How Speech Pathologists' Caseloads Impact Employee Effectiveness in Public Schools

Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) working in schools report struggling to provide high-quality support and services to their students, given their workload and the limited time available during the school day. School administrators, in turn, are challenged to assign caseloads to professionals that ensure students receive the support and services required to obtain a meaningful educational benefit in a fiscally responsible manner. The design of this action research attempts to understand the impact of caseload numbers and workload on the practices and professionals to guide school administrators. This research study focused on school-based speech-language pathologists employed in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, public schools. Participants collected caseload data and workload data during designated periods over six months. Participants also completed a survey that analyzed their perceptions of their effectiveness related to specific job responsibilities. To determine which model, a caseload, or a workload model, more accurately predicted a speech-language pathologist's perceived effectiveness, workload data, caseload data, and survey results were compared and analyzed. Data analysis also addressed caseload numbers' impact on specific required and recommended job responsibilities. Findings indicate a lack of relationship between caseload and workload compared to speech language pathologist perceptions of job effectiveness. A relationship was also not found when comparing caseload with the required direct instruction or compliance practices. However, a statistically significant negative correlation was found when comparing caseload and the recommended interprofessional practices and professional development practices.