By Tracy Christenson and Holly Christopher

Speech-language pathologists who work in schools help students with speech and language disorders and swallowing disorders. A student might have difficulties with speaking or swallowing due to developmental delays or medical conditions. School speech therapists work with a student’s educational team, including the student’s parents, teachers, and other school staff to evaluate the student’s condition and to develop programs and support for the student.

Signs that a student might need the assistance of a speech therapist are if the student struggles with:

• Making particular sounds in speech (articulation).
• Understanding words they hear or finding words to express their thoughts (language difficulties).
• Talking to other people or understanding the thoughts and feelings other people try to communicate (social communication).
• Demonstrating thinking skills for remembering things, solving problems, or using imagination (cognitive communication).
• Speaking without stuttering, sounding hoarse or nasal, or losing their voice or using inappropriate volume (too loud or too soft).
• Difficulty eating and swallowing.

If a student demonstrates these difficulties, they may also experience related issues, such as difficulty reading and writing or having trouble understanding social cues that would make it difficult to function in a school environment. For a student to receive speech therapy in school, the therapy would have to be necessary for the student to function in school or improve the student’s quality of education. A school-based speech-language pathologist would assess the student’s condition and skills and decide whether the student would benefit from treatment, guiding students and their parents through the process.

School-based speech pathologists help students between the ages of 3 and 21 to improve their communication skills or use alternate communication systems when necessary. Speech therapy may take place individually or in small groups, and some of it may be given in the student’s classroom with the teacher participating, depending on the skills the student needs to improve or develop. Speech therapists work collaboratively with students’ families and with other educational and healthcare professionals to ensure that the students’ needs are met. They help prepare students to transition to higher levels of education and develop the communication skills they need to interact with the wider community.

To become a school speech-language pathologist, you must have a master’s degree, pass a national exam, and obtain appropriate licensing for your state. In Tennessee, you must also have an educational license issued by the state department of education.  Are you interested in working with students in schools? Join the Stellar Therapy Team! We are actively recruiting now for both in person and virtual positions with school districts in Tennessee and surrounding states.  Our credentialing team will be happy to assist with obtaining all the necessary licensures necessary.  Never worked in schools before?  We have specialized training available to get you ready to work with students.  Find open positions on our website or here: https://stellar-therapy-services.hiringthing.com/

Sources

Roles and Responsibilities of Speech-Language Pathologists in Schools. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Accessed July 2, 2025. https://www.asha.org/policy/pi2010-00317/

Speech and Language Services in Schools. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Accessed July 2, 2025. https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/speech-and-language-services-in-schools/

Speech-Language Pathologist. Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Accessed July 2, 2025. https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Special-Education/Related-Services/Speech-Language-Pathologist

Speech-Language Pathologists: What Speech-Language Pathologists Do. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed July 2, 2025. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm#tab-2