School environments can be a fruitful field for speech pathologists, as early identification and diagnosis of speech, language, and swallowing disorders are increasing, creating a need for school speech pathologists. Schools are also seeing enrollment growth, which will create greater demand for SLPs.
Below you will learn about speech-language pathology jobs at schools, including qualifications, work environment, specialized skills and more.
Sponsored online speech pathology programs
Online MS: Pursue SLP Certification. Study FT/PT
Speech@Emerson enables you to earn an MS online and pursue SLP certification in as few as 20 mos. Learn the same curriculum as the on-campus program. Study FT or PT.
- Prepares you to pursue certification as an SLP generalist
- In-person clinical placements at faculty-approved partner sites
- As few as 20 months to complete
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Online MS in Speech-Language Pathology from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University’s online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program combines a robust, innovative curriculum rooted in Christian values with a full-time or part-time option that features online learning, on-campus intensive experiences, and comprehensive clinical field practicums to prepare skilled, compassionate students for careers as speech-language pathologists.
- Full-time (five trimesters) or part-time (eight trimesters) options available.
- No GRE scores required.
- 400+ supervised, clinical learning hours are done at schools/clinics local to students
- Three onsite experiences build a sense of camaraderie and community throughout the program
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Want to Become an SLP? Earn an MS Online at NYU
NYU Steinhardt’s online master of science program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders prepares aspiring speech-language pathologists with a comprehensive professional education.
- Prepares students to pursue SLP licensure
- Accredited by ASHA’s Council on Academic Accreditation
- As few as six terms to complete
- Full-time and part-time plans of study
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Qualifications for School Speech Pathologists
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), speech-language pathologists are regulated in all states. Most states require a license to pursue a career in speech pathology, while others require only registration.
No matter the work environment, a licensed SLP will need a master’s degree from an accredited program, supervised clinical experience and an exam. Each state has its own requirements, so contact the state medical or health licensing board.
School speech therapists may need teaching certification. A state’s department of education or your school should be able to provide you with more information.As a certified and licensed speech pathologist, you will bring multiple points of expertise to the school setting, including:
- Supporting Language and Literacy Integration
- Facilitating Social-Communication and Pragmatic Skills
- Targeting Executive Functioning and Cognitive-Communication
- Remediating Speech Sound Disorders (SSD)
- Understanding literacy development
What Does a Speech Pathologist in a School Setting Do?
SLPs will spend time at school working with children to improve their various speech issues. In a school setting, here are some common skills a speech pathologist will work on and ways they will prepare a student for success.
Boost students’ skills
Children can be prepared for reading by learning new skills. SLPs can help by working with them on rhyming and identifying the beginning sounds in words.
Build vocabulary
Knowing more words can help children with listening, reading and speaking. SLPs may help by acting out words, retelling stories with new words or playing vocabulary games.
Develop speech fluency
SLPs can help children overcome common disfluencies—breaks in the flow of speech—such as stuttering. These disfluencies can affect a child’s ability to communicate and can affect their schoolwork and self-confidence.
Grow social communication
Some children are confused by the back-and-forth of conversation. SLPs can help them learn to pay attention to the other speaker’s tone of voice, body language and emotions.
Help understand inference
Some ideas aren’t explicitly stated in text or spoken language, and some children have difficulty processing those inferred ideas. SLPs can help children understand symbolic language, gestures, and other speech signals.
Improve reading comprehension
Comprehension is a vital part of successful reading. SLPs may work to help children recall what they know about a topic before reading and can help them find words or pictures that are clues to help with understanding.
Make speech more understandable
Young children can have difficulty articulating some parts of speech, which can hamper their intelligibility. SLPs will work with children to help them learn how to produce the specific speech sounds or sound patterns they find challenging, making them more understandable.
Use more complex language
SLPs may help teach students to use longer sentences and to share more details. As they learn, they’ll be able to combine ideas in sentences with so-called “joining words.”
Educate and empower parents
For parents, one of the best things an SLP can do is to help them learn how to help their children. This can be in sit-downs with parents or in the creation of learning plans, in consultation with school administration and teachers.
9 Skills School Speech Pathologists Use Every Day
Despite specialized education, some of the overall skills a school speech pathologist uses day to day are the same as those of any successful person.
Here are nine skills you’ll use every day as a school speech pathologist.
1. Adaptability
Children in a school setting may have a variety of speech and language challenges, including stuttering, swallowing difficulties, and voice disorders. Pathologists should be ready to switch quickly from one child to another and meet each child’s particular needs. The ability to adjust plans and think on your feet will help you adapt to constantly changing needs.
2. Analytical thinking
School speech pathologists must select the most appropriate diagnostic tools, analyze results, and arrive at an accurate diagnosis to develop an appropriate treatment plan. They need to formulate this plan while working with teachers, administration and parents.
3. Communication
Test results, diagnoses, and proposed treatments must be presented in a way that families can understand. SLPs must also maintain open communication with families and other parties at all times, fielding questions and concerns to their satisfaction.
