JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Duval County Public Schools is working to make sure students don’t fall behind after a shortage of speech-language pathologists caused some missed therapy sessions this school year.
In a letter to parents, the district acknowledged the staffing challenge and said it remains committed to ensuring students receive the services they are entitled to.
“Like many school districts nationwide, we are currently facing a shortage of speech-language pathologists. While we are actively recruiting new staff, this shortage may have meant your child missed some therapy sessions this school year,” the letter reads.
To make up for missed sessions, families can choose from virtual sessions outside of regular school hours or in-person sessions during the summer.
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DCPS Parent Joe Resnik has seen the effects firsthand. His son has been taking speech therapy for two years, but resources have been limited.
“He went from having two paraprofessionals in third grade to having one paraprofessional in his classroom now in fourth grade. He also has a larger classroom this year because more schools have closed,” Resnik said.
Resnik says the district’s ongoing shortage of special education professionals makes it harder for students to get the attention they need. “When it’s no longer a rewarding field and it’s also not an economically viable field, it’s very hard to fill positions,” he added. He believes better pay and support for paraprofessionals could help retain staff and keep students on track. “Make the jobs better. Do better by the professional. Do better by the teachers. And how do we do that? I don’t have all the answers. Listen to them!”
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The district says it’s actively recruiting for 28 open SLP positions and currently has 119 in-person SLPs, 29 virtual SLPs, and 22 speech-language pathology assistants, typically paired with virtual SLPs. Families who have questions or do not see the survey email for make-up session options are encouraged to contact the Related Services Department at EESS@duvalschools.org or call (904) 348-7835.
Qualified applicants can visit the district’s Career Opportunities webpage.
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