School based occupational therapy is a related service to special education. A student with an Individualized
Education Plan (IEP) is eligible to receive a related service, such as
occupational or physical therapy, if that student requires the related
service in order to benefit from his/her exceptional education
programming. Occupational therapy is an important part of the
collaborative team that supports ESE students towards developing
strategies for success in schools. The provision of therapy and outcome
is based on the impact the disability has on educational performance
rather than on the disability itself. Deciding whether a
student may need occupational therapy in order to benefit from
exceptional education programming, requires the consideration of
multiple factors. The physical environment, needs of the student,
professional experience of the educators, specific programming currently
in place are a few of the many context specific factors that determine
whether a student requires a related service in order to benefit from
his/her exceptional educational programming. If a student has an
identifiable therapy need that does not affect the student’s ability to
learn, function, and profit from the educational experience, therapy is
not the responsibility of the school system.
Frequently Asked Questions
- If I have a concern, what should I do? Share your concerns and observations with you child’s teacher or staffing coordinator. This may be done during an informal conference or as part of the Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting.
- What happens after I express my concerns? A
student who is observed to have specific difficulties in the areas of
fine motor, visual motor, self-care and sensory processing skills and
who has not responded to interventions in their primary ESE programs may
be referred for an occupational therapy evaluation. The evaluation will
be scheduled once a referral and consent for re-evaluation are
completed, signed by the parent/guardian, and forwarded to the OT/PT
department. The student’s overall academic/ developmental skills,
physical skills and medical considerations are taken into account as
part of the evaluation. The need for therapy intervention is based on
the student’s level of performance, potential for improvement in the
areas assessed, and level of support already provided by the Exceptional
Student Education (ESE) program.
- How are Occupational Therapy services provided? Intervention
can be provided by direct service or consultation. Direct therapy
intervention is a model in which the therapist is primarily responsible
for working with the student and implementing strategies to address the
areas of need. This information is shared with the teachers on a regular
basis. Consultation is a model in which the therapist and teacher work
collaboratively to come up with strategies to address student needs and
the teacher is primarily responsible for working with the student. The
therapist consults with the teacher on a regular basis to determine
whether strategies are successful or require modification to meet
student needs.