The State Education Advocacy Leader (SEAL) is LSHA's appointed representative to one of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) state-based advocacy networks, working alongside the STAR (Medicaid and private payer reimbursement) and StAMP (Medicare policy).

The mission is to enhance the advocacy, leadership, and clinical management skills of school-based ASHA members at the state and local levels and to influence the administrative and public policy decisions that shape how services are delivered in schools. Your SEAL serves as the bridge between Louisiana school based clinicians, LSHA, and ASHA's education policy team, making sure that what is actually happening in Louisiana classrooms and therapy rooms reaches the people who can change it.

What Your SEAL Does

• Advocates on school practice conditions. Engages on caseload and workload, service delivery models and the working conditions that determine whether students get appropriate services.
• Monitors state education policy. Tracks Louisiana Department of Education and BESE policy along with certification and personnel standards affecting SLPs and audiologists.
• Protects qualification standards. Advocates against the erosion of personnel standards, including inappropriate use of emergency permits, unqualified personnel, and misassignment of professional duties.
• Identifies trends. Collects member-reported issues to spot statewide and district-level patterns.
• Educates members. Shares policy updates, advocacy templates, and ASHA resources so you can make your case to administrators with data.