenges significantly impact educational performance and who require specially designed instruction (SDI) in the form of speech therapy. Once a student no longer demonstrates this need, dismissal should be considered to ensure services are delivered effectively and in the least restrictive environment.
Reluctance to dismiss may stem from parent pressure, fear of conflict, emotional attachments, time constraints, or procedural uncertainty. However, continuing services may be legally and ethically inappropriate when students no longer need speech therapy.
Understanding Procedural Requirements
Reevaluation is required to determine whether a student continues to have a disability and needs special education services (34 C.F.R. §§ 300.304, 300.306; Electronic Code of Federal Regulations [eCFR], 2025). According to TEA’s Question and Answer Document: Review of Existing Evaluation Data and Reevaluation (TEA, 2025c), question 2.6, this reevaluation might include a review of existing evaluation data (REED), in which no new testing is conducted but existing data is used to support the dismissal decision.
The individualized education program (IEP) team—known in Texas as the admission, review, and dismissal [ARD] committee—would make this determination that no additional data is necessary to recommend dismissal from speech therapy. In this case, the local educational agency (LEA) must notify the parents of the ARD committee’s determination, the reasons for the determination, and their right to request an evaluation to determine whether the student continues to have a disability and to determine the student’s educational needs.
If additional data are requested by either the parent or the LEA to support the dismissal recommendation, the LEA must obtain parental consent before conducting any new assessments.
Instructional vs. Related Services
In Texas, speech therapy may be an instructional service (standalone) or a related service (provided in addition to other special education supports) (TEA, 2025d, p. 101). When dismissing speech therapy as an instructional service, the evaluation would need to determine that the student does not have a disability and/or does not need SDI.
When dismissing from speech therapy as a related service, the student may still have one or more disabilities (including speech impairment) and still need other forms of SDI. However, the ARD committee would determine that SDI in the form of speech therapy is no longer necessary.
Dispelling Myths
Several misconceptions surround dismissal from school-based speech therapy:
Myth: Speech impairment eligibility follows a unique process.
Fact: The eligibility process mirrors all other disability categories (34 C.F.R. § 300.304; eCFR, 2025).
Myth: SLPs alone decide on dismissal from speech therapy.
Fact: Only the ARD committee, which includes the parents, can make the determination to dismiss from speech therapy services (34 C.F.R. § 300.324[b][6]; eCFR, 2025).
Myth: A student can have a speech impairment that doesn't affect educational performance.
Fact: According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a speech or language impairment is defined as “a communication disorder or a voice impairment that adversely affects the child’s educational performance” (34 C.F.R. § 300.8(c)(11); eCFR, 2025).
Myth: Only SLPs provide services for speech impairments.
Fact: Other professionals may provide appropriate support, depending on the student’s specific needs (34 C.F.R. § 300.304[c][6]; eCFR, 2025).
Conducting Robust Reevaluations
Evaluations must be drawn from multiple data sources, including IEP progress data, teacher and parent input, student work samples, and classroom observations. Standardized tests alone are insufficient and violate federal guidelines if used as the sole determinant (34 C.F.R. § 300.304[b][2]; eCFR, 2025).
Helpful tools include the Disability Determination Guidelines from the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA, 2020) and guidance from the Texas SPED Support website. Key documents include TEA’s Guidance for the Comprehensive Evaluation of Specific Learning Disabilities (2025a) and Technical Assistance: Child Find and Evaluation(TEA, 2024), which offer frameworks for legally sound and data-driven decisions.
Focusing on Impact and Need
Reevaluations should clearly describe how the speech impairment impacts the student’s ability to access and progress in the general curriculum. Vague statements such as “does not impact performance” are inadequate. Consider this example:
“Jacob’s articulation disorder does not impact his classroom communication. As a fifth-grade student, he meets expectations for expressive communication, including clarity and engagement, as defined by the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEA, 2017). Multiple data sources, including teacher feedback and classroom observations, confirm that he effectively communicates with peers and staff.”
Additionally, the reevaluation report should include clear recommendations for any needed accommodations or instructional strategies, whether or not the student is recommended to continue receiving speech therapy. For instance:
“Based on Caden’s speech impairment in language, he needs specially designed instruction that provides explicit, systematic instruction in understanding and using new academic vocabulary.”
While the SLPs are qualified provide this type of SDI, there may be other professionals, such as special education teachers, who could provide this SDI. Including specific statements about student needs in the reevaluation will help the ARD committee to make decisions regarding the services and supports that will be included in the student’s IEP.
Addressing Disagreements
To reduce the likelihood of disputes, SLPs should discuss potential dismissal early, transparently, and positively. While SLPs can recommend dismissal from speech therapy, the ARD committee makes the final decision. If disagreement arises, the LEA must issue prior written notice at least five days before implementing the change. If parents disagree but do not file for due process within that period, services will end as planned.
Conclusion
Dismissal from school-based speech therapy can be a necessary and positive step in a student’s educational journey. Using thorough reevaluation data and focusing on individual educational impact and need ensures that decisions are legally sound and educationally appropriate. By clearly and regularly communicating the purpose of services—and the criteria for ending them—SLPs can ensure effective, ethical, and student-centered care.
References
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2024). Schools survey: SLP caseload. https://www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/2024-schools-survey-slp-caseload.pdf
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. (2025). 34 CFR § 300 – Assistance to States for the Education of Children with Disabilities. U.S. Government Publishing Office. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300
Texas Education Agency. (2017). Texas essential knowledge and skills. https://tea.texas.gov/academics/curriculum-standards/teks-review/texas-essential-knowledge-and-skills
Texas Education Agency. (2024). Technical assistance: Child find and evaluation. https://spedsupport.tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/technical-assistance-child-find-and-evaluation-guide_2.pdf
Texas Education Agency. (2025a, January). Guidance for the comprehensive evaluation of specific learning disabilities. https://spedsupport.tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2025-02/guidance-for-a-comprehensive-evaluation-of-sld.pdf
Texas Education Agency. (2025b). PEIMS standard reports: Special education. https://tea.texas.gov/reports-and-data/student-data/standard-reports/peims-standard-reports
Texas Education Agency. (2025c, April). Question and answer document: Review of existing evaluation data and reevaluation. https://spedsupport.tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/2024-04/q-and-a-reed-and-reevaluation.pdf
Texas Education Agency. (2025d, September). Student attendance accounting handbook. https://tea.texas.gov/finance-and-grants/financial-compliance/saah/2425-saah-proposed.pdf
Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2020). Disability determination guidelines. https://www.txsha.org/Education/Disability-Determination-Guidelines