Speech and Language Pathologist, Life Enrichment Education Program
Location: Varioius locations in Clackamas County. Assignment to be determined based on program/student need
Schedule: 8 hours per day/ 5 days per week/ 190 day Instructional School Year Calendar
FOR 2025/26 SCHOOL YEAR Clackamas ESD strives to infuse equity in all our programs and bodies of work by maintaining an inclusive, barrier-free environment in which everyone participates and fully benefits.
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be the one who comes from a less traditional background. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our qualifications described. If you are unsure whether you meet the qualifications of this position, or how this would be determined, please feel free to contact Human Resources at hr@clackesd.org to discuss your application.
Find your "why" with Clackamas ESD
At Clackamas Education Service District, our mission is to lead, serve and innovate for learning. Clackamas ESD provides services in early learning, special education, technology and teacher/staff support to Clackamas County school districts. We ensure students and families in all of our communities — big and small — have access to equitable education services. Learn more.
About the program:
Our Life Enrichment Education Program (LEEP) provides a comprehensive education for students grades kindergarten through transition with complex disabilities and communication needs. The program focuses on supporting students to develop knowledge and skills that increase decision making, self-advocacy, independence and access to a full life.
About this position:
The Life Enrichment Education Program (LEEP) Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) utilizes Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices and services to develop and maintain a process for the evaluation, provision, and implementation of communication systems for all students. The SLP will work in a multidisciplinary team to provide comprehensive support to students, families, caregivers, and classroom teams on the pathway of language development for both speech and AAC systems to provide access to a full life across all environments. The SLP will design and implement professional development to families and caregivers, program staff, district partners, and community partners to increase knowledge and skills related to both spoken and AAC development, evaluation, device acquisition, and implementation that creates independence and access across all environments. The mission of the speech language pathologist is to provide the best practice to support the success of learners in our district according to their IEP goals. Their services may include AAC (Augmentative and Assistive Communication) systems and strategies, training, direct service, and instructional coaching & consultation support to educational teams.
Essential functions:
Program and Planning - Informs the further development of program needs in collaboration with other related service members to create a highly skilled and comprehensive integrated model of service.
- Designs assessments that result in a comprehensive evaluation for students’ communication program and services using methodologies that have been adapted to students’ individual needs as delineated within the IEPs.
- In coordination with the occupational therapist, medical team, and outside providers design an assessment that results in a comprehensive evaluation for each student’s feeding program and services based on the IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative).
- Provide training for staff members on the developed safe feeding protocols throughout the school year.
- Review and update feeding protocols during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings as needed.
- Uses the Student Environment Tasks and Tools (SETT) or like process to coordinate the delivery of AT/AAC services across all environments for students, families and caregivers, and district partners.
- Guides the IEP team in establishing clear communication goals for each student that are highly appropriate to the educational setting and to the age/cultural/developmental needs of the students in collaboration with all integrated team members.
- Identifies students’ individual needs and therapy goals through participation in the development of Individual Education Plans (IEP).
- Develops appropriate therapy plans to make progress toward achieving the students’ goals and objectives identified in the IEP.
- Assesses and evaluates students’ primary modes of communication, assistive technology needs, and speech and language development to determine the impact of the students’ needs on their ability to benefit from special education.
- Creates a schedule that is flexible and itinerant, based on student priorities and staffing needs, including assistance with feeding on a need basis.
Environment - Supports the implementation of a Universal Design for Learning framework that embeds AT in its structure, and provide guidance to classrooms, parents and caregivers, to engineer environments to promote universal access to communication
- Identifies, designs, and/or provides purchasing information about appropriate AAC devices and applications used for communication systems. This could include, but not limited to, locating grants, outside resources, private providers, third-party reimbursement, and device loan libraries.
- Orders, designs, or produces instructional materials for individual students or classroom use.
- Orders materials and equipment to implement therapy in the educational setting.
