SLPs: When and When Not to Dismiss Students From Your Caseload (Grades PK-12) Presented by Courtney Seidel, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL Speech-Language Pathologist, Author, and National Presenter

Specifically Designed for Speech-Language Pathologists Serving Grades PreK-12

Practical Ideas and Strategies

Are you looking for a more structured and evidence-based approach to determine when students are ready for dismissal? Do you experience hurdles when attempting to dismiss students from speech-language services? Research shows that half of students who receive school-based speech-language services continue in therapy after criterion was reached.
Learn a systematic approach to determine a student's individualized dismissal criteria, how to monitor their progress toward dismissal, and how to successfully guide your team through the dismissal process.

In this NEW seminar, outstanding SLP, author, and national presenter Courtney Seidel draws from her extensive experience working with grades PreK-12 students to share the most current recommendations surrounding dismissal practices. You'll leave with increased confidence in your dismissal decision making. Current best practices for dismissal, including national and federal recommendations, will strengthen your intentional practices around dismissal.

Explore the most common hurdles SLPs face when attempting to discontinue services along with a wealth of tangible, use-tomorrow solutions. This is a seminar you won't want to miss!

Ten Key Benefits of Attending

1. Confidently Explain When and Why a Student Should Be Dismissed
   Learn current best practices for dismissal … Utilize an easy-to-implement portfolio to evidence whether dismissal is warranted
2. Follow a Structured Approach to Dismissal
   Receive a flowchart and accompanying materials to consistently take steps toward dismissal … Leave with a dismissal portfolio, rubrics, report templates, meeting scripts, graduation certificates, and much more!
3. Tackle Common Barriers to Dismissal
   Receive national and federal guidance to back your dismissal decision making … Problem solve for students who have a lack of vested interest or noncompliance
4. Track Readiness for Dismissal
   Monitor several indicators that a student may be ready to discontinue speech-language services … Receive progress monitoring tools to keep tabs on their movement toward dismissal
5. Benefit From a Basic Skills or Learning Strategies Approach
   Clearly state whether the dismissal goal is to remediate a lagging skill or teach a strategy to compensate … Set yourself up to have a clear point at which dismissal should occur
6. Bridge Generalization and Carryover
   Move students from using a skill in structured sessions toward real-life situations … Receive a generalization toolkit with concrete steps and strategies to employ
7. Evidence How a Student's Disability No Longer Affects Their Educational Performance
   Document with confidence how speech-language services are or are not warranted … Use this information to lead discussions regarding dismissal
8. Capitalize on Least Restrictive Environment and Inclusive Practices
   Show team members how the student is able to transfer their learned skills to the classroom … Support the transition from direct instruction to classroom carryover
9. Reframe Dismissal as a Positive Outcome for Students
   Create a school culture that embraces dismissal … Celebrate students reaching their highest levels of independence
10. Receive a Detailed Dismissal Digital Resource Handbook and Special Online Access
    Leave with an extensive digital resource handbook, filled with step-by-step guides, materials, and resources designed to make your dismissal processes systematic, evidence based, and more successful … Receive special online access to Courtney's Google Drive, brimming with additional, fillable digital resources and downloads

Outstanding Strategies You Can Use Immediately

Here's what you'll learn:

• When and when not to dismiss students: how school-based SLPs can strengthen intentional practices around dismissal
• Highly effective, evidence-based approaches for determining and monitoring readiness for dismissal
• Numerous dismissal process tools including a dismissal portfolio, meeting scripts, graduation certificates, and much more!
• Systematic approaches that guide school-based SLPs through the stages of dismissal
• Ready-to-use frameworks that result in a more structured dismissal process and step-by-step flowcharts to guide your clinical decision making
• Easy-to-adapt templates for evaluation reports, goal writing, and rubrics
• Generalization and self-advocacy techniques to help students achieve their highest level of independence
• Accommodations to support students after dismissal from speech-language services
• Powerful, current strategies that allow SLPs to address compliance factors related to discontinuation of services
• National and federal guidance to bolster your dismissal decision making
• Prompt hierarchies that accelerate the results of your treatment and move students toward dismissal
• How to successfully talk about and prepare the team for dismissal
• Progress monitoring tools that decrease the likelihood of students remaining in treatment longer than warranted

