JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 Duval County Public Schools is working to make sure students don\u2019t fall behind after a shortage of speech-language pathologists caused some missed therapy sessions this school year.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
\u201cLike 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,\u201d the letter reads. <\/p>\n
To make up for missed sessions, families can choose from virtual sessions outside of regular school hours or in-person sessions during the summer.<\/p>\n
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <\/b><\/a><\/p>\n DCPS Parent Joe Resnik has seen the effects firsthand. His son has been taking speech therapy for two years, but resources have been limited. <\/p>\n \u201cHe 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,\u201d Resnik said.<\/p>\n Resnik says the district\u2019s ongoing shortage of special education professionals makes it harder for students to get the attention they need. \u201cWhen it\u2019s no longer a rewarding field and it\u2019s also not an economically viable field, it\u2019s very hard to fill positions,\u201d he added. He believes better pay and support for paraprofessionals could help retain staff and keep students on track. \u201cMake the jobs better. Do better by the professional. Do better by the teachers. And how do we do that? I don\u2019t have all the answers. Listen to them!\u201d<\/p>\n [DOWNLOAD: <\/b>Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n The district says it\u2019s 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<\/a> or call (904) 348-7835.<\/p>\n Qualified applicants can visit the district\u2019s Career Opportunities webpage.<\/a><\/p>\n