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After completing graduate coursework and clinical practicum, the Clinical Fellowship (CF) begins.

Purpose: A CF is a mentored experience that is used to help graduate students transition from being students to independent professionals.

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80% of a CF's work week must be direct clinical contact, and the remaining 20% of the week can be dedicated to providing trainings, attending in-services, etc.

Examples of direct clinical contact include assessment/diagnostic evaluations, treatment, and report writing.

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Successfully complete your Clinical Fellowship (CF) experience of at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours.
You must complete your CF in four years or less from the date you started your CF.

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Be careful in selecting your CF mentor and ensure they meet the following requirements:
-hold a current CCC-SLP
-have at least 9 months of full-time (or part time equivalent) clinical experience after becoming a CCC-SLP
-have completed at least 2 hours of professional development in  supervision

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How to earn Certification of Clinical Competence (CCC):

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How to earn Certification of Clinical Competence (CCC):

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-Complete an online application
-Pay dues and fees
-Submit the following:

Passing Praxis exam scores

Official graduate transcript

Disclosure documents

Speech-Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship (SLPCF) Report and Rating Form report

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About the Clinical Fellowship (CF)

This page is intended to offer clarification of Standard VII of the 2020 Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Certification Standards; it is not intended to replace the language. The SLP standards must be adhered to in order to be eligible to earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).

The SLP CF is a mentored professional experience that begins after the completion of academic course work and clinical practicum. The goal of the CF is to allow the Clinical Fellow to transition between being a student enrolled in a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) program and being an independent provider of speech-language pathology clinical services.

The purpose of the CF is to integrate and apply the knowledge from academic education and clinical training, evaluate strengths and identify limitations, develop and refine clinical skills consistent with the Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology , and advance the Clinical Fellow from needing constant supervision to being an independent practitioner.

Duration of the CF Experience

The ASHA CF experience is a minimum of 1,260 hours and a minimum of 36 weeks of full-time experience or its part-time equivalent. Most applicants will complete this experience in one location with one mentor in a full-time setting. Part-time experiences will require additional weeks to reach the minimum required 1,260 hours.

The CF experience is divided into three equal segments and each segment represents one third of the total experience, which is approximately 420 hours per segment.

Full-time CF experience is considered 35 hours per week for 36 weeks, for a total of 1,260 hours. Working more than 35 hours per week will not shorten the length of the CF experience; however, working fewer than 35 hours per week will extend the number of weeks required to reach 1,260 hours. Part-time experiences must be a minimum of 5 hours per week in order to be counted toward the total 1,260 hours.

Travel, lunch, vacations/holidays, leaves of absence, and other forms of paid or unpaid time off cannot be counted in your number of hours worked per week.

Eighty percent of the Clinical Fellow's work week must be spent in direct clinical contact related to the management of disorders that fit within the ASHA Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology. Examples of direct clinical contact include the following:

Screening, Response to Intervention (RtI), and/or observations of the client/patient

Assessment/diagnostic evaluations

Treatment

Writing of reports, notes; billing

Family/client consultation

Family/client counseling

Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) meetings, rounds, or other meetings related to the management of a client/patient's diagnosis and treatment plan

Twenty percent of the work week may be spent doing other activities such as attending in-services or providing trainings and presentations.

As a Clinical Fellow, you are required to complete your CF experience within 4 years (48 months) or less from the date your CF began.

Clinical Fellow

Qualifications

The ASHA CF experience may be started only after all academic coursework and supervised clinical practicum have been completed and verified by your graduate program director, as outlined in the ASHA SLP Certification Standards, including all prerequisite coursework (Standard IV-A), core coursework (Standard IV-C), and supervised clinical practicum (Standard V). Professional experiences prior to the completion of all academic coursework and practicum may not be used or applied toward your CF experience.

Responsibilities

Before beginning the CF, and periodically throughout the CF experience, it is important that a Clinical Fellow ensures that their CF mentor(s) meet the required qualifications. For those who apply under the 2020 SLP standards, in order to count hours that have been earned on or after January 1, 2020, their mentoring SLP(s) must

hold a current CCC-SLP;

have a minimum of 9 months of full-time (or its part-time equivalent) clinical experience after earning the CCC-SLP; and

have completed a minimum of 2 hours of professional development in the area of supervision after earning the CCC-SLP.