A Message From Your Seminar Leader

Dear Colleague:

For years, I encountered uncertainty, resistance, and hurdles when attempting to dismiss students from school-based speech-language services. The lack of dismissal criteria in most states leaves SLPs uncertain as to when a child is ready for dismissal. Misunderstandings regarding the purpose of school-based services versus other external services and supports can result in resistance from parents. Ending established and long-term relationships with children can pose a hurdle for some clinicians. However, the challenge most frequently reported is pressure from team members to offer students "all the help they can get" – despite readiness for dismissal.

To address these issues and others, I've developed a structured approach to dismissal. It includes a toolbox of practical, evidence-based approaches you can use immediately. Rather than dismissal being an afterthought brought up after years of treatment, this approach embeds progress toward dismissal into your treatment plan. We'll create long-term visions of communication for students, employ best practices for discontinuation, scaffold our treatment so it paints a path toward dismissal, address challenges when students have a lack of vested interest and are noncompliant, track indicators of readiness for discontinuation, and provide teams with a plan for our departure.

My goal is to ensure you have the tools and resources needed to successfully tackle each challenge. I'm excited to share what I have learned with you so that you can feel more confident in your dismissal decision making and equipped to guide your team through dismissal discussions and processes.

I hope you'll join me for a productive and thought-provoking day!

Sincerely,
Courtney Seidel

P.S. You'll receive my dismissal digital resource handbook, which includes a dismissal flowchart, portfolio to evidence readiness, rubrics, dismissal report templates, meeting scripts, graduation certificates, and much more so you can start this work tomorrow!

Who Should Attend

Speech-Language Pathologists Serving Grades PreK-12

About BER Live Online Events

With the current health challenges, all BER in-person PD events are currently being presented in a Live Online format:

• Outstanding Instructors
  All programs are led by outstanding BER national trainers
• Extensive Resource Handbooks
  You'll have access to an extensive digital Resource Handbook before, during and after your seminar
• Highly Interactive
  You'll be able to ask questions in real time and interact with the instructor and other participants
• Program Guarantee
  As we have for 48 years, we guarantee the high quality of our programs. If you are not satisfied, we'll give you a 100% refund.

Special Benefits of Attending

Extensive Dismissal Digital Resource Handbook
You will receive an extensive digital resource handbook specifically designed for this seminar. Included in the handbook are:

• Guidelines to determine a student's readiness for dismissal
• Materials that support monitoring a student's progress toward dismissal
• Evidence-based strategies and practical tools you can use immediately to create intentional dismissal plans for students
• Practical and effective strategies for successfully incorporating team members and leading discussions about dismissal
• Special online access to Courtney's Google Drive, brimming with additional, fillable digital resources and downloads

For in-person seminars, registrants will also receive a printed copy of the resource handbook as long as their registration is received in the BER office at least 15 calendar days before the event.

Share Ideas
This seminar provides a wonderful opportunity for participants to meet and share ideas with other school-based SLPs interested in strengthening their intentional practices around dismissal.

Consultation Available
Courtney Seidel will be available for consultation regarding your questions and the unique needs of your own speech-language program.

ASHA - CEUs


You will be required to fully attend the program, actively participate, and complete a self-assessment and program evaluation.

ASHA-Required Disclosure Statement for Courtney Seidel:
Presenter for the Bureau of Education & Research and receives honorarium compensation.
No relevant nonfinancial relationships exist.

Semester Credit Option
Up to four graduate level professional development credits are available with an additional fee and completion of follow-up practicum activities. Details for direct enrollment with University of Massachusetts Global, a nonprofit affiliate, will be available at this program.

Meet Inservice Requirements
Participants of both the Live Online Seminar and those completing the Recorded Version online can receive a certificate of participation that may be used to verify five continuing education hours. State CEUs are available for both versions of the course. For specific details, visit www.ber.org/ceus.

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