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School Occupational Therapist

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Reports to: Coordinator, Special Education
Division: Special Education

Our ideal candidate
You are a culturally caring and empathetic professional with creative problem-solving skills who cares about the people you work with and the students receiving your services. You are a team player, skilled in your area of expertise, and you strive to do a good job at all times.

General description
Provides occupational therapy and services for special education students, ages birth to 22 years, that includes assessment, development of Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals and plans, therapy, and direct intervention strategies and activities to assist students in acquiring functional and independent life skills within their occupational performance in the educational setting. Works with special education teams and provides consultation and training to school personnel and families.

Specific duties and responsibilities

  • Provides occupational therapy services to students by conducting assessments in context to their occupational performance within the educational setting using an ecological model to determine their strengths and level of need in areas that may include physical, cognitive, psychosocial and sensory components
  • Participates in pre-referral screenings, provides support and recommendations as part of the general education process, and facilitates transition planning
  • Participates in intervention planning and implementation of IEP and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) services
  • Develops well defined educationally relevant goals and objectives that are part of the student's individual educational program
  • Evaluates student progress on individual IEP and IFSP goals and revises goals as needed
  • Prepares occupational therapy assessments and progress and makes recommendations
  • As a part of the IFSP or IEP team the OT collaborates with professional staff to determine an
    individualized education plan for students eligible for special education services
  • Instructs and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams in occupational therapy treatment
    approach, and instructional support on understanding, interpreting, and implementing
    intervention procedures
  • Consults with parents and staff on occupational therapy interventions for students
  • Provides training and continuing professional development to teachers and resource staff
  • Keeps up-to-date on current clinical, theoretical and educational research in the profession
    and develops up-to-date best practices for therapy services
  • Ensures the documentation of services is professional, efficient, and accountable, and in
    conformance with the policies of state and other agencies
  • Modifies and may design adaptive equipment that enhances students' ability to access
    learning and technology
  • Performs other duties as assigned that support the overall objective of the position

Requirements
Education: Master’s degree in occupational therapy. 

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university, if received prior to 2007, is acceptable.

Experience: One year’s experience in a school setting preferred.

Knowledge of:

  • Physical, sensory, intellectual, social, and emotional growth patterns of children including the developmental and educational needs of children with specific disabilities
  • Current theories and best practices in the application of occupational therapy techniques, including oral motor facilitation, daily living activities, sensory impairments, perceptual motor, fine motor development, and normal and abnormal child development
  • Advanced math

Ability to:

  • Develop and maintain trust and cooperation with peers and students
  • Facilitate formal discussion with classroom-sized groups and resolve conflicts
  • Develop reports and correspondence that may be sensitive and have legal implications
  • Interpret statistics
  • Work in an independent and organized manner as an itinerant service provider
Licenses and certificates
  • Valid Occupational Therapist license issued by the California Board of Occupational Therapy
  • Valid certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
  • Valid California driver's license

Working conditions
Moderately active work is performed where some safety considerations exist due to physical effort. Travel to different locations and school sites within the county is required. Requires the ability to move to various class and meeting room settings, stoop, bend, kneel, and reach. Requires the use of hand-arm motion ability and coordination to assist others with physical movements. Requires utilization of hand-eye-arm coordination ability to use special diagnostic devices and a personal computer keyboard to access and record information. Requires ability to recognize words, numbers, and non-verbal actions of people. Requires the ability to project voice and carry out conversations with individuals and small groups in person and over the phone.

Salary range: 99

Series
Healthcare

Approved by the Personnel Commission: Oct. 25, 2007
Revised: Dec. 14, 2017
Revised: July 28, 2022
Revised: March 28, 2024