Speech or language impairment refers to a communication disorder, such as stuttering, impaired articulation, language or voice impairment that adversely affects a child’s educational performance. A speech or language impairment may be congenital or acquired. It refers to impairments in the areas of articulation, fluency, voice or language. Individuals may demonstrate one or any combination of speech or language impairments. A speech or language impairment may be a primary disability, or it may be secondary to other disabilities. [34 C.F.R. § 300.8(c)(11)]

GA Department of Education Speech Language Rules and Regulations

School Vs. Private Speech Therapy

The eligibility criteria of therapy (also considered special education) for all disciplines vary quite a bit in the educational setting compared to private therapy. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) in public schools are tasked with gathering data over a period of months to determine if a speech impairment, no matter how obvious, results in an adverse educational impact. A child’s admittance to a school-based speech/language impairment program weighs heavily on meeting eligibility criteria, as determined by Georgia’s Department of Education. The SLP and the other members of the Eligibility Team determine a child’s eligibility for special education services based on state regulations.

What Does this Mean?

For students attending a Georgia public school, this means speech and/or language impairments, which do not have an adverse impact on a child’s social or academic well-being, are not eligible to be treated by the school’s speech-language pathologist. This often results in children with lisps, /r/ distortions, and other minor communication impairments existing across multiple communicative environments not meeting eligibility criteria to be served at a school.

In other scenarios, a student may have been receiving services by the school’s speech-language pathologist through an individualized education plan/program (IEP) and is released a few years later upon eligibility review, though all goals may not have been met to the caregivers’ satisfaction.

In Georgia’s public schools, eligibility must be redetermined at least every 3 years. If a student has made significant progress on most of their goals and a lingering goal, such a lisp remains, IEP committees often agree that the impairment does not result in a disability and the student will be released from receiving speech and language services at school.

Speech and Language RtI (Response to Intervention)

What is Speech RtI?
Response to Intervention (RtI) is a way to see if your student responds to additional help in the form of speech-language support. This program will last 8-12 weeks, then you will receive an update on your child’s progress. Your student will be in the regular classroom the majority of the week. In Tier 2, your student will remain in the classroom and receive speech language interventions from the classroom teacher addressing your student’s area of weakness. At Tier 3, they will receive both classroom interventions and may be pulled out at certain times of the day (ranging from 10-30 minutes, 1-2 days/week, depending on their needs) to see the speech language pathologist and work on the specific area of concern.

What will happen next?
If your student makes significant progress, RtI will be continued until your student reaches the expectations of a student his/her age. If your student does not make significant progress or it appears s/he needs more support than RtI offers, a team meeting will be held (teacher, parent, speech-language pathologist) to consider special education testing. If the team decides to move in that direction, the speech-language pathologist, and others as decided by the team, will evaluate your student's skills in a particular area (e.g., articulation) to see if special education is warranted. 

What is a Special Education Evaluation?
A Special Education evaluation will assess your student in the areas of concern. Assessment areas may include: cognition, academics, communication, motor, health, and/or social emotional. The evaluation will consider student records, observations, work samples, state and district tests, psychometric tests, RtI data, and interviews. After the assessment is complete, an Eligibility meeting is held. At this meeting, the team discusses the results of the evaluation and determines if your student has met the criteria for special education. If your student meets the state criteria, s/he will be eligible to receive special education services and the team—including you—will meet to create an Individual Education Plan (IEP), in which goals and services for your child are specified. 

Online Resources:

Below are links for resources available through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), which is the national organization for speech-language pathologists and audiologists.

Developmental Norms for Speech and Language

Activities to Encourage Speech and Language

Your Child’s Communication Development Kindergarten to Fifth Grade

Guidelines for Speech-Language Pathologists Providing Swallowing and Feeding Services in Schools