For a small or rural Michigan district, hiring a speech-language pathologist can feel impossible. A part-time position, buildings far apart and a small applicant pool add up to job postings that sit open for months. Meanwhile students still have IEP minutes to meet.
Teletherapy has become one of the most practical answers. Here is how rural districts are using it, and where its limits are.
Why rural positions are hard to fill
Part-time or split positions are less attractive than full-time roles in one building.
Travel time between buildings cuts into therapy time and adds cost.
Small applicant pools. Statewide, a Michigan special education talent task force listed 253 open SLP positions earlier this year (Bridge Michigan).
Isolation. A lone SLP in a small district has no colleague down the hall to consult.
How teletherapy helps
A licensed SLP delivers live therapy by video, one-on-one or in small groups, without traveling to your buildings. For rural districts that means:
Coverage that can start sooner than a traditional hire.
No lost travel time between buildings.
Access to a team, not a single provider working alone.
The requirements are worth knowing. ASHA's guidance is that telepractice should be of equal quality to in-person services, the clinician must be licensed in the state where the student is, schools are responsible for equipment and connectivity, and in-person services must be offered when telepractice is not appropriate for a student (ASHA). More detail in virtual speech therapy for Michigan schools.
What rural districts should plan for
A quiet room and reliable connection in each building.
An adult nearby for younger students, such as an aide or teacher who helps the session run smoothly.
IEP documentation that notes the delivery method.
An in-person plan for students or evaluations that need it.
How Anwar House of Therapy helps
We provide teletherapy for schools anywhere in Michigan, with live sessions built around IEP goals, progress monitoring, and reports that meet the same standards as on-site services. Sessions fit around your bell times. Because we are a Michigan clinic with locations in Ann Arbor and Dearborn, we can also offer on-site or hybrid services where distance allows, and evaluations including Arabic bilingual evaluations.
Beyond speech, our school team includes occupational therapists, social workers, school psychologists and 504, IEP and MTSS consulting.
Frequently asked questions
Can you serve a district far from Ann Arbor or Dearborn?
Yes. We provide teletherapy for schools anywhere in Michigan.
What does each building need for teletherapy?
A quiet room, a device with a camera, headphones with a microphone and a reliable connection. For younger students, an adult nearby helps.
Are your virtual services limited to speech?
Speech is the most common. Our school team also includes occupational therapists, social workers and school psychologists, and your IEP team decides what can be delivered virtually.
Have a hard-to-fill caseload anywhere in Michigan? See our virtual and school staffing services or call (734) 224-9121.
