Your expertise may already have earning potential.

Professionals on Liricare are using the platform to turn their knowledge into income by offering services and sharing educational resources. The platform is designed to help special-needs professionals monetize their content and expand their professional opportunities.

For experienced speech-language professionals, Praxis preparation could be another opportunity.

Future SLPs may need support with:

• Individual tutoring
• Small-group exam review
• Study planning and accountability
• Clinical reasoning practice
• Retake preparation
• Original study guides and digital resources

You do not have to open a clinic or leave your current position to become a speech entrepreneur.

Start with one area you know well. Create a professional profile, offer a focused service, build original resources, and help future SLPs prepare with greater confidence.

Other professionals are already using Liricare to earn from their expertise.

The next successful service on the platform could be yours.

Explore Liricare and consider turning your speech-language knowledge into a new source of income.

Speech therapists, it is time to test how deeply you are SLP-coded.

Play along with “Never Have I Ever: Speech Therapist Edition.”

Give yourself one point for every statement that applies to you.

Have you ever:

Laminated a visual you already had in three other versions?

Turned a board game into a full language lesson?

Heard, “Can you fix my R?” before 9:00 a.m.?

Used bubbles in therapy and called it evidence-based fun?

Celebrated a spontaneous correct sound like your team just won a championship?

Promised yourself you would organize your materials tomorrow?

Written the last session note with two minutes left in the day?

Or checked your schedule repeatedly because you were certain someone was absent?

Now add up your score:

0–6: Still warming up
7–13: Fully SLP-coded
14–20: Speech room legend

Behind every funny moment is a speech-language pathologist who is teaching, collecting data, collaborating with families, supporting IEP goals, managing schedules, and helping students find their voices.

At Liricare, we see the work behind the score.

Drop your total in the comments and tell us which statement felt a little too accurate.

AI can be a powerful classroom tool—but in special education, the student must remain at the center.

Before using AI, educators should ask:

Is it accessible?
Can it be individualized?
Has the team collaborated?
Are staff properly trained?
Is student data protected?

AI should support professional judgment, not replace it. When implemented thoughtfully, it can reduce barriers, strengthen instruction, and expand opportunities for students with diverse learning needs.
Video Presentation Link:
https://youtu.be/CabxKYXTndE

Top 5 things school-based speech-language pathologists often wish they understood earlier about how the IEP process works:

1. Speech services are based on educational need—not just a diagnosis or low test score

A student may have a communication disorder but not automatically qualify for school-based speech services. The IEP team must determine that the disability adversely affects the student’s educational performance and that specialized instruction or related services are needed.

For an SLP, this means connecting assessment results to classroom participation, literacy, peer interaction, behavior, functional communication, and progress in the general curriculum—not simply reporting standardized scores. IDEA requires the IEP to describe how the disability affects the student’s involvement and progress in the general education curriculum.

2. The SLP is a full IEP team member—not just the person who writes the speech section

The SLP brings expertise about communication, but eligibility, goals, services, placement, and accommodations are team decisions. Parents, teachers, administrators, evaluators, and other required members all contribute.

An SLP should come prepared to explain findings in plain language, listen to family and teacher concerns, connect speech-language needs to the full educational picture, and participate in decisions beyond the therapy room. The IEP team is legally responsible for developing, reviewing, and revising the plan together.

3. The present level drives everything else in the IEP

A strong present level should clearly explain:

* What the student can currently do
* What the student has difficulty doing
* How the communication need affects school performance
* What data support that conclusion
* What supports have already been tried
* What the student needs next

Goals, accommodations, service minutes, and progress monitoring should flow from this information. When the present level is vague, the rest of the IEP usually becomes vague too. IDEA requires accurate present levels and measurable academic and functional goals based on the child’s individual needs.

4. Service minutes are not the goal

It is easy to focus on whether a student receives 30 minutes twice a week, but the real question is whether the service design gives the student a meaningful opportunity to make progress.

The IEP should identify the student’s needs first. The team then determines the appropriate frequency, duration, location, group size, and delivery model. Services may include individual therapy, small-group therapy, classroom-based support, consultation, collaboration, or a combination.

More minutes do not automatically mean better services. The right service is the one that is individualized, connected to measurable goals, and supported by progress data.

5. Data collection is part of the legal and instructional process

Progress notes are not just paperwork. The IEP must explain how progress toward annual goals will be measured and when progress will be reported to parents.

SLPs need a practical system for documenting:

* Baseline performance
* Accuracy and level of prompting
* Generalization across people and settings
* Attendance and missed sessions
* Progress toward each goal
* Changes in educational or functional performance

When data show that a student is not making expected progress, the team should not simply continue the same plan. The IEP must be reviewed periodically and revised when needed to address a lack of expected progress, evaluation results, parent information, or changing needs.