It is a Clinical Fellow's responsibility to verify their CF mentor's status to ensure their mentor's certification remains current throughout the duration of the CF experience. Periodic verification of your mentor's status is a good practice to follow, such as (1) before your CF experience begins and then (2) halfway through your CF experience. Check your CF mentor's status online here:

ASHA Certification Online Verification Portal

As a Clinical Fellow, you must do the following:

Contact your state regulatory agency/licensing board for licensure requirements.

Ensure that the setting will provide you with the opportunity to provide the full range of services to evaluate, habilitate, or rehabilitate individuals with speech and language disabilities.

Confirm that at least 80% of your time will be spent on activities directly related to the care and management of individuals with speech and language disorders.

Verify your role within your company/employer. In some instances, Clinical Fellows are considered interns, and in others they are full staff members. Check company and state policies and procedures regarding billing practices and how to sign off on documentation.

Verify that the setting provides the full range of services and opportunities to have each skill as outlined in the Clinical Fellowship Skills Inventory (CFSI) [PDF] appropriately supervised. All skills must be rated during each segment (or part-segment) for the segment to count toward your CF.

Verify that your CF mentors will each be providing the minimum supervisory activities (a minimum of 6 hours of on-site and in-person) direct supervision and 6 hours of indirect supervision per segment). You may use this template for tracking supervisory activities [PDF].

Submit a written request to the Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CFCC) if you and your CF mentor are considering alternative methods of supervision/telesupervision-and have the request approved-prior to starting the CF experience. (See 2020 Standard VII-B for instructions.)

Confirm that each setting will be able to provide you with a minimum of 5 hours per week.

Enter each period/portion of the experience as a separate report on your certification online application if you change settings, supervisors, or the number of hours you work per week (e.g., full-time to part-time, part-time to full-time, multiple part-time positions, etc.). Important: 6 hours of direct supervision and 6 hours of indirect supervision is required by each mentor during each segment (of part-segment) in order for the time to count toward your ASHA CF.

Tips for Selecting a CF Mentor

Meet with the individual to determine his or her previous supervisory experience.

Discuss what the CF experience means to the mentor and about his or her experiences as a Clinical Fellow.

Determine that they have experience working with the populations that most interest you and that you will have an opportunity to work with these clients.

Find out how many other Clinical Fellows they may be mentoring and the impact this will have on the time they have available to meet with you.

If possible, talk with other professionals who have been mentored by this individual. Ask how their experience was, how accessible the mentoring SLP was, and how quickly the required paperwork was completed.

Discuss how the supervisory activities will be completed and, if possible, outline a plan and stick with it.

Discuss your preferred supervision styles.

Confirm that the minimum 6 hours of on-site and in-person direct supervision and 6 hours of indirect supervision activities will occur during each third of the CF experience.

CF Mentor

Qualifications

In order to be eligible to mentor a Clinical Fellow, all CF mentors must meet the following requirements:

Hold a current CCC-SLP throughout the entire CF experience.

The CF mentor and Clinical Fellow cannot be related in any way.

For all applicants who apply under the 2020 standards and earn hours toward the completion of their CF on or after January 1, 2020, their CF mentors

must have 9 months of full-time experience (or its part-time equivalent) working as a speech-language pathologist after being awarded the CCC-SLP; and

must have completed 2 hours of professional development in the area of supervision at least once in your career after being awarded the CCC-SLP.

Responsibilities

The CF mentor helps improve the clinical effectiveness of the Clinical Fellow through meaningful mentoring and feedback, and assists the Clinical Fellow in developing independent clinical skills.

The CF mentor's ASHA certification status must be current during the entire CF experience in order for the Clinical Fellow to use those hours to apply for ASHA certification.

Each CF mentor and Clinical Fellow is strongly encouraged to read ASHA's Issues in Ethics statement, Responsibilities of Individuals Who Mentor Clinical Fellows in Speech-Language Pathology .

The CF mentor must complete all records and feedback/ratings within a timely manner. See 2020 Standard VII.

Provide opportunities to view and accurately rate all skills listed in the 2020 CFSI [PDF].

Each CF mentor must provide the minimum required on-site and in-person supervisory activities per segment in order for the hours and weeks earned during that segment to count. See below for additional information.

Observations and Supervisory Activities

Following an extensive CF Revalidation Study, the CFCC confirmed that in order to provide an accurate rating of a Clinical Fellow's independence with each skill on the CFSI, each mentor must complete a minimum of 6 hours of on-site and in-person direct and 6 hours indirect observation during each segment (or part-segment) that you serve as their CF mentor. This equates to 18 hours of direct and 18 hours of indirect supervision during the full CF experience. You may provide more supervision if your local or state policies require more, or if you feel that your Clinical Fellow would benefit from more supervision.

