DESE Proposed Rule Change Would Eliminate Issuance of New Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) Certificates

November 23, 2016

Under a rule change proposed by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), the department would no longer issue Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) certificates starting August 1, 2017.The proposed rule, which is in a comment period for the remainder of November, could change or be withdrawn before becoming final.

According to DESE, if enacted as written, the rule change would have the following impacts:

A Public School Retirement System of Missouri (PSRS) member with an SLP certificate would remain certificated (and a PSRS member) as long as he or she holds the certificate and renews it.
Changes to the rule would not require any current "full" PSRS members to be considered "two-thirds" PSRS members who must participate in Social Security.
A "two-thirds" member currently holding an SLP certificate would remain as such as long as he or she continues to renew the certificate.
It would be possible for a school district to hire a new, non-certificated employee for an SLP position that previously required a DESE issued SLP certificate. Such employees would be Public Education Employee Retirement System of Missouri (PEERS) members.

For updates on the proposed rule or copies of the proposed and final rule actions published in the Missouri Register, visit the Secretary of State's website www.sos.mo.gov, or call (573) 751-4015.

Additional information can also be obtained by contacting DESE's Education Certificate office at certification@dese.mo.gov or 573-751-0051.