SLP STORY
From overwhelmed SLP in “survival mode” to reclaiming 157 hours in quality family time
While Dramatically Improving District Outcomes
157 hours
Saved 157 hours on lesson planning, caseload management (including data collection, billing, and more).
3,366 material value
Downloaded $3,366 worth of materials, while only paying only a small monthly fee.
59
Successfully created goals, collected data, and monitored progress for a total of 59 students.
901% ROI
Got a 9x return on investment, based on material utilization alone.
THE CHALLENGE
Time consuming data collection sending her into panic mode
For 18 years, Courtney relied on a cumbersome paper-pencil system for her SLP data collection and goal tracking. This method was time-consuming, especially with a 40 student caseload. It often led to lost data and significant stress:
- Manual Entry Hassles - Her process involved printing weekly goals, manually updating documents, and managing a binder full of papers. Staying ahead of the game was a constant struggle
- Time-Consuming - Post-session data entry was required for IEP’s meetings, often leading to late hours at work or bringing work home.
- Inaccurate Progress Tracking – It was challenging to gauge students' progress consistently, with updates only available during progress report periods (every nine weeks). Progress notes were tricky to fill out sometimes, and managing a notebook full of goals throughout the school year was overwhelming.
Courtney also worried about her effectiveness as an SLP, constantly wondering whether she could have helped her students make more progress.
She wanted a tool to collect live data from her therapy sessions. This data needed to be gathered, sorted, and stored, ready for her sessions with students and discussions with parents.
Being able to fully switch off at the end of the workday was a big goal, because she wanted to be more present with her own children.
School District Background
Cobb County School District (CCSD) is one of Georgia's largest and most diverse districts. They serve 106,703 students PK, K-12 in 112 schools. CCSD is committed to providing quality education with a focus on academic excellence and innovation.
The district values a safe, supportive learning environment and emphasizes collaboration among educators, parents, and the community. CCSD works to ensure all students have the resources they need to succeed.
About Courtney Tomberlain
Courtney has been a Speech Language Therapist for 19 years. She serves preschool through fifth grade, and averages around 40 students on her caseload yearly.
THE SOLUTION
Creating lessons plans faster and collecting data live
Courtney discovered SLP Now after spending an entire summer researching on YouTube, talking to peers, and trialing several platforms. She knew there had to be a better way to do things. SLP Now stood out for its comprehensive features tailored to meet her specific needs:
- Centralized Resource Hub: SLP Now provided a one-stop-shop for her materials, there was no need to endlessly scour the internet and SLP websites. She found the resource library well organized with materials for all ages. Going from objective to full lesson plan is now seamless.
- Real-Time Data Visualization: Live data collection gave her immediate data entry and graphing capabilities. This allowed for quick assessment of student progress i.e. she can see the growth on one screen.
- Ease of Use: Courtney became fully proficient in a couple of sessions, and uses the platform on her iPad too. The platform's intuitive interface enabled smooth integration into daily routines, even under challenging circumstances.
- Reporting: Goals, percentages and statistics are always ready for discussions with parents or her County.
These capabilities allow Courtney to disconnect at the end of the workday, which she considers a true blessing. No longer needing to take her computer home, she now enjoys more quality time with her family, confident that her professional responsibilities are efficiently managed.
“It's been a one -stop shop for me. I've been able to gather my materials, collect my data live, and then have a graph to show how the students are making progress or what goals maybe I didn't target in a previous session."
THE RESULTS
Improved work/life balance and impacting the lives of thousands of people!
Since adopting SLP Now, Courtney experienced significant improvements in her workflow and overall quality of life:
- Reduced Workload (157 hours saved) - Automated data collection eliminated the need for post-session data entry, drastically reducing overtime. Real-time data logging also ensured up-to-date and reliable progress tracking.
- More effective lessons ($3,336 materials downloaded) - Courtney used SLP Now’s vast materials library to deliver more effective lessons to her students, while only paying a small monthly subscription.
- More Family Time - With a more efficient system, Courtney could leave work on time and spend more quality time with her family, something she struggled with for years.
Courtney's success with SLP Now extended beyond personal benefits; she became a key advocate for the platform within her district.
By demonstrating the platform's effectiveness, Courtney persuaded her speech lead to adopt SLP Now across the entire district of Cobb County, Georgia. This has impacted the lives of hundreds of SLP’s and the thousands of students they serve.
Through persistent advocacy, she secured funding from both the PTSA and the county to cover the subscription costs, highlighting the platform's immense value to both SLPs and schools.