Is Report Writing Burning Out Our Best Clinicians?

When Documentation Dominates

If you’ve ever wondered whether report writing quietly drives clinicians to burnout, you're not alone.

Report writing has become an outsized burden in the fields of speech-language pathology, special education, and psychology. The average professional now spends 15%–28% of their workweek writing evaluation reports, IEPs, or documenting progress, often outside of contract hours (ASHA, 2024; NASP, 2023; Teach Plus, 2023; Badger Institute, 2022; NASUWT, 2022).

The impact is no longer anecdotal. Burnout is rising sharply, and clinicians are sounding the alarm. This blog unpacks the latest survey data, global research, and field trends and explores how tools like easyReportPRO are helping lighten the load.

A review of survey data reveals an astonishing amount of time professionals spend on workload or documentation, taking away time for direct services or interprofessional collaboration.

Speech-Language Pathologists: “I Spend More Time Documenting Than Treating”

SLPs report spending 6 hours/week on documentation—more than any other non-direct service task. In ASHA's 2024 Schools Survey, 76% of SLPs said paperwork is their biggest challenge, surpassing even large caseloads (this percentage is 80% in urban/city settings!!).

“I stay late, work weekends, and still feel behind. Writing just one complex language evaluation can take a full day,” shared one Texas-based SLP.

The result? 27% of SLPs are considering leaving the profession due to burnout, with report writing and documentation frequently cited (ASHA, 2024).

Special Educators: “We’re Drowning in IEPs”

While IEP software exists, it rarely reduces actual writing time. Teachers report spending 15 hours/week on paperwork, often completing IEPs late at night or during planning periods.

In a 2023 focus group by Teach Plus, special educators said the documentation load felt like “a million paper cuts.” Many cited it as the primary reason for leaving the profession.

“I can’t give students the attention they deserve when I’m buried under 10 hours of compliance paperwork a week,” one teacher shared.

According to NASUWT (2022), 90% of UK special needs teachers echoed this concern, proving that the problem is global.

Psychologists: Between Data, Deadlines, and Burnout

For psychologists, especially in schools, diagnostic reporting can feel never-ending. Many spend 7+ hours/week on reports, some taking 10+ hours for a single complex case.

“I imagined this job would be 50% counseling. In reality, it’s 80% evaluations and paperwork,” a Colorado school psychologist said.

In one NASP survey, 49% of school psychologists said they wanted less time on report writing. Another 30% reported high emotional exhaustion, citing documentation as a top factor.

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The Burnout Equation: Time + Reports = Exit Plans

What’s clear across all disciplines is that report writing is more than just an administrative task. It’s become a chronic stressor—one linked directly to burnout, attrition, and even mental health decline among clinicians and educators.

What Needs to Change?

Professionals need tools that:

• Streamlined templates and software

• Administrative support for paperwork

• Protected time for documentation

• Professional development in efficient report writing

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Conclusion: Your Time Deserves Better Tools

As the data shows, report writing isn’t just time-consuming—it’s a leading cause of burnout across education and healthcare. But there is a better way forward. By adopting more innovative, research-backed tools like easyReportPRO, clinicians, special educators, and psychologists can take back their time, reduce stress, and refocus on what matters: their clients and students.

Citations:

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2024). Schools Survey: SLP Caseload & Workload Characteristics.

NASP Communiqué (Lichtenstein, 2022). School Psychologist Time Use Survey.

Badger Institute. (2022). Teachers Want to Help Kids, Not Do Paperwork.

Teach Plus. (2023). A Million Paper Cuts: How Paperwork Pushes Special Educators Out.

NASUWT. (2022). Special Needs Workload Survey: England.