The biggest takeaway

A school SLP is not simply providing therapy inside a school building. The SLP is working within an educational and legal process designed to provide an eligible student with a free appropriate public education.

Paid internship opportunity for special educators ($25 hr) who attend IEP meetings
Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
Parent /Family Members/ Guardian
Educational Advocate / Attorney
Special Education Teacher / Coordinator
School Administrator / District Representative:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMApTeL1Nf1g2QBX7pqXy4yW9kktR6GHEpxtk0u-S-AI02ow/viewform

Just a glimpse into how infallible our voice technology is! This means our activities only respond to actual voice commands corresponding to our games.

Even better, you can also customize the command you want the activity to respond to! For example if you didn't want to target 'up' you can program in to target 'more' etc. instead.

At ASD 123, Accessible Speech Development (www.ASD-123.com), we've built technology that encourages children to use their own voices to interact with activities instead of simply tapping a screen.

Our goal is simple:
✅ Encourage speech through play
✅ Increase motivation
✅ Make therapy more interactive
✅ Support families and clinicians alike

Innovation in speech therapy should empower both children and the professionals who work with them every day.

Have you tried voice powered therapy activities with your students or clients? We'd love to hear your experiences!

Here are the top 10 reasons a school-based Speech-Language Pathologist may leave one district for another:

1. Caseload is too high
When SLPs feel they cannot provide quality services, complete evaluations, attend IEP meetings, and finish documentation within the workday, burnout follows quickly.
2. Better salary or compensation
A neighboring district may offer a higher salary step, stipend, signing bonus, longevity credit, or stronger overall compensation package.
3. Workload does not match the job description
SLPs may leave when they are expected to manage excessive evaluations, Medicaid billing, meetings, paperwork, supervision, and multiple schools in addition to direct therapy.
4. Lack of administrative support
SLPs want leaders who understand related services, respond to concerns, help solve scheduling problems, and recognize when caseload or workload expectations are unrealistic.
5. Too many school sites or excessive travel
Moving between multiple schools can reduce therapy time, increase stress, and make collaboration with teachers and families more difficult.
6. Better caseload or workload model elsewhere
Some districts offer workload-based planning rather than focusing only on student numbers. An SLP may move for protected evaluation, documentation, consultation, and planning time.
7. Burnout and poor work-life balance
Regularly taking reports, IEP paperwork, and documentation home can make another district with stronger boundaries very attractive.
8. Limited professional growth
SLPs may leave when they do not have access to relevant professional development, leadership opportunities, mentoring, specialized assignments, or advancement.
9. Poor staffing and constant coverage expectations
When SLP vacancies remain open, existing therapists may be asked to absorb additional schools and students. Strong employees often leave when understaffing becomes the permanent staffing model.
10. Better district culture and professional respect
SLPs want to be treated as specialized professionals and valued members of the IEP team. Communication, trust, collaboration, and respect can be just as important as salary.

Happy 4th of July from all of us at Liricare! 🇺🇸

This year marks America's 250th anniversary of independence, and we're celebrating alongside a community that keeps growing: 1100 therapists and educators from 39 states, all working together to support students and communities nationwide.

Whether you're in a classroom, a therapy room, or connecting virtually with a student across the country, thank you for the work you do to help others communicate, move, and grow.

Wishing you all a holiday filled with rest, good company, and a joyful 4th of July.

https://youtu.be/veLnkGBaPuc
School-based SLP burnout does not happen overnight. It often builds in stages — from early passion and excitement, to rising stress, adjustment, emotional exhaustion, and eventually chronic burnout.

In this presentation, we break down the 5 stages of school SLP burnout and explain why recognizing the signs early matters. Heavy caseloads, paperwork, service delivery demands, limited time, and constant pressure can slowly drain even the most dedicated professionals.

This video is for school SLPs, special education leaders, principals, and anyone who supports related service providers.

Reminder: burnout is not a personal failure. It is a signal.

When we understand the pattern, we can start having better conversations about workload, staffing, support, sustainability, and professional well-being.

Watch, reflect, and ask yourself:
What stage are you in — and what support is needed next?

Avoiding Job Scams During the Summer Hiring Season:

Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for school-based hiring. Districts are trying to fill vacancies before the first day of school, and professionals are looking for the right opportunity before the new school year begins.

For SLPs, OTs, PTs, school nurses, school psychologists, special education teachers, and other related service providers, this can be an exciting time. New school year. New opportunity. New setting. New team.

But it is also a time when job scams can appear more convincing.

When hiring moves quickly, scammers move quickly too. That is why school-based professionals need to slow down, ask questions, and verify before sharing personal information or accepting an offer.

