ASHA Provides Ten Facts for Families

Back-to-School information for parents and caregivers

Another school year is upon us, and for thousands of families that means an initial foray into the world of being treated for language, speech or hearing disorders in a school environment.

ASHA proudly stated that 8 of 10 families whose children sought treatment for such challenges have seen “a great deal” or “a good amount” of improvement. With that in mind, here are 10 key facts from ASHA for those families starting the journey:

  1. Speech and language services are part of federal special education law. 
  2. Speech and language services in schools address a variety of communication problems. 
  3. Parents have a right to be involved at every step of the evaluation and education process. 
  4. SLPs conduct evaluations in a child’s native language. 
  5. A child’s needs and goals are formalized in a document called an Individualized Education Program (IEP). 
  6. An IEP is highly specific.
  7. IEP goals are designed to be met within one school year—and a new IEP is required each year. 
  8. Progress reporting to parents is ongoing. 
  9. Schools must keep children with their peers as much as possible. 
  10. Parents have options if they disagree with services or with the conclusions of an IEP team. 

For more information on these initiatives and key facts, visit the ASHA website.