HOW TO APPLY FOR THE 5% SCHOOL-BASED SALARY SUPPLEMENT PLEASE READ AND CAREFULLY FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS

Newly Hired or Newly ASHA CCC Certified Speech Pathologists who are employees of a Nevada school district:Four documents should be taken to your school district’s Personnel/Payroll/Human Resources Office.

Bring the following:

1. ORIGINAL Nevada Board of Examiners License issued by the Nevada Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech Pathology.

2. CURRENT Nevada Board of Examiners license card to practice Speech Pathology.

3. ORIGINAL Certificate of Clinical Competence issued by ASHA. If you do not have the original, you will have to contact ASHA and request a copy of this document. A letter from ASHA verifying you have earned the CCC MAY NOT BE sufficient. Check with your district.

4. CURRENT ASHA membership card with CERTIFIED MEMBER status clearly marked.

NSHA Legislative Advocacy School-Based 5% Salary Supplement Information 2 Your school district will copy these documents and forward them to the appropriate department/office (e.g. Human Resources, Personnel, Payroll) for proof of your eligibility to receive the 5% salary supplement.On or before the September 15th *of the school year, two documents should be taken to your school district’s Personnel/Payroll/Human Resources Office.

Bring the following:

1. CURRENT Nevada Board of Examiners license card to practice Speech Pathology.

2. CURRENT ASHA membership card with CERTIFIED MEMBER status clearly marked.

   Your school district will copy these documents and forward them to the appropriate department/office (e.g. Human Resources, Personnel, Payroll) for proof of your eligibility to receive the 5% salary supplement. If you want verification that your documents have been received, it is suggested that you obtain a copy with the “date received” clearly stamped on it or request verification via an e-mail.*If you have been hired or rehired after the 15th of September (per AB 580) and hold all the required documents needed to receive the 5% salary supplement, PLEASE BE ADVISED to contact ASAP the administrator in your school district who oversees the speech department as you may or may not be entitled to the salary supplement for part or all of that school year. For newly hired, newly CCC certified and returning employee, if you have any questions or concerns, please check with your specific school district regarding their policies, procedures and deadlines for submitting the required documentation for inclusion in the 5% salary supplement.

School-Based 5% Salary Supplement Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Please note: Throughout these FAQ’s, the term “speech pathologist” will be used in place of “speech-language pathologist” in order to align with the terminology used in AB 580.

What is the 5 percent (5%) salary  supplement? 

The 5 percent (5%) salary supplement is an increase in salary to nationally board certified speech pathologists who are employed as Teachers of pupils who have speech and language impairments (i.e. license issued by the Nevada Department of Education) in Nevada school districts. The 5% salary supplement was made possible by the passage of Assembly Bill 580 (AB 580) in July 2005. The 5% salary supplement helps Nevada school districts attract and retain highly qualified speech pathologists.

When did the 5% salary supplement go into  effect? 

The 5% salary supplement went into effect on July 1, 2005.

Who  is eligible to receive the 5% salary supplement? 

Speech Pathologists who are (1) employees of a Nevada school district, (2) licensed by the Nevada Department of Education as “teachers of pupils who have speech and language impairments”, (3) licensed by the Nevada Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech Pathology,(4) certified by the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) (i.e. holder of the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC)), and (5) assigned by the school district to serve as a speech pathologist during the school year are eligible to receive the 5% salary supplement.? It is suggested that the speech pathologist refer to the Director of Special Education or Speech Language Therapy services in their school district regarding any additional qualifications not specified by AB580.

Are contracted speech  pathologists eligible to receive the 5% salary supplement? 

No. Contracted speech pathologists, or contractor speech pathologists or independent contractor speech pathologists are not employees of the school district. They may be employees of a contracting agency or employees of their own contracting business. AB 580 states “a person who is employed by a school district as a speech pathologist, the school district shall add 5 percent to the salary that the employee would otherwise receive in 1 year for his classification on the schedule of salaries for the school district…”

What proof is needed to show that I  meet the eligibility requirements?

1. ORIGINAL Nevada Board of Examiners License issued by the Nevada Board of Examiners for Audiology and Speech Pathology.2. CURRENT Nevada Board of Examiners license card to practice Speech Pathology.3. ORIGINAL Certificate of Clinical Competence issued by ASHA.4. CURRENT ASHA membership card with CERTIFIED MEMBER status clearly marked.

Where and  to whom do I need to take and present my proof of eligibility? 

Check with the school district’s department administrator who oversees speech pathologists. Typically proof is to be taken to the school district’s personnel department or human resources department, or payroll department.

Is there a timeline for when I need to show proof that I  meet the eligibility requirements? 

Yes. Per AB580, on or prior to September 15th of a given year, documents must be submitted to your school districts human resources department, or payroll, or department overseeing speech-language pathologists. Please note: If you have been hired or rehired after the 15th of September (per AB 580) and hold all the required documents needed to receive the 5% salary supplement, PLEASE BE ADVISED to contact ASAP the administrator in your school district who oversees the speech department as you may or may not be entitled to the salary supplement for part or all of that school year. Nevada’s Board of Examiners license card and ASHA member card expires each year on December 31st. Your school district will have a deadline for submission of your current cards. It is your responsibility to find out the deadline and submit your cards prior to that date.

How much is my  5% salary supplement? 

If you want to know the amount of your 5% supplement, check with your district’s human resources or pay roll department for your specific pay step.

Could I lose receiving the 5%  salary supplement? 

Yes. You may risk losing the 5% salary supplement if the required documents are not provided to your school district on or before the due date set by AB580 and /or your school district.

BE ADVISED: Your ASHA membership card only verifies your CCC through 12/31/ of the present year. Your Board of Examiners License card only verifies your licensethrough 12/31 of the present year. You are advised to pay your dues early (prior to December) in order to receive your membership card and license card ASAP. You are responsible for bringing your new cards with the expiration dates into your school district office so verified copies can be made. Check with your school district regarding the due date for submission of your new cards.

If I decide to move out of  a position as a speech pathologist in the school district and move into  an administrative position, will I still be eligible to receive the 5%  salary supplement? 

When any individual who is receiving the 5% salary supplement (e.g. nationally board certified teachers, special education teachers, counselors, psychologists, speech pathologists) moves out of a “teaching position” and into an administrative position, they may lose their 5% salary supplement. Per AB 580, “The employee is assigned by the school district to serve as a speech pathologist during the school year…”It would be advisable to talk with the administrator overseeing the speech department in your school district if you are considering moving into an administrative position…

Who do I contact if I have any  questions or concerns about the 5% salary supplement? 

Please contact the administrator who oversees the speech pathologists in your school district if you have any questions or concerns.