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State CEU Requirements
Continuing Education: Issues and Status
Issues
Opinions differ about the value of continuing education as a way to ensure continued professional competence and up-to-date knowledge and skills. Reexamination and such performance assessments as simulations, peer reviews, and audits are commonly mentioned as alternatives to the commonly utilized credit methods that characterized the majority of continued competence programs.
There is new evidence, however, that suggests that continuing education can affect behavior and make a difference in the performance of the participants. These positive effects are enhanced when the continuing education programs are carefully planned in terms of content, presentation, and outcome.
The value of continuing education as a requirement for license renewal continues to be appreciated as additional states that did not initially require mandatory continuing education provisions are now adopting such requirements.
Status
Even with additional states adopting continuing education requirements, the lack of consensus regarding mandatory continued education is reflected in the variations in the licensure laws for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. Of the 48 states that regulate audiology and/or speech-language pathology through licensure or title registration, 41 require continuing education for licensure renewal while 6 states have no such requirement.
A break-down of the hour or continuing education unit (CEU) requirement and time period specification for the 41 states that have mandatory continuing education programs are as follows: *1 hr is equivalent to 0.1 ASHA CEUs
| STATE | Continuing Education Requirements |
| Alabama | 12 hours in 1 year |
| Arizona | 8 hours in 1 year |
| Arkansas | 10 hours in 1 year |
| California | 24 hours in 2 years |
| Delaware | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Florida | 30 hours in 2 years |
| Georgia | 25 hours in 2 years |
| Illinois | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Indiana | 36 hours in 2 years |
| Iowa | 30 hours in 2 years |
| Kansas | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Kentucky | 15 hours in 1 year |
| Louisiana | 10 hours in 1 year |
| Maine | 50 hours in 2 years |
| Maryland | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Massachusetts | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Minnesota | 30 hours in 2 years |
| Mississippi | 10 hours in 1 year |
| Missouri | 30 hours in 2 years |
| Montana | 40 hours in 2 years |
| Nebraska | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Nevada | 15 hours in 1 year |
| New Hampshire (SLP only) |
50 hours in 3 years |
| New Jersey | 20 hours in 2 years |
| New Mexico | 10 hours in 1 year |
| New York | 30 hours in 3 years |
| North Dakota | 10 hours in 1 year |
| Ohio | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Oklahoma | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Oregon | 10 hours in 1 year |
| Pennsylvania | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Rhode Island | 20 hours in 2 years (single license) 30 hours in 2 years (dual licenses) |
| South Carolina | 32 hours in 2 years |
| South Dakota | 12 hours in 1 year |
| Tennessee | 10 hours in 1 year |
| Texas | 10 hours in 1 year |
| Utah | 20 hours in 1 year |
| Virginia | 30 hours in 2 years |
| West Virginia | 10 hours in 2 years |
| Wisconsin | 20 hours in 2 years |
| Wyoming | 20 hours in 1 year |
States vary in the specifics of their continuing education requirements. Such variations are readily apparent in the following examples:
- "36 clock hours may include 6 hours of self study" (Indiana)
- "20 hours must include 4 hours in the area of licensure and upto 16 hours can be in a related area" (Maryland)
- "40 hours must include 25 hours obtained through attendance at approved sponsor programs or academic course work" (Montana)
- "30 clock hours must be obtained in "face-to-face graduate level "instruction" and related to the area of licensure" (Utah)
- "50 clock hours to be earned as follows: a minimum of 25 hours in sponsored activities; maximum of 25 hours in non-sponsored activities; maximum of 15 hours in teaching; and maximum of 15 hours in writing or publishing books or articles" (Maine)
- "30 clock hours of approved continuing education directly related to the clinical practice of speech-language pathology or audiology, or take and pass the National Exam in Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology" (Iowa)
ASHA CEUs are accepted by all of the states that have continuing education requirements in place, although some state licensure boards have exercised the right to accept only certain programs which are approved for ASHA CEUs. For example: Florida will only approve programs that have "direct clinical relevance" to the consumer of speech-language pathology and audiology services. Iowa accepts 12 clock hours from ASHA and requires a licensee to request specific approval for credit of additional hours.
The following 6 states that regulate audiology and/or speech-language pathology currently have NO provisions to require continuing education for license renewal:
Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, North Carolina, and Washington
For further information on specific state requirements, please contact the individual licensure boards.
States Regulating Audiology & Speech-Language
Pathology
48 states regulate 1 or both professions
48 states regulate AUDs
- 2 states and the District of Columbia do not regulate AUDs: Idaho and Michigan
- 4 states and the District of Columbia do not regulate SLPs:
46 states regulate both AUDs and SLPs
- all but 1 state currently regulates via licensure, which protects both practice and titles.
- Colorado (Audiology): Regulates via registration, which is NOT required to practice the professions. However, persons who want to use the protected titles must meet certain requirements and be registered.