4. Compassion
Children and their parents will often be frustrated by speech difficulties. School speech pathologists should be prepared to support children and their parents emotionally.
5. Listening
Speech pathologists should not just talk; they should also listen to the needs of children, the expectations of parents, and the direction of school administration. All these needs must come together in the SLP.
6. Organization
Working in a school means tracking cases, documentation, charting and other paperwork, in addition to treating children. Speech pathologists will need to be ready for additional duties, including unscheduled meetings with parents and school administration. Staying organized amid this flurry of activity is important for a successful SLP.
7. Resourcefulness
Because children may respond differently to various speech therapies, it’s helpful to have a variety of ideas and tools available. Pathologists should keep up with the latest apps, equipment and games to help children of all ages. They should also remain up to date with the latest ideas and know how to find the answers they need.
8. Teamwork
Pathologists know they aren’t alone in treating and helping children. Physical and occupational therapists may be called in, along with special education teachers. Aides, counselors and parents are also part of the team. School speech pathologists should be ready to work with a variety of people to help children.
9. Willingness to learn
Despite likely being the most qualified person in a school to deliver therapy to children, there’s always more to learn. Advances in technology, medicine and new research may change the way some language disorders are treated. School-based SLPs should be willing to stay up to date on the latest studies and new advances in speech therapy.
Why Become a School SLP?
There are several places someone can work after becoming a speech pathologist and grow their career as an SLP, such as nursing and residential care facilities, hospitals, physical, occupational, and speech therapy offices, and schools.
Why might schools be the right place for you? The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) offers these 10 reasons to pursue an SLP career in a school.
1. Array of in career options
As an SLP in a school, you’ll have an opportunity to develop a specialization, advance to administrative work and participate in research.
2. Career for a lifetime
You’ll help unlock a student’s potential in a school. You can contribute to your students’ personal, academic, social and vocational growth, and you’ll develop long-term relationships with students, families and colleagues.
3. Competitive salaries
According to the BLS, speech pathologist salaries in educational services average $80,280 a year. SLPs can also be rewarded for advanced credits, degrees, or earning the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence. SLPs can also earn extra income by leading summer or after-school programs.
Learn more about SLP Salaries.
4. Favorable schedules
Your school hours as an SLP will be family-friendly. You’ll also receive paid holidays, breaks and summer vacations. Part-time work and job sharing might be available for SLPs.
5. High demand
SLPs enjoy growing opportunities. According to the BLS, the number of jobs in the field are expected to grow by 15% from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all other jobs.
6. Job security and excellent benefits
Schools and school districts typically offer SLPs competitive health, leave and retirement programs. You’ll likely also be able to take advantage of comprehensive benefit packages.
7. Ongoing professional development
Professional development is typically required to retain your license. This gives you an opportunity to advance your professional knowledge, learn about school-related topics and share your expertise with others.
8. Opportunity for creativity
As a school SLP, you’ll have a chance to develop new approaches, materials and techniques. You’ll also create programs to meet student needs and work with new service-delivery models.
9. Supportive team atmosphere
SLPs have collaborative relationships with other professionals, such as administrators, nurses, teachers, therapists and school psychologists.
10. Variety of opportunities
The SLP field offers many ways to practice with diverse students. You could work in preschool, elementary, middle or high schools. You could work in urban, suburban or rural settings. Services could be provided individually, in small groups or in classrooms.
Is a Speech Therapy Career in a School Right for You?
There are many factors to consider when weighing a career in speech-language pathology. This is a career for you if:
- You want to form close relationships with students and parents.
- You look forward to the challenge.
- You want to help diverse communities.
- You like working with children.
The SLP field continues to grow, for a variety of reasons. ASHA points to medical advances that improve survival rates of preterm infants and growth in enrollments in elementary and secondary schools as a reason that the need for school SLP continues to grow.
Information last updated February 2026
Sponsored online speech pathology programs
Online MS: Pursue SLP Certification. Study FT/PT
Speech@Emerson enables you to earn an MS online and pursue SLP certification in as few as 20 mos. Learn the same curriculum as the on-campus program. Study FT or PT.
- Prepares you to pursue certification as an SLP generalist
- In-person clinical placements at faculty-approved partner sites
- As few as 20 months to complete
AD
Online MS in Speech-Language Pathology from Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University’s online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program combines a robust, innovative curriculum rooted in Christian values with a full-time or part-time option that features online learning, on-campus intensive experiences, and comprehensive clinical field practicums to prepare skilled, compassionate students for careers as speech-language pathologists.
- Full-time (five trimesters) or part-time (eight trimesters) options available.
- No GRE scores required.
- 400+ supervised, clinical learning hours are done at schools/clinics local to students
- Three onsite experiences build a sense of camaraderie and community throughout the program
AD
Want to Become an SLP? Earn an MS Online at NYU
NYU Steinhardt’s online master of science program in Communicative Sciences and Disorders prepares aspiring speech-language pathologists with a comprehensive professional education.
- Prepares students to pursue SLP licensure
- Accredited by ASHA’s Council on Academic Accreditation
- As few as six terms to complete
- Full-time and part-time plans of study
AD