Table of Contents
President's Corner
Francie Arboleda, M.A., CCC-SLP
SCCSHA President 2024–2025
Dear colleagues and participants,
As the days grow longer and Spring begins to unfold, we are filled with excitement for what’s ahead in the SLP community. This season brings new opportunities for connection, learning, and growth as we continue our mission to support communication and foster meaningful relationships.
We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all who joined us for our recent virtual workshop on Person-Centered Stuttering Therapy, led by Kristin Chmela. It was inspiring to see so many professionals come together, and your engagement truly made the event a resounding success. Your participation has filled us with hope for the future of inclusivity and diversity within our field.
We are also thrilled to announce our upcoming Spring Luncheon, scheduled for Friday, May 16th, featuring Dr. Christine Villareal, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, who will be leading a discussion on the vital topic of ethics within our profession. Tickets will go on sale March 15th, so be sure to mark your calendars! During this event, we will honor an outstanding SLP with the Honors of the Association, as well as award our annual scholarship to a deserving student. We look forward to celebrating these remarkable contributions to our field!
As we continue to strengthen our association, we are excited to announce that we are currently seeking candidates to fill several board positions for the upcoming year. If you are interested in getting involved and making a meaningful impact, we encourage you to reach out. Your involvement helps shape the future of our profession and community.
In addition, we kindly remind you to renew your membership this summer to ensure you receive member pricing for next year’s workshops. We have an exciting lineup planned, and you won’t want to miss out on the valuable opportunities ahead!
Finally, as part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and growth, the board has reviewed and proposed updates to our bylaws. We encourage you to review the proposed changes by following this link. After a 30-day review period, we will send out an email to all SCCSHA members to vote on the changes. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we continue to strengthen our association.
Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our mission. We are excited to continue this journey of professional development and connection together.
Legislative Corner
Ann England
Legislative Liaison
INFORMATION ABOUT SLP CASELOADS FROM CA STATE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SENT ON DECEMBER 27, 2024:
“The 40-student maximum caseload limit is specifically applicable to speech and language specialists that are exclusively providing services to 3 to 5 year old students. (California Education Code [EC] 56441.7[a].). Otherwise, the maximum caseload limit for speech and language specialists in the Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) should not exceed an average of 55 with the exception of “unless the local plan specifies a higher average caseload and the reasons for the greater average caseload.” (EC 56363.3)
A December 12, 2009, guidance letter titled “Caseload Size for Speech and Language Specialists” is no longer the recommendation from the California Department of Education as the law does not mandate prorating mixed caseloads.
The applicable EC (Education Code) sections are below:
EC § 56441.7. Maximum caseload; guidelines or proposed regulations; date of issuance
a. The maximum caseload for a speech and language specialist providing services exclusively to individuals with exceptional needs, between the ages of three and five years, inclusive, as defined in Section 56441.11 or 56026, shall not exceed a count of 40.
EC § 56363.3. Average caseload limits
The average caseload for language, speech, and hearing specialists in special education local plan areas shall not exceed 55 cases, unless the local plan specifies a higher average caseload and the reasons for the greater average caseload.”
If you have any questions regarding this subject, please contact the Special Education Division by phone at 916-445-4613 or by email at SEDinfo@cde.ca.gov
GUIDANCE ON RECLASSIFICATION FOR DUALLY IDENTIFIED STUDENTS FROM CA STATE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SENT ON FEBRUARY 13, 2025:
Guidance on Reclassification for Dually Identified Students
“The California Department of Education (CDE), Special Education Division is pleased to share the Guidance on Reclassification for Dually Identified Students.
This letter provides guidance on the reclassification process for those dually identified students who are identified as English learner (EL) students and are also students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as defined in U.S. Code Title 20 Section 1401(3)(A). This guidance will assist with the consistent application of federal and state guidelines.
Questions related to the reclassification of dually identified students can be directed to the following contacts.
· For questions regarding programs and services for EL students, please contact the Language Policy and Leadership Office at LPLO@cde.ca.gov.
· For questions regarding the English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) assessment, the informational guide, or assessment materials, please contact the English Language Proficiency and Spanish Assessments Office at ELPAC@cde.ca.gov.
· For questions regarding special education and dually identified students, please contact Focused Monitoring and Technical Assistance Unit V at SpecialEducationLeads@cde.ca.gov.
