Understanding the Role of Occupational Therapy in the School Setting

1.  The role and primary focus of the occupational therapist in school-based practice is on facilitating the child’s participation in his or her educational program.

2.  The role of the school therapist is mandated by Special Education Law (IDEA04) and shaped by the AOTA Practice Framework (OTPF).

3.  According to special education law, OT is a related service provider. A related service is a support service available when needed to enable a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). Related services are provided when necessary for the student to access or participate in his or her educational program. OT as a related service helps the student benefit from special education.

4.  Our mandated purpose in the schools is to support school participation in the least restrictive environment (LRE). LRE mandates that education be provided to the maximum extent possible with other students who do not have disabilities.

5.  Occupational therapy role, services and process in the schools differ from that of medical/clinical/private settings. For more details on these differences go to  Different but Complimentary (link to next section below)

6.  The public school OT is a member of the educational team. The team (rather than the OT alone) decides the need for and type of services a student will receive working under SPED law considering FAPE and LRE.

7.  When a student in the public schools requires OT services, the goal is to enable participation rather than remediation.

8.  The largest role of the public school OT involves information sharing and collaborative consultation. The occupational therapist sees the eligible student’s school participation needs from an OT lens (interaction of student, activity, and context) and provides the team with valuable information to help support the student’s participation in the LRE.

9.  The school-based occupational therapists’ role is always changing based on changes to special education law, policies of AOTA, and current views of best practice. Occupational therapists working in the public schools have an obligation to remain current in order to maintain effective practice in the schools.

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