Dismissing Speech Therapy Students: Tips & Sample Scripts

Whether you are a new clinical fellow (CF) or a seasoned speech-language pathologist (SLP), dismissing clients is a challenge. The most common questions I get at DDV Speech is “How can I dismiss speech students?”

The second most common challenge I get asked about is how to manage overwhelming caseloads. Enough said.

A large part of our role as SLPs is to enroll - and yes discharge - clients from speech therapy services. It is part of service delivery to determine, ethically and using evidence-based methods, which students need specialized instruction in speech, language, and communication.

In this post, I will focus on school-based services and caseloads. Although SLPs in private practice settings also dismiss clients, the business model of this setting makes it easier to dismiss clients.

If you need a FREE PDF with dismissal scripts to get the conversation going, click here.

Although dismissing students from your speech-language caseload can raise emotions and anxiety for reasons I will discuss below, here are helpful starting points.

Starting points for case management

You are the communication professional.

Your clinical judgement can be presented confidently when it is backed by data.

Your feelings are valid.

Feeling conflicted about dismissing students from your caseload is a common experience.

Compromise may be required.

Having a long-term perspective and compromising on some points can give you leverage at the next meeting.

IEP team decisions should be ethical and documented.

Always document your sessions, communicate clearly, and report your student’s progress.

Are you new to working with older student in speech therapy? Download this FREE Therapy Cheat Sheet with 10 goal areas and free activity links you can use across groups!

When can you dismiss students from your speech-language caseload?

Here are the most common reasons SLPs consider dismissal for students on their caseload.

Some of these are from my professional experience and others are pulled from the ASHA Discharge Criteria in Speech-Language Pathology.

1. Student has met their goals & objectives.

2. Student is not making progress or progress has plateaued.

3. Behavior issues or refusal to attend are preventing participation.

4. Duplication of services exist so that student has access to the curriculum in other ways (e.g., reading skills are targeted by a reading specialist).

5. Student does not qualify at re-evaluation based on school district eligibility criteria. The IEP team is likely to support your reasons if they align with district policies.

6. Student’s communication is comparable to peers of the same age, gender, and/or cultural and linguistic background.

7. Student’s skills don't adversely affect the individual's educational access.

8. The individual who uses an augmentative or alternative communication (AAC) has achieved communication access at school.

How can you communicate with families and IEP team members?

Families and caregivers are valued members of the IEP team. It is unfortunate how social media can be an echo chamber for an “us vs. them” mentality. This relationship does not have to be adversarial.

Now that we set the foundation of case management, check out these 6 strategies to ensure clear communication when discharging students.

Take emotion out of it, but express positive regard for the child.

I want every parent who comes to an IEP meeting to walk away thinking that their child is my favorite kid. A principal I used to work for always said, "Remember, parents have entrusted you with their most precious commodity."

But do not take things personally or infuse strong emotions into the IEP meeting. This makes you look less confident. If a parent yells during a meeting, diffuse don't mirror those emotions.

Project calm professionalism so that team members trust your expertise and opinions when it is your turn to share recommendations.

IEP meetings are the bare minimum for communication.

Get in the habit of sending at least one positive note, email, phone call, or text home each month if you work in schools. You are already documenting sessions, so just keep parents in the loop.

If you are presenting ongoing progress, it will be less surprising when you convey they student has made enough progress to graduate from speech. Whether they respond or not, families appreciate communication efforts.

Plant the seed for dismissal when students first qualify.

When students START services, I tell parents that speech-language therapy is usually not a lifetime assignment. I expect progress and the student will graduate from speech when they have met specific goals.

You may say that they will be tested again in 3 years to see if they still qualify for services. Planting the seed that students graduate from speech at the outset can make future conversations so much easier.

Reduce services gradually.

As school-based SLPs we are here to support students’ access to the curriculum in a least restrictive environment (LRE).

If the student is making progress towards goals, next year try consulting with their teachers regularly to offer strategies for student support. Be direct about this with the IEP team from the beginning, so it is not a surprise.

Other ways to reduce service gradually are to see a child twice per month, 3 weeks on 1 week off (3:1 model), or 5 minute check ins 3 times per week (15 mins total).