NEW CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CHANGES FOR CA SLPS AND AUDIOLOGISTS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2025:
Brief Overview of Regulatory Changes:
· Define self-study as a course where the course instruction and licensee participation do not occur simultaneously, and requires the completion of an evaluation on what was learned during the course or at the conclusion of the course;
· Require licensees who let their license expire to complete CPD for the most recent renewal period;
· Require CPD exemption to be valid for the current renewal period;
· Increase the number of hours that may be obtained from self-study to half of the total required hours;
· Remove limitations to the number of hours that can be obtained from courses that are related to the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology;
· Increase the number of hours that can be obtained from indirect patient/client care courses to twenty-five (25) percent of the total required hours;
· Permit courses related to hearing aid dispensing to be on equipment, devices, or other products that is not on the marketing, launching, or demonstrating the marketability of equipment, devices, or other products regardless of whether it focuses on a particular manufacturer's or company's equipment, devices, or products;
· Permit two (2) hours for completing a Board sponsored Occupational Analysis;
· Define direct patient/client care as courses that covers the current practice of speech-language pathology or audiology and may include content on instruments and technology used for assessment/diagnosis or intervention;
· Prohibit courses related to instruments and technology that is on the marketing, launching, or demonstrating the marketability of instruments and technology regardless of whether it focuses on a particular manufacturer's or company's instruments and technology; and
· Clarify current regulations by making CPD requirements consistent with the Board's CPD audit process and the professional learning requirements for similar license types and course content.
SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON CPD REQUIREMENTS CAN BE FOUND ON THE BOARD'S WEBSITE: https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/licensees/slp-au_cpd_req.shtml
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING CPD REQUIREMENTS CAN BE FOUND at https://www.speechandhearing.ca.gov/applicants/faqs.shtml
Student Corner
We are currently accepting applications for the Student Representative role. Please submit your resume and letter of interest to sccsha1958@gmail.com.
Proposed Bylaw Updates
The SCCSHA Executive Board convened on February 13, 2025, to review and discuss updates to the SCCSHA Membership Bylaws. We invite you to carefully review the proposed amendments, which were presented during this meeting.
As outlined in the current bylaws, these proposed changes will be open for member review for a period of 30 days before a formal vote takes place. A ballot will be distributed to all members via email (Google Forms) on April 3, 2025, and voting will remain open until April 10, 2025.
We encourage all members to participate in this important process. The results of the vote will be communicated to the membership promptly.
Spring Luncheon Workshop: Thinking About and Resolving Ethically Problematic Situations
Tickets will go on sale on March 15th. Please visit www.sccsha.org to purchase tickets.
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 8:30-11:45 Workshop with Luncheon to follow
Location: The Villages Golf and Country Club, 5000 Cribari Lane, San Jose, CA 95135
MENU
1. Napa Ginger Miso Salad with Sesame Grilled Chicken - red cabbage, edamame, almonds, avocado, fried wontons, cilantro , cucumbers, grape tomatoes, ginger miso dressing.
2. Pan Seared Crab Cake and Couscous Salad - two crab cakes with dill and lemon aioli, tomatoes, cucumbers, mustard greens, olives tossed in citrus scallion dressing.
3. Chicken Marsala - fried in Panko topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce.
This will be an interactive discussion centered around various scenarios presenting ethically problematic situations. The audience will be divided into groups, given some time to consider each situation, and then regroup to discuss ways in which the Code of Ethics (ASHA, 2016) may apply to the situation discussed. Participants are encouraged to review the Code of Ethics prior to the seminar.
Link to the Code of Ethics: https://www.asha.org/policy/et2016-00342/
Our Presenter will be Dr. Christine Villareal, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Associate Professor Emerita at Fresno State University.
Dr. Villareal (formerly Maul) is a semi-retired Associate Professor Emerita at Fresno State University, working in the Department of Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies. She is published in the areas of family-centered service delivery, literacy, and multicultural issues, and she has made numerous presentations in those areas and also in the area of professional ethics. She has co-authored two textbooks, one on child language disorders and one on behavioral principles in communicative disorders. In 2024, she was awarded Honors of the Association recognition by the California Speech-Language-Hearing Association, and also in 2024, she was granted honorary status as a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language by the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders.
In addition she is an advocate for children and adults with developmental disabilities and has served on several state advisory committees as an appointee of former Secretary of State Diana Dooley and former Governor Jerry Brown. At Fresno State, she founded a preschool clinic for children with autism spectrum disorder, another for children with language disorders, and an early intervention clinic. She has provided pro bono counseling over the years to numerous families of children with severe disabilities needing assistance in obtaining necessary services for their children. Her professional career has been inspired by her experience raising Adam, her adult son with severe autism spectrum disorder.
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