- Locates additional resources to obtain assistive and augmentative technology, such as from Columbia Regional Inclusive Services equipment library.
- Collaborates with CESD IT department to request, inventory, and maintain AAC devices on a trial basis.
Service Delivery - Prepares and conducts professional development to staff, parents and caregivers related to the use of AAC/AT systems to provide access to learning within social/emotional learning and the four quadrants of life skills (domestic living, vocational training, community living, and leisure and recreation).
- Provides modeling, instructional coaching and consultation to classroom staff in the delivery of explicit instruction related to teaching communication skills across environments, activities, and people. Individualized language, and/or AAC augmentative/ alternative communication instruction to students whose IEPs contain SLP direct and/or consultative services related to IEP goals.
- Provides training, regular observation and feedback regarding the delivery of communication instructions.
- Consults regularly with special education staff regarding implementation of delegated therapy programs.
Professional Responsibilities - Provides and encourages ongoing education and training opportunities for the SLPA following Oregon licensure laws and rules regulating the practice of speech-language pathology while supervising the SLPA.
- Develops, reviews, and modifies communication plans for students, that the SLPA implements under the SLP’s supervision and accurately documents and regularly records all supervisory activities, both direct and indirect.
- Develops and maintains a data-driven decision-making system that measures student progress to inform the communication plan and development of appropriate IEP goals.
- Organizes time effectively to complete required documentation including evaluations, progress notes, service logs, IEPS, and Medicaid billing, following district and program policies, procedures and requirements. Provide a written schedule that is accessible to supervisors.
- Develops and utilizes scheduling and time management techniques to implement therapy in assigned caseload and school settings during the day and week.
- Models and promotes effective communication demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness as a member of an integrated team whose goal is to provide access to FAPE (Free and Appropriate Public Education).
- Records service delivery information for the district to bill Medicaid.
- Develops and maintains systems to record, monitor and interpret student progress.
Minimum qualifications: - Hold a Speech-Language Pathology License as issued by the State of Oregon Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology.
- Ability to acquire and maintain all required certifications that include first aid/CPR, and crisis intervention and physical management.
- Recent successful experience and training in the delivery of AAC systems for students with a variety of complex and low incidence disabilities.
- Working knowledge of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act regulations and procedures.
- Demonstrated ability to facilitate groups in meetings and workshop settings.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively engage in a variety of team-based service delivery, planning, decision making, and problem solving.
Preferred qualifications: - Valid driver’s license
- Reliable Vehicle
Salary: Licensed Salary Schedule can be found here for the 2024-25 and the 2025-26 school years Benefits:
- Full medical, dental, and vision insurance with generous district-paid contribution (most employees pay $0 out of pocket to maintain health insurance coverage)
- Retirement through the Oregon Public Retirement System (PERS) includes pension and individual account program
- Paid time off, including paid holidays, sick leave, and other personal leave
- Opportunities to grow with us with generous professional development expense reimbursements
- Clackamas ESD covers the full cost of fingerprinting for new employees, saving you $82.50 - a benefit not offered by most other districts
- Read more about our benefits here
Retirement plan contributions:
Clackamas ESD employees working 600 or more hours in a calendar year are eligible for the Oregon Public Employee Retirement, or PERS. There are two components to PERS, including the pension, which is primarily funded by CESD and The Individual Account Program, or IAP, which is funded by a six-percent deduction from your paycheck. If you are new to PERS, your PERS deduction will begin automatically after a six-month waiting period.
How to apply:
Submit your application at https://www.applitrack.com/clackesd/onlineapp/. Applications for this position must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the listed closing date and must include:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Completed application form
Clackamas Education Service District is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We respect and seek to empower each individual and support the diverse cultures, perspectives, skills and experiences within our workforce along with the students and families that we serve.
Clackamas ESD policy provides veterans and disabled veterans with preference as required by law.
Clackamas ESD Notice of Nondiscrimination
