Private Speech Therapy vs. School Services in Portland, Oregon: What’s the Difference?

If your child qualifies for speech therapy at school, you might be wondering:

“Do we also need private speech therapy?”
or
“Is private therapy better than school services?”

As a pediatric speech therapist in Portland, Oregon, I often work alongside school teams — and both options serve important roles.

Let’s break down the differences so you can make the best decision for your child.

How School Speech Therapy Works

In Portland-area public schools, speech therapy is provided under special education law. Services are designed to help a child access their education.

This means:

• Your child must qualify under eligibility criteria.

• Therapy focuses on how speech or language impacts academic performance.

• Services are often delivered in small groups.

• Frequency and duration are determined by the IEP team.

• Goals are tied to classroom success.

School SLPs work incredibly hard with large caseloads. Their focus is educational access — not necessarily broader communication development.

How Private Speech Therapy Is Different

Private speech therapy is not limited to academic impact.

In a private setting, therapy can focus on:

• Confidence and self-expression

• Social communication

• Family dynamics

• Early intervention before school age

• Mild concerns that don’t qualify for an IEP

• Intensive support for articulation or stuttering

• Parent coaching

• Executive functioning

• Feeding and sensory-based concerns

Sessions are typically:

• One-on-one

• Highly individualized

• Scheduled more flexibly

• Designed around the whole child

In my SW Portland office (John’s Landing), therapy is play-based, child-led, and evidence-based. Teletherapy is also available when appropriate.

When Is School Speech Therapy Enough?

School services may be sufficient if:

• Your child’s needs are mild

• Progress is steady

• You’re comfortable with group therapy

• The primary concern is academic access

Many families choose to stick with school-only services — and that can absolutely work.

When Do Families Add Private Therapy?

Families often add private therapy when:

• Progress feels slow

• Their child doesn’t qualify but still struggles

• Stuttering is emerging

• Articulation errors persist beyond expected ages

• Social communication needs deeper support

• They want parent coaching strategies

• They prefer more frequent or individualized sessions

Private therapy can accelerate progress because it allows for targeted, intensive work.

It also allows for strong collaboration with parents — which research consistently shows improves outcomes.

Can You Do Both?

Yes.

Many of my Portland clients receive both school-based and private speech therapy.

In those cases, we:

• Coordinate goals when appropriate

• Target different skill areas

• Increase intensity for faster gains

• Support generalization across settings

It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

What About Early Intervention?

If your child is under 3 years old, they may qualify for Early Intervention services in Oregon.

However, some families still choose private therapy if:

• They want additional sessions

• They prefer in-office therapy

• They want more parent coaching

• They’re on a waitlist

Early language support can significantly reduce later academic and social challenges.

Private Speech Therapy in Portland, Oregon

My practice serves families in:

• SW Portland

• John’s Landing

• Greater Portland area

• Teletherapy throughout Oregon (when appropriate)

I specialize in:

• Early language (ages 1–5)

• Articulation and speech sound disorders

• Stuttering (with specialized training through the Stuttering Foundation of America)

• Autism and social communication

• Executive functioning

• Sensory-based feeding

• Apraxia of speech

My approach combines:

• Parent coaching

• Play-based therapy

• Natural language modeling

• Hanen-informed strategies

• Floortime-informed strategies

• Evidence-based practice

How Do You Decide?

Here are questions to ask yourself:

• Is my child making the progress I expected?

• Do I want more individualized attention?

• Does my child need support beyond academics?

• Would coaching help me feel more confident at home?

If you’re unsure, we can talk it through.

Ready to Explore Private Speech Therapy?

If you’re considering private speech therapy in Portland, I offer free phone consultations to help families decide if we’re a good fit.

You can:

• Call to schedule a consult

• Reach out through my website

• Contact my SW Portland office

Sometimes school services are enough.
Sometimes additional support makes all the difference.

Let’s figure out what’s right for your child.