During each segment of the CF experience, each CF mentor must provide a minimum of 6 hours of direct observation. These must occur on-site and in-person unless a written request to use telesupervision has been approved by the CFCC. Remember, a segment is equal to one-third of the CF experience.

Each mentor must also provide, per segment, 6 hours of indirect observation, which typically include reviewing diagnostic reports/treatment records/plans of treatment, monitoring the Clinical Fellow's participation in case conferences or professional meetings, and/or evaluating the Clinical Fellow's work by consulting with colleagues or clients and their families. The CF mentor and the Clinical Fellow must coordinate the observation schedule to ensure that all skills are observed and evaluated during each segment of the CF experience. It is expected that the observations are spread over the duration of the CF experience, with no more than 6 total observation hours completed in 1 day. You may use this template for tracking supervisory activities [PDF].

For the purposes of ASHA certification, Clinical Fellows may work in more than one location and they may have more than one CF mentor. If the Clinical Fellow has more than one CF mentor, each CF mentor must complete the required supervisory activities for the weeks and hours to be counted toward the completed CF unless the CF mentors collaborate to provide a robust CF experience. In these instances, one CF mentor becomes the primary mentor and completes the CF report on the Clinical Fellow's online certification application.

If a Clinical Fellow changes settings (e.g., works full time in a school and works PRN at a skilled nursing facility), they must have the CF mentor evaluate all skills in each setting during each segment. In this example, the Clinical Fellow may choose to have two CF mentors; one at the school and one at the skilled nursing facility.

Clinical Fellow Changes Settings/Employers Between Segments
In order for hours/experiences to be counted, the minimum of 6 hours of direct and 6 hours of indirect supervision per segment (or part-segment) must be completed by each CF mentor.

Feedback Sessions

Feedback sessions are an integral part of the CF experience. The CF mentor must provide performance feedback to the Clinical Fellow at least once during each segment of the CF. During feedback sessions, the CF mentor and Clinical Fellow should discuss strengths or weaknesses in the Clinical Fellow's ability to independently practice as a clinician. Through discussion and goal-setting, these sessions should be used to assist the Clinical Fellow in developing the required skills.

It is strongly encouraged for the CF mentor to provide copies of written feedback to the Clinical Fellow during each segment, and for both to keep copies of these feedback session notes for their records.

The CF mentor must provide performance feedback to the Clinical Fellow at least once during each segment of the CF using the 2020 Clinical Fellowship Skills Inventory (CFSI) form [PDF].

The Clinical Fellow must receive a score of "2" or better on all skills on the 2020 CFSI [PDF] during the final segment of the CF experience.

Clinical Fellows enter the experience on their online application. Mentors verify the hours and enter the Clinical Fellow's scores online. Paper copies should not be submitted to ASHA, but should be kept by mentors and Clinical Fellows for their records.

Negative Recommendations

If the CF mentor anticipates at any time during the CF that the Clinical Fellow will fail to meet requirements, the mentor must counsel the Clinical Fellow (both verbally and in writing) and maintain written records of all contacts and conferences that had been conducted during the experience. If the CF experience is terminated at any time before completion of the CF, or if the CF mentor does not recommend approval, the CF mentor must complete the online CF Mentor Verification page and provide justification for the negative recommendation.

For applicants whose experience began prior to January 1, 2020, and who are using the paper-based Clinical Fellowship Report and Rating Form [PDF], the CF mentor must indicate their negative recommendation in Section 7 and provide justification for the negative recommendation.

CF experiences with negative recommendations will not be applied toward the total number of hours/weeks required to complete the CF. Within 30 days of making the negative recommendation, the CF mentor must submit to the CFCC a letter of explanation with supporting documentation. This information must be shared with the Clinical Fellow. Following a negative recommendation, the Clinical Fellow may complete an entirely new CF, a portion of the CF, and/or request an appeal by the CFCC.

The CF mentor must complete the online CF Mentor Verification, when prompted to do so, and include justification for the negative recommendation.

Completion of the Clinical Fellowship

A complete CF experience must have

1. a minimum of 1,260 hours of clinical experience working under the mentorship of a CCC-SLP who meets the mentor requirements as outlined in 2020 Standard VII;

2. a minimum of 36 weeks (or its part-time equivalent) of clinical experience working under the mentorship of a CCC-SLP;

3. a minimum of 6 hours of direct supervision and 6 hours of indirect supervision completed during each segment by each mentor;

4. a minimum rating of 2 under the 2020 CF experience in the final segment of the CF; and

5. all hours/segments recommended by each CF mentor in order to count toward the CF experience.

