6 CAR Part 189 — Rules Governing Eligibility and Financial Incentives for Certified Speech-Language Pathologists

Chapter I

Subchapter G

Subpart 1

6 CAR § 189-101 Purpose {#sec-6-car-189-101 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-189--6 CAR § 189-101}

6 CAR § 189-101. Purpose.

The purposes of this part are to ensure the availability and retention of certified speech-language pathologists by providing additional compensation for speech-language pathologists holding a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

6 CAR § 189-102 Definitions {#sec-6-car-189-102 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-189--6 CAR § 189-102}

6 CAR § 189-102. Definitions.

For the purposes of this part, the following terms shall mean:

(1) "Certified speech-language pathologist" means a speech-language pathologist who:

(A) Has a master’s degree, which includes medical-based training;

(B) Has completed a one-year clinical fellowship;

(C) Has passed the Praxis II Speech-Language Pathology test; and

(D) Holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; and

(2) “Department” means the Department of Education.

6 CAR § 189-103 Payment of bonuses for certified speech-language pathologists {#sec-6-car-189-103 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-189--6 CAR § 189-103}

6 CAR § 189-103. Payment of bonuses for certified speech-language pathologists.

By December 1 of each year, the Department of Education shall pay a yearly incentive bonus of five thousand dollars ($5,000) to a certified speech-language pathologist who:

(1) Holds an Arkansas teaching license in speech-language pathology;

(2) Is a full-time employee of an Arkansas education service cooperative or public school district as a speech-language pathologist at the time of receiving the bonus; and

(3) Is not considered a purchased service contractor, but may be employed under a teacher contract subject to renewal under Arkansas Code § 6-17-1506 [repealed].

6 CAR § 189-104 Monitoring for certified speech-language pathologists {#sec-6-car-189-104 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-189--6 CAR § 189-104}

6 CAR § 189-104. Monitoring for certified speech-language pathologists.

(a) The local public school district that employs a certified speech-language pathologist must verify to the Department of Education annually the employment status of that speech-language pathologist.

(b) A certified speech-language pathologist shall not receive a yearly bonus if the person leaves the full-time employment of an Arkansas public school district.

(c)(1) If a certified speech-language pathologist who receives a bonus under this subsection leaves employment in the Arkansas public school system before completing three (3) continuous school years of employment, the speech-language pathologist shall repay the department a prorated portion of the bonus received in the school year based on a daily rate for the remainder of a school year in which the speech-language pathologist leaves employment.

(2) The first year of the three (3) continuous school years is the first year that the speech-language pathologist received a bonus under this subsection.

(3) The daily rate is calculated as the:

(A) Amount of the annual bonus paid to the speech-language pathologist; divided by

(B) Number of days in the speech-language pathologist’s contract.

(4) The State Board of Education may suspend the Arkansas speech-language pathology license of any person who fails to repay the amount of the bonus required to be repaid under this subsection.

(5) Repayment of all or a portion of a bonus under this subsection is not required if, due to the death or disability of the speech-language pathologist or other extenuating circumstances as may be recognized by the state board, the speech-language pathologist does not remain employed in the Arkansas public school system for three (3) continuous school years after first receiving the bonus under this subsection.

6 CAR § 189-105 Funding for certified speech-language pathologists {#sec-6-car-189-105 omnilex-key=us-ar-regs-official--title-6-part-189--6 CAR § 189-105}

6 CAR § 189-105. Funding for certified speech-language pathologists.

(a) Bonuses paid to a certified speech-language pathologist shall be paid from the funds appropriated and available for bonuses to certified speech-language pathologists.

(b) If sufficient funds are not available to pay the full amount of the bonus to each certified speech-language pathologist as provided under this section, the Department of Education may reduce the amount of the bonus for each qualified recipient proportionately as necessary to provide a bonus to each qualified speech-language pathologist in an equal amount.

(c) The cost and expenses related to training for or acquisition of the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association:

(1) Shall not be funded through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards program created under Arkansas Code §§ 6-17-412 – 6-17-413; and

(2) Shall be the responsibility of the certified speech-language pathologist.