FL H0471

Department of Education must develop and maintain a statewide strategic plan for recruiting and retaining speech-language pathologists in public schools and charter schools

Plan requires ongoing analysis of staffing data including number of SLPs by education level (doctoral, master's, bachelor's, assistants), caseloads, compensation, and year-over-year changes including resignations and retirements

Strategies to be examined include tuition assistance, continuing education, flexible work schedules, hybrid work environments, differentiated pay, and mentorship programs for new SLPs

Department must develop a weighted calculation methodology for determining SLP caseloads that accounts for therapeutic instruction, diagnostics, IEP meetings, documentation, Medicaid billing, and consultation time

School districts and charter schools must submit survey data by October 31 annually; Department must publish the strategic plan on its website by November 30 and provide progress updates to legislative committees