Chapter 33 - The Educational Environment

Abstract

Federal legislation mandates the provision of physical therapy for students with disabilities who require those services to enable them to benefit from their special educational program. Physical therapists who work in schools represent the most prevalent practice area among pediatric physical therapists nationwide. Students are entitled to a nondiscriminatory evaluation, performed in the natural setting of their school day. The need for services is determined at a meeting of the team, which includes the parents. If services are deemed necessary, they are listed in the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) and are provided in the least restrictive environment. Students without IEPs who have 504 Plans (under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) may receive services if needed. The physical therapist, as a member of the collaborative team, assists in developing appropriate measurable annual goals, including academic and functional goals. Service provision encompasses classroom seating, mobility, safety, assistive technology, and transition planning. Models of service delivery range from direct (services to the student) to indirect (services on behalf of the student). Indirect services may be integrated, consultative, monitoring, and/or collaborative. Telehealth is another model of service delivery, used in pediatric rehabilitation and in some rural school districts. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has led to an explosion in telehealth nationally, both in school settings and in the community. This chapter describes the history of physical therapy in educational environments, supported by federal legislation and case law, along with descriptions of service provision and key practice issues.