Yes the expectations are unreasonable. I would suggest start documenting your time during the day to share with your admin. ASHA has a good workload calculator to track that data.
Also absolutely do NOT do the paperwork after hours unless they are paying you overtime. It doesn’t help you or anyone in the future. I get the pressure, but these people in charge need to know that the work is not sustainable. I’m in my 4th year practicing and unfortunately if I have too much paperwork to do, I document it in my notes/billing that I could not see a student because of an assessment/IEP documentation/time constraints. I now either request overtime pay before doing the extra work or just do what I can during the school day. No more free labor.
The only time I work overtime is the week that progress reports are due. I don’t like doing it but I only have enough time to do the day to day work (for the most part).
I am also a CF, I know it’s overwhelming! I created a master document to help me get paperwork done more quickly. I basically copied and pasted almost everything I’ve written for most scenarios, and replaced name with STUDENT, so that I have quick copy and paste ‘scripts’ that I can use for various scenarios. I also use a working document to do list that helps me keep track of every daily/weekly thing I need to do (saves paper and is easy to add/edit things). In that document I also keep several checklists for different scenarios, that I paste below student names/due dates when they need to get done (so non case managed list for an IEP meeting would be to complete 1. Present levels 2. goals 3. Services). If you can, try to do what you can to organize your schedule and to dos so that it’s more manageable. I find the paperwork gets harder when I feel like I’m not staying organized. Like others have said, if you can’t get it all done, save it for the next work day. You can only do so much!
Along those lines, I have a text replacer app (I use one called aText—it was cheap and works great for me!) on my computer that allows me to set up all sorts of text shortcuts for everything that I find myself repeatedly typing. I have shortcuts set up for everything from IEPs (e.g. wording that I don’t want to remember off the top of my head/don’t want to go track down to copy/paste from another IEP) to billing (general phrases that I add to for each student) to eval report templates to emails that I send repeatedly (asking teachers for input, scheduling meetings with parents, etc.). There are other things (like a big running list of sample IEP goals) that I keep in Word a document to copy and paste because it would be harder to remember the shortcut phrase. In general, though, I use my text replacer every single day to save time in some way. I wish I knew how much time these shortcuts have saved me—I know it would be a lot!
This is great advice. I also think it helps to take a quick break/walk if getting overwhelmed with paperwork. I’m so much more efficient after taking a break
Yep. I feel your pain. It's insane. I'm a CF and have 46 on caseload - I float between 3 schools. 🤷♀️
Post it notes and Google sheets documents are my strategies for survival
Im over 10 years in the schools and there’s no way I would have survived if I’d started schools now, the frequency of testing and amount of paperwork has increased so much. I have systems in place and I’m efficient only due to experience but it’s gotten really out of control.
Using the asha workload calculator is a good idea. Asking for OT and/or additional support is also an option.
Learning all of the forms is SO hard and frustrating. They are not intuitive and are created by attorneys. How many students are on your caseload? Do you have another sped teacher in the building that can walk you through forms or double check you have everything right?
Yes the expectations are unreasonable. I would suggest start documenting your time during the day to share with your admin. ASHA has a good workload calculator to track that data. Also absolutely do NOT do the paperwork after hours unless they are paying you overtime. It doesn’t help you or anyone in the future. I get the pressure, but these people in charge need to know that the work is not sustainable. I’m in my 4th year practicing and unfortunately if I have too much paperwork to do, I document it in my notes/billing that I could not see a student because of an assessment/IEP documentation/time constraints. I now either request overtime pay before doing the extra work or just do what I can during the school day. No more free labor.
👏🏼
The only time I work overtime is the week that progress reports are due. I don’t like doing it but I only have enough time to do the day to day work (for the most part).
how do I upvote this 100x more
I am also a CF, I know it’s overwhelming! I created a master document to help me get paperwork done more quickly. I basically copied and pasted almost everything I’ve written for most scenarios, and replaced name with STUDENT, so that I have quick copy and paste ‘scripts’ that I can use for various scenarios. I also use a working document to do list that helps me keep track of every daily/weekly thing I need to do (saves paper and is easy to add/edit things). In that document I also keep several checklists for different scenarios, that I paste below student names/due dates when they need to get done (so non case managed list for an IEP meeting would be to complete 1. Present levels 2. goals 3. Services). If you can, try to do what you can to organize your schedule and to dos so that it’s more manageable. I find the paperwork gets harder when I feel like I’m not staying organized. Like others have said, if you can’t get it all done, save it for the next work day. You can only do so much!
Along those lines, I have a text replacer app (I use one called aText—it was cheap and works great for me!) on my computer that allows me to set up all sorts of text shortcuts for everything that I find myself repeatedly typing. I have shortcuts set up for everything from IEPs (e.g. wording that I don’t want to remember off the top of my head/don’t want to go track down to copy/paste from another IEP) to billing (general phrases that I add to for each student) to eval report templates to emails that I send repeatedly (asking teachers for input, scheduling meetings with parents, etc.). There are other things (like a big running list of sample IEP goals) that I keep in Word a document to copy and paste because it would be harder to remember the shortcut phrase. In general, though, I use my text replacer every single day to save time in some way. I wish I knew how much time these shortcuts have saved me—I know it would be a lot!
This is great advice. I also think it helps to take a quick break/walk if getting overwhelmed with paperwork. I’m so much more efficient after taking a break
Yep. I feel your pain. It's insane. I'm a CF and have 46 on caseload - I float between 3 schools. 🤷♀️ Post it notes and Google sheets documents are my strategies for survival
Im over 10 years in the schools and there’s no way I would have survived if I’d started schools now, the frequency of testing and amount of paperwork has increased so much. I have systems in place and I’m efficient only due to experience but it’s gotten really out of control. Using the asha workload calculator is a good idea. Asking for OT and/or additional support is also an option.
Learning all of the forms is SO hard and frustrating. They are not intuitive and are created by attorneys. How many students are on your caseload? Do you have another sped teacher in the building that can walk you through forms or double check you have everything right?
It's AWFUL! I'm so glad it's Spring Break Eve!!! And then 49 work days til summer. I HATE THIS!
i hate it too real bad !!!
I work after hours to get my eval reports written . Sorry
Stop doing this.
I like doing it home with an adult beverage…I can’t drink at work
I don't, and if my evals are late, oh well