Referral Information
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy are related services. Students may receive these services if required to benefit from their special education programming.
Why refer to PT or OT?
Physical Therapy (PT) is provided when no other team member can address a student's significant needs at school in these areas:
Gross Motor
School Mobility
Balance
Guiding Questions to help determine if a student may benefit from PT
Occupational Therapy (OT) is provided when no other team member can address a student's significant needs at school in the following areas:
Sensory Processing
Self-help
Fine Motor
Guiding Questions to help determine if a student may benefit from OT
Who do I contact if I feel a student may benefit from OT or PT services?
OT and PT are related services. This means that a child must first qualify for special education (have an IEP) or be eligible for a 504 plan. If you suspect that your student has a disability, you can make a special education referral at any school by talking with the building administrator or student services staff
If your child already has an IEP: Contact your child's learning strategist to see if the concerns you have are also concerns of the teacher.
If the child's teachers share the same concerns and the student has an active IEP, the teacher will need to fill out an OT or PT Referral form (see below) and give it to the school's occupational or physical therapist for review and determination of next steps.
For more detailed OT and PT referral considerations as well as referral forms, click here: