ATCC Program Director Selected to help Rewrite National SLPA Certification Exam

Oct 15, 2025 | 8:52 AM
ATCC's SLPA Program Director Nancy Thul has been selected by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to help rewrite the national Speech-Language Pathology Assistant certification exam. This marks the second time Thul has contributed her expertise to the exam—she was part of the original team that created it five years ago.

Updating Standards Every Five Years

ASHA's Assistants Certification Program (ACP) was launched in 2020 and undergoes a complete review every five years to ensure it reflects current professional practices. The current revalidation process began in July 2025 and will conclude in Summer 2026.

The review includes three key phases:

Phase 1: An online review of the SLPA Job Task Analysis was completed this past summer.

Phase 2: Thul joined fellow experts at ASHA's National Office in Rockville, Maryland, on October 10-11, 2025, to review survey results and develop recommendations for updating the exam.

Phase 3: In early 2026, all ASHA-certified Assistants will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes through a peer review survey.

Preparing Minnesota's SLPAs

This update comes at an important time for Minnesota. The state recently passed legislation requiring all Speech-Language Pathology Assistants to be licensed.

ATCC is the only two-year college in Minnesota offering SLPA programs, providing two pathways:

  • A 2-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree
  • A 16-credit certificate program for those with a bachelor's degree in speech-language-hearing sciences

Both programs are fully online and prepare students to meet Minnesota's new licensing requirements and national certification standards.

Nancy Thul's continued involvement in shaping the national SLPA exam demonstrates ATCC's commitment to excellence in SLPA education.

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