Case Study: Fowler Unified School District achieves balanced caseloads and improved speech therapy outcomes with PresenceLearning online speech therapy

Rural California School District Makes Major Strides Using Online Speech Therapy

Fowler Unified School District, a rural K–12 district in California’s San Joaquin Valley, struggled to hire a speech‑language pathologist because it couldn’t match neighboring districts’ salaries, leaving the position unfilled and risking noncompliance with special‑education mandates. As the year progressed the district also faced a complex preschool apraxia case and expanding Response to Intervention (RtI) and PBIS needs that strained limited local resources.

Fowler partnered with PresenceLearning to deliver online speech therapy with an onsite aide, plus remote assessments and access to a national network of clinicians. The program served about 110 students, enabled one‑on‑one treatment for the pre‑K student with apraxia, helped the district implement RtI, and produced rapid gains—57 students were dismissed from services in one year—keeping caseloads balanced and earning strong parent and peer district praise.

Fowler Unified School District

Dustine Borges

Chief Psychologist and Director