Public Policy Agenda - 2021 - 9

Schools
Priorities
Audiologists and speech-language pathologists provide critical evidence-based services to
students with disabilities. These services foster effective communication skills and enhance
educational outcomes. It is essential to ensure that all students have equitable access to
appropriately resourced audiology and speech-language pathology services, and that all
parents and caregivers have the ability to make informed decisions about the education of
their children. It is also essential to ensure that school-based audiologists and speech-language
pathologists are empowered to provide services that they determine are in the clinical best
interests of their students. ASHA's public policy priorities as related to schools are as follows:
*	 Advocate for public policies that promote
*	 Advocate for public policies that promote
manageable workloads to optimize student
equitable access to school-based audiology
outcomes, and support both clinical
and speech-language pathology services,
excellence and ethical practice.
multiple models of service delivery, and
telepractice technology.
*	 Advocate for effective funding to support
the assessment, treatment, and
*	 Advocate for public policies that support
management of speech, language,
school-based audiologists and speechcognitive, hearing, balance, voice,
language pathologists in acquiring
and feeding/swallowing disorders.
materials, technology, and training to deliver
services effectively and equitably across
multiple models of service delivery.
*	 Advocate that school-based audiologists
and speech-language pathologists
receive competitive wages that align with
other licensed professionals who have
comparable academic preparation,
clinical training, and/or certification.

ASHA 2021 Public Policy Agenda | 9
Public Policy Agenda - 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Public Policy Agenda - 2021
