Impact of Supervision and Evaluation on the Professional Development of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to better understand the extent to which supervision and evaluation, provided by school administrators, led to relevant professional development opportunities for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working in public schools. The overall experience of SLPs with supervision and evaluation was studied. Method: SLPs from Connecticut public schools were recruited via e-mail, through posts on the Connecticut Speech-Language-Hearing Association Facebook page, and through the use of snowball sampling (i.e., a form of nonprobability sampling where more participants are recruited through those who have participated in a study). Participants were asked to consent to participation in the study and were then led to the survey. A subset of those who elected to complete the survey ( n = 39) agreed to participate in an interview via Zoom ( n = 5). Results: Although survey respondents reported varied experiences with the supervision and evaluation process, most shared similar perspectives on the opportunities for professional development. Similarly, interviewees reported dissatisfaction with opportunities for professional development, the rubrics used for evaluation, and the need to seek professional development for clinical skills outside of their school/district. Conclusions: Most participating SLPs (a) did not feel they were provided with opportunities for professional development relevant or specific to their roles and (b) reported obtaining pertinent information from colleagues or social media or by purchasing continuing education courses to further their clinical practice. This research note is focused on the opportunities for professional development and the intended impact of supervision and evaluation on the professional growth of SLPs.