Physical Therapy

PORTLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

SCHOOL-BASED PHYSICAL THERAPY

TO ENSURE THAT ALL CHILDREN WITH MOBILITY NEEDS CAN ACCESS THEIR EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT SAFELY AND SUCCESSFULLY.

WHY SCHOOL-BASED PHYSICAL THERAPY?

The Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) are federal laws, with state education agency oversight, that support the provision of public education for all children, regardless of the presence, nature, or severity of a disability.

In these laws, physical therapy is identified as a meaningful service within the school system and considered under IDEA as a related service. Related services are “developmental, corrective, and other supportive services that are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education".

School-based physical therapists (PT) are part of a team of related service providers who support a student’s ability to access their educational environment. As specialists in movement, they assist student’s physical participation in a variety of settings throughout the school day. The primary role of the school PT is to help students benefit from their educational program within the educational environment.

Physical therapy is provided at a school only when it is related to the student's educational needs. Interventions and goals in the school setting address the child’s functional needs in accessing all areas of their school curriculum. Physical therapy interventions are designed to enable the student to travel throughout the school environment, participate in classroom activities, maintain and change positions in the classroom, and transition throughout the school day. This includes managing stairs, accessing restrooms, cafeteria, and the playground.

School-based physical therapy is not intended to meet all of the therapeutic needs of a student; rather it is intended to ensure a child's physical access to their education.

SCHOOL-BASED vs. CLINIC-BASED PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES

School-based physical therapy (PT) is different from clinic-based physical therapy. Determining the need for each of these services is different.

School-based physical therapy is considered by IDEA as a related service. School-based physical therapy is a unique, skilled service that is “developmental, corrective, and other supportive services that are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education". PT in the educational setting focuses specifically on assisting the student in accessing and participating in their education. School-based PT services are provided at no cost to the family. Educationally related physical therapy services are directed towards adapting the environment, modifying functional tasks, and addressing motor performance in order to maximize a student's access and benefit from their educational environment. School-based physical therapy should enhance, not duplicate teacher services within the classroom.

Clinic-based physical therapy services follow different guidelines than school-based services. Clinic-based PT focuses on a child’s medical needs. This type of PT is usually recommended by a doctor and is typically provided in an outpatient therapy clinic or hospital setting. PT in the clinical setting assists the client in optimizing function in any area deemed important by the client. These services' primary objective is to maximize the child’s skill level, quality of movement, as well as function. Clinical-based services are typically focused on a student’s physical impairments and clinical deficits. They are usually paid for by insurance companies or Medicaid.

School-based physical therapy is not intended to replace clinic-based physical therapy.

THE ROLE OF A SCHOOL-BASED PHYSICAL THERAPIST

The role of the school-based physical therapist can vary based on a student’s individual needs; duties include:

Supporting the student's individualized education program (IEP).
Collaborating with a student’s IEP team.
Screening, evaluation, program planning, and therapeutic interventions.
Designing and implementing physical therapy interventions—including teaching and training of both family and education personnel, as well as measurement and documentation of progress—to help the student achieve his/her IEP goal.
Supporting and promoting increasingly accurate and appropriate special education referrals by implementing universal design for learning (UDL) and differentiated instruction.
Assisting students with access to different school environments to ensure maximal benefit from their educational program.
Ensuring a safe and accessible educational environment for staff and students.
Modifying the classroom environment to maximize participation (i.e., adaptive seating).
Altering expectations to maximize student's success and independence.
Educating staff to enhance physical participation.

Educating school staff on making the distinction between supporting developmentally appropriate motor skills for all students and screening for deficits.
Developing and providing universally designed and developmentally appropriate motor programs for all students.
Serving as a knowledge bridge between understanding existing educational policies regarding physical activity (as it pertains to building academic achievement, obesity prevention, and health promotion) and implementation of these policies at the local level (e.g., local education agencies, early intervention programs, preschools, and Head Start programs).

For further information regarding areas where your physical therapist may be able to provide support, visit our Support page.

To find a visual representation of possible student equipment provided by your physical therapy team and "how-to" videos on the use of equipment, visit our Resources page.

Physical therapists at Portland Public Schools are hired directly through the school district.

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