When “Speech and/or Language Only” Eligibility Isn’t Just About Speaking

There’s a question that comes up often in schools, and it usually sounds something like this:

“If a student has a speech and/or Language only IEP, can they have academic goals?”

The short answer is YES. But the reason why matters, and understanding it can completely shift how we support students.

It Starts With Understanding the Law

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), services are not built around labels. They are built around need. A disability category, like Speech or Language Impairment, helps a student qualify for services. However, once they are eligible, that label should not limit what support looks like.

Instead, teams are asked a much more important question: What is getting in the way of this student accessing and making progress in the classroom?

That answer to that question, not the category, should drive the goals.

The Misunderstanding Around “Speech”

When people hear “speech services,” they often think of articulation (how a child produces sounds). And, while that can certainly be part of it, school-based speech services can also be centered on something much broader: language. Language is how students understand instruction, express ideas, and make meaning of what they are learning. It is woven into every part of the school day.

A student might be able to say words clearly, but still struggle to:

• understand multi-step directions

• grasp new vocabulary

• organize their thoughts into sentences

• explain what they’ve read

• make sense of word problems

When that happens, the difficulty isn’t confined to “speech.” It begins to impact academics.

In many ways, language is the foundation that academic skills are built on. Reading comprehension depends on understanding vocabulary and sentence structure. Writing requires the ability to organize and express ideas clearly. Even math, especially as students get older, relies heavily on language. Word problems, explaining reasoning, following directions for multi-step tasks–these are all language-based demands. When a student has underlying language weaknesses, academic struggles often follow.

Why Academic Goals May Be Appropriate

This is where the confusion tends to happen. If a student qualifies under Speech or Language Impairment, some teams assume their goals must stay within a narrow “speech-only” lane. But that’s not what IDEA requires.

If a student’s language needs are directly impacting their ability to read, write, or do math, then it is entirely appropriate, and often necessary, to include academic-focused goals.

The key is that those goals are still grounded in the underlying need. For example, instead of writing a goal that simply targets reading level, a team might focus on improving comprehension through language strategies. Instead of a general math goal, the focus might be on using language to understand and explain problem-solving. This keeps the goals aligned, meaningful, and legally sound.

Looking Beyond the Label

This is something we see every day in the school and clinical settings. Students are often referred for academic concerns such as difficulty with reading, possible dyslexia, or challenges in the classroom. However, when we take a closer look through comprehensive evaluation, we frequently find that language plays a significant role in their difficulties. That’s why the assessment approach should always be rooted in understanding the full picture. Our goal is not just to identify a label, but to understand what is truly getting in the way of a student’s progress, and to build support that actually helps students move forward.

When we start to believe that certain categories can only have certain types of goals, we unintentionally limit what students receive. Over time, that can mean missed opportunities for support in the areas that matter most. When we shift our thinking back to what the law intends, and what students actually need, we open the door to more effective, individualized plans.

The Key Takeaway

A “speech and/or language only” IEP does not mean a student only needs support with speech. If language is impacting academics, then academics belong in the conversation.

Because at the end of the day:

Category does not determine service. Need does.

If you have questions about your child’s learning, language, or academic progress, Mindful Growth is here to help you connect the dots and take the next step forward.

—Dr. Ashleigh Boone
Licensed School Psychologist
Director of School Psychological Supports