An IEP is a living document that evolves with the child, so you should not be offering the same service or number of minutes each year. Get in the habit of modifying and adjusting based on the child’s needs.

Send consistent messaging to parents, teachers, and admin.

Consistent communication helps reduce mixed messages. If a teacher has challenges with behavior management, but you are seeing positive progress and sessions with the student, let them know.

Then offer to reduce pull-out time and do more teacher consultation and support like visual aids in the classroom.

Help older students self-advocate for reduced services.

Self-advocacy is an essential life skill. If a student is refusing to attend sessions, or participate in speech therapy, help them develop agency over the process. Invite them to the IEP meetings and communicate their wants and needs for their own education.

Sample Scripts for dismissing students from speech therapy

Get a free printable PDF of these scripts here!

1. Based on the data collected this year and during re-evaluation testing, the team recommends dismissal from speech-language services. [Student] does not continue to qualify based on our district criteria. Even better is they met their speech-language goals we set last year, so thank you for supporting their progress at home. I am excited by how much progress [student] has made and wonder if you [parent] would like to attend a little “speech graduation” session to celebrate them? I can also call you in next month to see if any questions have come.

2. As we have discussed, speech therapy students are not usually “lifers.” We’ve seen great progress this year! Let’s talk about reducing the amount of time where [student] is pulled out of class. I want to make sure they present for as much instruction as possible. I also want to observe them using skills in real settings, so observing them in class will help us see if they are carrying over the skills we are working on. How do you [parent] feel about XX minutes per month in speech therapy room and xx minutes per month in the classroom?

3. I know how hard you [parent] have advocated for your child and I deeply care about their progress. Despite seeing them regularly, it has been a challenging year and they have not been participating in sessions. (Show parents data). I want to think about ways together, as a team, we can change services to better meet their needs. They have asked to be pulled out of class less often and not have to miss [elective].

4. All of us want [student] to become a successful, happy adult. As their speech-language pathologist, my job to help them self-advocate. Over the past year, it has become apparent that [student] wants to self-advocate about how often they are pulled out of class for speech. The data supports their progress and it will give them a sense of agency over their education. If students feel like they will never be done, it is hard to stay motivated. [student] has requested that he only attend speech 2x/month, and I agree that he could maintain progress with this amount of service. Next year, I think consulting with his teacher once a month will be sufficient to make sure he is carrying over skills without having to pull him out of class. Then he can look forward to graduating from speech in the near future without stopping services completely.

5. This year [student’s] goals are XXX. Once they have [met goal area] we can talk about reducing services and ultimately graduating from speech in the next few years.

Documentation and Legal Considerations

Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice. However, many SLPs fear dismissing students if the parents or caregivers do not quickly agree.

Be sure to document progress and your SLP discharge summary throughout the year. The IEP dismissal process should be included in your district or state policies, so read those ahead of time.

Reminders from ASHA include:

One person cannot determine eligibility.

Document progress, attendance at sessions, and prognosis

Dismissal can be part of the students Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Check out ASHA’s admission/discharge criteria HERE .

Transitions and Follow Up

As you discharge students or decrease services, your IEP team needs a transition plan. Offer suggestions for push-in, consult, or follow up after therapy is new concerns arise.

If you do keep older students on your caseload, either in a reduced or consult capacity, recognize that adolescence is a time of heightened neuroplasticity.

One area to target may be media literacy because it is relevant and can easily apply to whole class activities if you co-teach in general education classes.

Another option is to refer the student to services that better meet their needs, such as mental health counselors, school psychologists, or SLPs who specialize in feeding.

Be aware that in most districts, recommending a service can require the school to pay for it so discuss this with your IEP team ahead of time.

Finally, be sure that academic accommodations are in place to support each student’s access to the curriculum.

If they were previously on an IEP for Speech Language Impairment, the family may need to initiate a 504 plan for classroom accommodations. A 504 plan (link) can be implemented for health issues including ADHD, anxiety, and Tourette syndrome.

End Services on a Positive and Professional Note

Ideally, dismissal from speech therapy is a positive achievement. Celebrating or empowering your students with a graduation certificate or picture helps them feel agency over their accomplishments.

Students can review self-advocacy strategies before dismissal, and always leave the door open for students to stop by for a chat. Framing this transition as a positive progression rather than a loss can happen from the beginning.

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