New Job as a School-Based Occupational Therapy Practitioner? Start Here!

Seasoned practitioners and new grads alike feel overwhelmed when exploring a new occupational therapy (OT) setting.   In the vast field of OT, every setting looks so different!  

Even the most extensive graduate programs leave occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) with questions about what their role truly looks like in the field. 

For OTPs working in the school setting, additional factors, such as differing state and district policies, complicate their roles.

Where to Begin as a New School-Based OTP

Take a deep breath.  It’s  exciting to branch out and embark on a new aspect of your OT journey! 

Rest in the fact that you will not have all the answers.  Ever.  And that’s okay!  

Your OT schooling and prior positions have equipped you with vital knowledge, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.  Give yourself grace as you learn a new side of the field.

Yes, there’s lots to learn.  Building a solid foundation is vital to navigate the unique situations that will come your way with confidence.

A Broad Scope Under An Educational Model 

Occupational therapy practitioners are pros at helping others.  Whether we’re seeing a creative solution to a problem, brainstorming ways to improve efficiency and access, or running a mental activity analysis to determine why a task might be challenging for someone, the truth is we love to help others thrive.  

In schools, our role is all about educational access and participation. This can include school-wide measures and involvement outside of special education programming but depends on the district.  

Much of your time will likely be spent providing evaluations and occupational therapy services as outlined in each student’s Individualized Education Program (not to mention attending those IEP meetings!).  In the school setting, there are a lot of topic areas we can cover (we don’t just look at handwriting), but we must make recommendations based on an educational model rather than a medical model.

Our role in schools can be confused as a replacement for outside clinic services.  This should not be the case.  We must specifically consider the curriculum and a student’s needs as related to their educational context and programming.  

Occupational Therapy as a Related Service

In most cases, occupational therapy in the school setting is considered a related service. Related services are provided if they are deemed necessary for the student to benefit from their special education programming.  In other words, a student would not receive occupational therapy if they did not qualify in other ways for an IEP (some states allow OT as a standalone service in some cases). 

Therapy services should be integrated and collaborative.  This means rather than having separate therapy goals, OT should be supporting goals alongside other team members.  Check out the Joint Statement on Interprofessional Collaborative Goals in School-Based Practice, provided by AOTA, APTA, and ASHA.  

Preparing for Your School-Based OT Position

Perhaps the best thing you can do to prepare for a new role in school-based occupational therapy is to get familiar with educational policy and legislation.  

This material can be dry, but taking time to understand key legislation strengthens one’s ability to confidently speak to reasoning and decision-making as a school-based therapist.   

Understanding the legal basics will enhance your understanding of the educational vs medical model, and help clarify your role within the school setting.

To further explore this, check out the replay of Revive & Thrive: Strengthen Your Foundation, a free webinar (originally provided on 4/1/2024) that explores unique facets of the school setting, relevant legislation, and strategies to speak to your role on the school team.  Please note that the legislation discussed is specific to US policy and may not apply to practitioners operating outside of the USA.   

Finding Support as a School-Based OTP

While there’s much you can do independently to seek out answers and information to strengthen your reasoning skills, there’s so much benefit to being in community.  

It can be easy to feel overloaded with information when searching online.  Being intentional with your online searches can help limit unnecessary input.  

Try a Google search for guidelines for school-based OT in your specific state, as some states provide frameworks and resources specific to related services.   If your state does not offer this, refer to your state’s educational agency and familiarize yourself with the information you find there.  

While Facebook groups can be a great space to ask questions, be wary that some people will provide definitive-sounding answers based on their understanding or experiences, which may not be grounded in current best practices, state policies, or district guidelines. 

In School-Based OT Mentorship, I go live weekly to chat about school-based topics - I’d love to have you join me there! 

Searching for a quick, go-to guide to get you thinking like a school-based occupational therapy provider?  This e-book might be the thing for you.

Looking for more individualized support? The fall cohort of the Revive & Thrive Mentorship will be launching in late summer 2024.  This opportunity provides a great blend of pre-recorded and live learning, with lots of opportunities to ask questions along the way.  Get all the details here.

No matter where you are on your OT journey, it is my privilege to support you along the way.  I hope you find as much joy in the school-based setting as I have!  

Written by: Jennifer Huff, OTR