By: Beth Darbe, EdD, CCC-SLP, Public School Committee Chair

When the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) Public School Committee surveyed attendees at the TSHA 2026 Convention, one concern rose to the top—large caseloads and overwhelming workloads. For school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs), this finding was hardly surprising. Across Texas, SLPs consistently report that increasing service demands, expanding evaluation responsibilities, compliance requirements, documentation, consultation, and supervision responsibilities have made it increasingly difficult to provide high-quality services while maintaining a sustainable work-life balance.

In my role as Regional Coordinator for Evaluation and Speech at Region 4 Education Service Center, I hear these concerns from SLPs every week. District leaders also express frustration as they struggle to recruit and retain qualified professionals in an increasingly competitive workforce. While many conversations focus on caseload size, the broader issue is whether Texas has enough speech-language professionals to meet students' needs.

The available data suggests the answer is no.

Looking Beyond Perceptions: What Does the Data Tell Us?
Advocacy is most effective when supported by objective data. To better understand statewide staffing trends, I submitted two Public Information Act requests to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), requesting statewide data from the Texas Student Data System (TSDS).

The requests sought the number of students reported under the two special education speech program service codes:

• Students receiving speech therapy only
• Students receiving speech therapy in combination with another special education instructional setting

These two categories represent the total number of students receiving speech-language therapy services in Texas public schools.

The requests also sought the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff reported under the TSDS staff classification for Speech Therapist/Speech-Language Pathologist, the only personnel category used to report SLPs, speech therapists, and speech-language pathology assistants (SLP Assistants) employed by Texas public schools.

Combining these data allows us to estimate the average statewide caseload by dividing the total number of students receiving speech-language services by the total number of speech-language professionals reported.

School Year	Students Receiving Speech Therapy	Speech-Language Professionals (FTEs)	Average Caseload
2018–2019	247,520	5,028	49
2019–2020	272,286	5,238	52
2020–2021	283,180	5,529	51
2021–2022	296,679	5,586	53
2022–2023	331,048	5,568	59
2023–2024	362,548	5,879	62
2024–2025	382,175	4,868	79
2025–2026	392,363	5,556	71

Although these figures represent statewide averages rather than individual district caseloads, they reveal an unmistakable trend.

Between the 2018–2019 and 2025–2026 school years:

• The number of students receiving speech-language services increased 59%.
• The number of speech-language professionals increased only 10.5%.
• The estimated average statewide caseload increased 45%, from 49 students to 71 students per clinician.

These data illustrate that student need has grown substantially faster than the workforce available to provide services. As a result, many districts are asking existing staff to absorb larger caseloads and increasingly complex workloads rather than proportionately expanding staffing.

Caseload or Workload?
For decades, discussions about staffing have centered on caseload, or the number of students assigned to an SLP. However, many professionals argue that workload provides a more accurate picture of an SLP's responsibilities.

A workload approach considers not only direct therapy services but also the many activities required to support students, including:

• Comprehensive evaluations and reevaluations
• Individualized Education Program (IEP) development
• Admission/Review/Dismissal (ARD) committee participation
• Medicaid documentation
• Consultation with teachers and families
• Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams
• Progress monitoring
• Supervision of SLP Assistants and Clinical Fellows
• Compliance activities
• Travel between campuses
• Indirect services supporting educational access

Two SLPs with identical caseloads may have dramatically different workloads depending on student needs, evaluation demands, service delivery models, and district expectations.

Whether districts choose to analyze staffing using caseload, workload, or a combination of both, the underlying conclusion remains the same: Texas does not currently have enough speech-language professionals to meet growing student needs.

What Is a Reasonable Caseload?
Texas does not establish a statutory caseload cap for school-based SLPs. Instead, districts determine staffing levels locally.

The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) recommends:

The recommended caseload is 45 to 50 students for SLPs and SLP Assistants. Districts need to adjust the percentage of time for SLPs who supervise one or more SLP Assistants in the district. SLP Assistants are typically adjusted due to the scope of services provided. (TASB, 2025)

National data tells a similar story.

According to the 2024 Schools Survey by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA):

• Texas reported the second-highest average caseload in the nation at 65 students.
• The national median caseload was 50 students.
• School-based SLPs reported that a manageable caseload would be approximately 40 students.

These findings suggest that many Texas SLPs are working well beyond what professionals consider manageable for providing high-quality services while maintaining compliance and avoiding burnout.

Why Doesn't Texas Have Caseload Caps?
Unlike several other states, Texas has never established statewide maximum caseload limits for school-based SLPs.

The absence of statewide limits places staffing decisions entirely in the hands of local education agencies. While this provides districts with flexibility, it also results in considerable variation in staffing practices across the state.

As student populations continue to grow—and as evaluations become increasingly comprehensive—many professionals believe this issue deserves renewed attention through statewide advocacy.

TSHA recognizes staffing shortages as an ongoing concern and continues to explore opportunities to support advocacy for school-based service delivery.

Using Data to Support Staffing Requests
One of the greatest challenges facing school-based SLPs is demonstrating staffing needs in a way that resonates with district leadership.

Rather than relying solely on statements that caseloads feel too large, SLPs can strengthen staffing requests by presenting objective evidence such as:

• District caseload and workload data
• Number of evaluations completed annually
• Compliance with evaluation timelines
• Service minutes delivered
• Campus assignments
• Travel time
• Comparison to TASB recommendations
• Comparison to statewide and national ASHA data

District leaders are accustomed to making staffing decisions based on measurable data. Presenting objective evidence alongside descriptions of workload demands creates a stronger case for additional positions.

Moving From Data to Action
The data presented here paints a clear picture: The demand for speech-language services in Texas public schools has grown dramatically, while staffing has not kept pace.

No single solution will resolve the shortage. Increasing graduate preparation programs, strengthening eligibility and dismissal procedures, improving recruitment and retention, reducing administrative burden, and advocating for appropriate staffing models will all be necessary.

At the same time, every school-based SLP plays an important role in advocacy. Whether serving on district committees, educating administrators, participating in TSHA initiatives, or sharing local staffing data, clinicians can help ensure that future decisions are grounded in evidence rather than anecdote.

The students of Texas deserve timely, high-quality speech-language services. Achieving that goal begins with ensuring there are enough qualified professionals to provide them.

A Message from the TSHA Executive Board
TSHA supports efforts to educate members, school district leaders, and policymakers on these models and to promote policies that ensure manageable caseloads and workloads. These efforts are essential to maintaining high-quality services and ensuring that students’ educational needs are fully met. We look forward to engaging with the TSHA membership more on this issue. Stay tuned for more, and we hope you engage in the conversation!

References

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2024). 2024 Schools survey: SLP caseload characteristics.https://www.asha.org/siteassets/surveys/2024-schools-survey-slp-caseload.pdf

Darbe, B. (2025, July 10; 2026, March 9). Responses to Public Information Act requests regarding Texas Student Data System speech-language service and staffing data. Texas Education Agency.

Texas Association of School Boards. (2025). Strategic staffing: Part 4—Special education. https://www.tasb.org/news-insights/strategic-staffing-part-4-special-education

Texas Education Agency. (2025). Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Web-Enabled Data Standards: Program service descriptors. https://tealprod.tea.state.tx.us/TWEDSAPI/31/0/0/Descriptors/List/3712

Texas Education Agency. (2025). Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Web-Enabled Data Standards: Staff classification descriptors. https://tealprod.tea.state.tx.us/TWEDSAPI/31/0/0/Descriptors/List/3714