Employment Setting Changes of SLPS in a Rural State

Serious shortages of speech-language pathologists (SLP) continue to exist in rural areas in spite of increasing numbers of available personnel and mandated provision of services. This study identifies employment change factors which impact on the shortage of SLPs in rural schools. A questionnaire was mailed to every nationally certified and state licensed SLP in a southern, rural state, requesting historical employment change information such as sequence and length of employment and reasons for accepting employment in each employment. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize group data. Results showed that respondents employed in schools remain longer in those positions than do their counterparts in healthcare. Despite popular opinion, when SLPs leaves a school for other employment, the majority take positions in other schools. Factors that facilitate these changes are discussed.