The articles in this SIG 16 activity explore school-based speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs') experiences with professional growth through mentorship and supervision. “Mentorship of New(er) School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists Beyond the Clinical Fellowship: A Pilot Study” explores the perspectives of school-based SLPs on creating a post-clinical fellowship (CF) mentorship program. Through a national survey, 65 SLPs identify key components—such as time, compensation, and knowledge-sharing—as both essential and challenging. Participants emphasize that mentorship can offer professional development, support with paperwork, advocacy, and clinical decision-making. SLPs express interest in mentorship not only to guide newer colleagues but also for personal growth and fulfillment. The study highlights potential barriers and offers solutions, such as administrative backing and state-level advocacy, to make such programs feasible and effective. “Impact of Supervision and Evaluation on the Professional Development of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists” investigates how school administrator-led supervision and evaluation impact the professional development of public school SLPs. While participants report varied supervision experiences, most express dissatisfaction with the relevance of professional development offered. SLPs often seek clinical training independently, through colleagues, social media, or paid CEUs. Evaluations typically focus on nonclinical skills and fail to support evidence-based practice (EBP). The study highlights a disconnect between evaluation systems and the actual developmental needs of SLPs, suggesting that supervision by those with clinical knowledge may better foster growth and ongoing engagement with EBP.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• Develop strategies to enhance professional development and mentorship for school-based SLPs.
• Analyze the impact of administrator-led supervision and evaluation on the professional development of school-based SLPs.

Assessment Type
Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.

Articles in This Course

1. Mentorship of New(er) School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists Beyond the Clinical Fellowship: A Pilot Study by Robyn Becker, published in SIG 16, Volume 9, Issue 6, December 2024
2. Impact of Supervision and Evaluation on the Professional Development of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists by Jacqueline Brown, Christopher Trombly, and Jane Roitsch, published in SIG 16, Volume 10, Issue 3, June 2025