Applicants who have applied for ASHA certification through the online application process must login to their ASHA account and enter the CF experience details. CF mentors will then receive an e-mail requesting that they verify and complete the documentation on their CF mentor portals within their ASHA account. Verification must be completed within 90 days of the end of the CF experience.

In all cases, applicants should follow company and/or state policies and procedures regarding how long to keep this information in your records.

Apply for ASHA Certification

As a Clinical Fellow, you may apply for the CCC-SLP at any time. It is not necessary to wait until the conclusion of your CF experience.

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A Guide to the ASHA Clinical Fellowship Experience

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This page is intended to offer clarification of Standard VII of the 2020 Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Certification Standards; it is not intended to replace the language. The SLP standards must be adhered to in order to be eligible to earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP).

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When can the clinical fellowship (CF) be started?

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When can the clinical fellowship (CF) be started?

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Your CF can start once all graduate academic course work and graduate clinical practicum certification requirements have been completed.

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Can I apply for certification if I have not completed the Praxis exam?

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Can I apply for certification if I have not completed the Praxis exam?

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Yes. You may apply for certification once all graduate level academic course work and clinical practicum have been completed.

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Do I have to apply for ASHA certification?

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Do I have to apply for ASHA certification?

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The Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) is a credential that offers many benefits. Obtaining the CCC is voluntary, but it is highly suggested to apply.

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I have more questions or need help, who can I contact?

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I have more questions or need help, who can I contact?

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Contact the Action Center for general questions about the certification process.

Phone Number: (800)-498-2071

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Please allow approximately 6 weeks for the review of your completed online application and all additional required documentation. Certification cannot be awarded until ASHA has verified that all requirements of the standards have been met.

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Don't forget to apply for a state license!

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Don't forget to apply for a state license!

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ASHA is aware of licensing delays in states. Please contact your state licensing board directly to check the status of your application. ASHA does not have access to this information.

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ASHA State-by-State ASHA's State Advocacy Team monitors state and local changes in licensing, regulations, and coordinated campaigns. The State Policy Team works with state associations and state network volunteers to coordinate grassroots advocacy, legislative action and change.

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Make the most out of your ASHA membership or affiliation and get engaged! Write an article, be a mentor, advocate for the professions, or participate in one of the many other opportunities available. Whatever your interests, we have something that's right for you.

ASHA needs your expertise now. Check out the many ways you can get involved today.

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Make the most out of your ASHA membership or affiliation and get engaged! Write an article, be a mentor, advocate for the professions, or participate in one of the many other opportunities available. Whatever your interests, we have something that's right for you. ASHA needs your expertise now.

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The Praxis II™: Subject Assessment in Speech-Language Pathology is offered as a computer-based test (5331)

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All Praxis ® tests are delivered by computer, except for Braille Proficiency (0633). Learn how to register for the Braille Proficiency (0633) test.

Some tests are offered continuously while others are offered in testing windows that occur several times a year. See Test Dates and Centers for more information.

Register for the Test

Before You Register:

Testing Outside the United States

World Language Test Takers:
Praxis World Language testing outside the United States is available if you are taking a test for employment, certification or entrance into a teacher education program in the United States. To take a test internationally, log on to view available testing sites. Please be aware that there may not be a test center in your immediate vicinity. Please contact the Praxis program at praxis@ets.org if there are no test centers available in the registration system. We will register you at the center nearest you. In some cases, you may need to make long-distance travel arrangements to get to the nearest test center.

International Testing:
Praxis testing outside the United States is available only at Prometric ® centers if you are taking a test for employment, certification or entrance into a teacher education program in the United States. To take a test internationally, log on to view available testing sites. Please be aware that there may not be a Prometric center in your immediate vicinity. Please contact the Praxis program at praxis@ets.org if there are no test centers available in the registration system. We will register you at the Prometric center nearest you. But, in some cases, you may need to make long-distance travel arrangements to get to the nearest test center.

Register Online

Register online for a test with a credit/debit card or PayPal®.

Print your admission ticket and bring it with you to the test center. Your admission ticket is important because it contains the test center address and reporting time on test day. While you are not required to present it at the test center, test center personnel may ask you for it. It is better to have a hard copy because test personnel may not accept an image of the ticket on your phone.

