Working for Change: A Guide for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists in Schools

As a school-based audiologist or SLP, you might face challenges related to your working conditions. Various factors—such as caseload size, workload, the number of schools you serve, your workspace, and your relationships with teachers and administrators—can significantly impact your ability to provide effective services and enhance students’ learning.

You may also have innovative ideas for new programs or improvements to service delivery. To implement these changes, you’ll need to gain the support of your administration, teachers, and other stakeholders. How can you effectively advocate for these changes?

You can resolve some issues by collaborating with your colleagues and school administrators. In other cases, working through your local administration and union or employee association via the collective bargaining process may be the most effective way to address problems or introduce workplace improvements.

Purpose and Outcomes

ASHA has designed this resource to provide school-based audiologists and SLPs with an overview of how to work with unions or associations, and how to engage in problem-solving processes in school settings. It will also help you to identify issues to discuss with your administrators, offers tips on effective negotiation techniques, and provides an overview of the collective bargaining process. Ultimately, the goal is to equip you with tools to advocate for your individual and local needs and help you to achieve a number of important goals:

Acknowledgements

ASHA extends its sincere appreciation to the dedicated volunteer members who contributed to the 2025 revision of this resource: Victoria Carlson-Casaregola (Missouri), Mary P. Dooher (Alaska), Carol B. Fleming (Arkansas), Kristin Keegan (Massachusetts), Karen Kockler (Illinois) and Julie Malone (California). We hope you will find the updated resource both valuable and impactful to your work. Contact schools@asha.org with any questions.