A real job opportunity should come from a real organization with a professional hiring process. You should be able to confirm the company, the school district or placement site, the job responsibilities, pay structure, supervision expectations, schedule, start date, licensure requirements, and onboarding process.

Be cautious if someone offers you a position without an interview, asks for banking information too early, pressures you to make an immediate decision, uses a suspicious email address, or says they will send you money to buy equipment. These are warning signs that the opportunity may not be legitimate.

Before accepting a school-based position, confirm who you are actually working for. Is it a school district, staffing agency, teletherapy company, contractor, or another organization? Make sure you understand whether the role is W-2, 1099, full-time, part-time, in-person, virtual, or hybrid.

You should also ask for the offer in writing. The written offer should clearly explain pay, schedule, location, role, benefits if applicable, required documentation, licensure requirements, background check procedures, and who will supervise or support you.

Your license, time, personal information, and professional reputation matter. A good opportunity will not disappear just because you asked for clarity.

At Liricare, we believe school-based professionals deserve safer, more transparent ways to connect with opportunities. Whether you are an SLP, OT, PT, school nurse, school psychologist, special education teacher, or school administrator, it is important to protect yourself while searching for the right fit.

Before you commit, take time to verify the opportunity, confirm the contact, review the offer, and ask questions.

Do not let excitement override verification.

Liricare is built to help school-based professionals connect, get seen, and explore opportunities with greater confidence.

Protect the provider.
Support the school.
Strengthen student services.

Your Summer Adventure Awaits!

Special education teams need quick access to the most important IEP information without digging through the full document every time support is needed.

That is why we created the Liricare / Data King IEP At-a-Glance Editable Forms

These one-page tools are designed for:

Special Education Teachers
Speech-Language Pathologists
Occupational Therapists
Physical Therapists

Each form helps organize key student information, IEP goals, accommodations, service needs, progress monitoring notes, provider responsibilities, communication reminders, and follow-up actions in one simple editable format.

This is a must-have tool because strong IEP implementation depends on clarity. When staff can quickly see what a student needs, how services should be delivered, and what must be tracked, the team is better prepared to support the student and stay aligned.

No more hunting through pages of an IEP during a busy school day.
No more guessing who needs what support.
No more losing track of important service details.

We are offering free editable versions.

Comment below with the version you want:

Special Education Teacher
SLP
OT
PT
ALL

Your Liricare profile is more than a page.

It is your professional first impression.

Whether you are an SLP, OT, PT, special education teacher, nurse, school psychologist, school administrator, or related service provider, a complete profile helps schools, agencies, and professional connections better understand who you are and what you offer.

Here are 5 quick steps to improve your Liricare profile landing page today:

Step 1: Get verified.
Verification helps build trust and lets others know your profile is active and credible.

Step 2: Add a professional picture.
People connect with people. A clear photo helps your profile feel more personal and professional.

Step 3: Strengthen your About section.
Use this space to briefly share your experience, specialty areas, populations served, certifications, and the type of opportunities or professional connections you are open to.

Step 4: Update your role and service details.
Make sure your profile clearly shows whether you are an SLP, OT, PT, special education teacher, nurse, school psychologist, administrator, therapist assistant, or other school-based professional.

Step 5: Keep your profile current.
Add updated availability, licensure information, work preferences, virtual or in-person options, and any new skills or experience.

A strong profile makes it easier for the right people to find you, understand your background, and connect with you for meaningful opportunities.

Take five minutes today and update your Liricare profile.

Summer school and ESY are not the same thing, and that difference matters.

For school administrators and special education teams, this is one of those topics that can create confusion quickly if staff, families, and IEP teams are not speaking the same language.

Summer school is usually a general education program focused on enrichment, remediation, credit recovery, or course completion.

ESY, or Extended School Year, is an individualized special education decision made by the IEP team based on student need. It is connected to FAPE, critical skill maintenance, regression and recoupment, related services, and the student’s unique IEP goals.

A student may attend summer school, qualify for ESY, qualify for both, or qualify for neither.

That is why districts should plan early, review data carefully, document decisions clearly, and communicate expectations with families before summer programming begins.

For administrators, the key reminders are simple:

Use data.
Protect services.
Plan early.

At Liricare, we understand how important staffing and service delivery are during both the regular school year and extended school year. When districts need support with special education teachers, SLPs, OTs, PTs, nurses, school psychologists, or related service providers, early planning makes all the difference.

This visual is a quick reminder for school leaders and special education teams preparing for summer services and the upcoming school year.

This tip sheet introduces and provides an overview of the 13 disability categories that students may be eligible for an individualized education program (IEP) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

This tip sheet defines speech or language impairment under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and shares strategies for success.

Strategies & Tips: How Special Education Teachers and Speech Therapists Can Work Together to Close Out the School Year

Work and life balance