Register Online Now
Register by Mail

Complete the Test Authorization Voucher Request Form and mail it to ETS. Reference the code lists to fill out your form.

Once your request is processed, a voucher number will be sent to you, along with instructions on how to register. Allow three weeks for delivery of the voucher.

Print your admission ticket and bring it with you to the test center. Your admission ticket is important because it contains the test center address and reporting time on test day. While you are not required to present it at the test center, test center personnel may ask you for it. It is better to have a hard copy because test personnel may not accept an image of the ticket on your phone.

Register by Phone

If you have previously created a Praxis account online and you are testing at a U.S. test center, you may register by phone.

There is an additional $35 surcharge to use this service.

Call ETS at 1-800-772-9476 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. ET and pay by credit/debit card.

Contact ETS at least four days before your desired test date.

Test Retake Policy

If you feel you did not perform to your potential, you may retake a Praxis test once every 21 days, not including your initial test date. For example, if you take a test on the first of the month, you cannot take it again until the 23rd of the month. Note: If you take a test that is comprised of subtests, such as Elementary Education: Multiple Subjects (5001), Pennsylvania Grades 4-8 Core Assessment (5152), or Elementary Education: Content Knowledge for Teaching (7801), you cannot retake a subtest until after the 21-day period.

This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously. If you violate this restriction, the scores from your retest will be canceled by ETS and your test fees will not be refunded.

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Praxis: For Test Takers: Register for a Test

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All Praxis ® tests are delivered by computer, except for Braille Proficiency (0633). Learn how to register for the Braille Proficiency (0633) test. Some tests are offered continuously while others are offered in testing windows that occur several times a year. See Test Dates and Centers for more information.

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ASHA certification requirement: 162

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ETS Praxis Study Companion

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Earn a Master's degree from a CAA-accredited program

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Earn a Master's degree from a CAA-accredited program

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There are over 300 institutions offering degree programs in audiology, speech-language pathology, and speech, language, and hearing science available in EdFind. To learn more about the data in EdFind or for further information about education in communication sciences and disorders, visit ASHA's About EdFind web page.

What are you looking for?

Enter an institution or area of study

For questions about education in communication sciences and disorders, contact AcademicAffairs@asha.org

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ASHA EdFind - Find graduate programs in Speech-language pathology and audiology

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There are over 300 institutions offering degree programs in audiology, speech-language pathology, and speech, language, and hearing science available in EdFind. To learn more about the data in EdFind or for further information about education in communication sciences and disorders, visit ASHA's About EdFind web page. What are you looking for?

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The 2020 Standards for Certification are now in effect. Questions on applying for the CCC-SLP? Consult the following FAQs that were compiled in response to members' most asked questions about ASHA SLP Certification Standards and obtaining ASHA certification for speech-language pathologists.

New Applicants: Get all the value you can from your ASHA certification and membership. Apply during ASHA's Gift to the Grad, May 1 - August 31, and get up to 20 months of membership for the price of 12.

Certification Standards

Topics

Resources

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Frequently Asked Questions About ASHA SLP Certification

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The 2020 Standards for Certification are now in effect. Questions on applying for the CCC-SLP? Consult the following FAQs that were compiled in response to members' most asked questions about ASHA SLP Certification Standards and obtaining ASHA certification for speech-language pathologists. New Applicants: Get all the value you can from your ASHA certification and membership.

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The Praxis examinations in audiology and speech-language pathology assess beginning practitioners' understanding of essential content and current practices. Use the links below to find out why the exams are used as a requirement for state credentialing and ASHA certification, what the passing scores are for purposes of ASHA certification, how the exams are developed, and what content is covered.

Praxis Exam Preparation
Preparation materials for taking the audiology and speech-language pathology exams.

Praxis Exam Registration
How to register for the exam and important registration details to remember.

Praxis Scores and Score Reports
Learn how the exam is scored, how to receive or cancel your scores, and the types of score reports received by candidates and academic programs. Review the results of previous test-takers in the National Summary Reports for Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

How Faculty Can Help
Strategies and resources for faculty and academic programs to help prepare candidates for the Praxis exam.

Contact Information
Locate the appropriate contact information for ETS and ASHA for further assistance.

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Praxis Exam in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology

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The Praxis examinations in audiology and speech-language pathology assess beginning practitioners' understanding of essential content and current practices. Use the links below to find out why the exams are used as a requirement for state credentialing and ASHA certification, what the passing scores are for purposes of ASHA certification, how the exams are developed, and what content is covered.