By Haley Mitchell Godwin

The Crenshaw County Board of Education (CCBOE) convened a special meeting Oct. 9 at 5:30 p.m. to address pressing personnel matters and the urgent need for additional speech therapy services within the school system.

The second agenda item focused on the increasing demand for speech therapy services, as outlined by Crenshaw County Schools Special Education Director Sherry Sport. With a significant rise in referrals for students requiring speech services, Sport emphasized the strain on current staff.

“We have a duty to meet the needs of Crenshaw County children and students between the ages of three to 21 in regards to special education services,” Sport said. “A lot of times, our speech referrals are very heavy in that three to five age range before they ever enter school.”

According to Sport, the school system also provides equitable services to private schools in the district, managing two service sites. 

“We are often heavy on referrals across all sites we serve and interestingly enough, in the last two days, I have received three more referrals for students that need speech and language therapy,” Sport said.

The complexity of managing these needs involves not only providing services but also maintaining compliance with special education regulations. Sport detailed how speech therapists in the district handle multiple roles, including conducting assessments and managing timelines for evaluations.

“Our therapists are drowning right now,” Sport admitted, citing the high number of students in need of services and the consistent influx of new referrals. “We have one master’s-level certified speech therapist on staff, and we need additional support.”

Sport proposed contracting with an additional certified speech therapist to alleviate the burden on current staff. After discussing the logistics of such an arrangement, the board voted unanimously to approve the contract.

Board chairperson Sherri Claybrook expressed gratitude for Sport’s efforts. 

“Thank you for what you’re doing to take care of our kids,” Claybrook said. “We appreciate you very much.”

“We do the very best we can,” Sport added. “We appreciate the board for helping support us and allowing us to do what we do. It’s a privilege and an honor.”

The meeting concluded with the board reaffirming its commitment to addressing the special education needs of students in Crenshaw County.

The next regular meeting of the Crenshaw County Board of Education is Monday, October 21 at 5:30 p.m.