Welcome to the Supervised Clinical Education page for the department of Speech-Language Pathology for Durham Public Schools.

We partner with accredited universities to provide supervised clinical experience in the practice of Speech- Language Pathology in the public school setting. Our program is designed based on guidelines established by the American Speech-Language Haring Association (ASHA) and is divided into three tiers to provide student clinicians with more comprehensive learning opportunities. Each student clinician is carefully matched with an ASHA certified clinical educator who is also a member of a school-based interdisciplinary team. This comprehensive service delivery model will allow the student clinician to gain interprofessional education and collaborative practice knowledge and skills. The Clinical Experience could include work with DPS students who range in age from 2 years old to 22 years old and come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as present with various types and severities of communication and/or related disorders, differences, and disabilities.

3 Tier Supervised Clinical Education Program

The DPS Supervised Clinical Experience in Speech- Language Pathology offers opportunities to meet university graduation and ASHA certification requirements through a three tier program. The tiers include:

• Level I: Guided Clinical Observation Experience

  • Designed to meet ASHA Standard V-C of 25 clock hours in guided clinical observation.

  • Experience will include observation matched with debriefing and discussion of observed therapy or evaluation procedures and techniques or written records related to the student/ experience observed with the ASHA certified clinical educator.

  • Communication between the clinical educator and observer are key and encouraged.

• Level II: (first year graduate students) Clinical Skill Observation & Practice

  • Designed to extend the Guided Clinical Observation Experience into practice by providing supervised clinical experience in the practice of speech-language pathology.

  • Uses incremental steps to develop student clinician skills through demonstration, explanation, and guided practice with the assigned clinical educator.

  • Experience gained at this tier will count towards the acquisition of the 375 clock hours spent in direct client/patient contact required by ASHA (Standard V-C, D, E).

• Level III: (first and second year graduate students) Clinical Skill Practicum Experience

  • Designed to extend clinical experience into practice by providing graduated support during supervised clinical experiences in the practice of speech- language pathology. 

  • Focus on increasing student independence by gradually reducing intensity and frequency of demonstrations, explanations, and guided practice provided by the clinical educator during supervised diagnostic and therapeutic activities.

  • Experience gained at this tier will count towards the acquisition of the 375 clock hours spent in direct client/patient contact required by ASHA (Standard V-C, D, E) and should prepare the student clinician for independent practice after graduation in the Clinical Fellowship Year.

University Partnerships

Educational partnerships may be established between Durham Public Schools and ASHA accredited colleges/ universities by contacting Carey Eaton, M.Ed., CCC- SLP at carey_eaton@dpsnc.net. 

Items interested students will need to submit to DPS to apply for Clinical Experience at each tier:

• Level I: Guided Clinical Observation Experience

• • • Complete the DPS Volunteer Application online

• Level II: Clinical Skill Observation & Practice

  •  Complete the DPS Volunteer Application online

  • Submit completed:

    • Triangle Alliance

    • DPI Health Form

    • Consumer Report Notice 

• Level III: Clinical Skill Practicum Experience

  • Complete the DPS Volunteer Application online

  • Submit completed:

    • Triangle Alliance

    • DPI Health Form

    • Consumer Report Notice 

    • NC Department of Health & Human Services- Division of Child Development and Early Education Qualification Letter (Optional)

• Submit completed application items here.