Based on the new Speech/Language Guidelines, can a student receive speech/language services for artic only even if the student is not struggling academically?
It is important that everyone realize that the guidelines are just that–guidelines. Guidelines are not part of law/regulations and are not enforceable. The guidelines do make the case that IEP teams are required (by regulations and statute) to use both prongs of the eligibility question in determining eligibility for special education. There must be an educational NEED for services. The guidelines state that if need cannot be established then a special education placement should not be made and other options for services should be considered (community SLP). When a student is identified as “artic only,” one could challenge that educational need could not be established but we wrote an IEP anyway. On the other hand, particularly when phonological processes are involved, there are educational needs that might be established; review the state reading, math and listening standards to learn how to make connections to educational need. There are times that educational need is also establish
