School-Based Therapy

---

 Therapy Services Provided Through the School System 

 School-based therapy refers to therapy services provided within a public school setting as part of a child’s educational program. These services are designed to help a student access and benefit from their education, rather than to address all medical or developmental needs.

School-based therapy is delivered during the school day and is tied to a child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan.

School-based therapy may include:

• Speech Therapy (ST) 
• Occupational Therapy (OT) 
• Physical Therapy (PT)
• Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)
• Behavioral Health (BH)
   

Services are provided by school-employed or contracted therapists and are focused on educational impact, not comprehensive medical treatment.

 Children may receive school-based therapy if:

• They are eligible for special education services 
• A formal evaluation shows that therapy is necessary for educational access or participation 
• Therapy services are written into the child’s IEP
   

Eligibility is determined by the school team, not medical providers or insurance.

School-based therapy is accessed through the school system and typically involves:

• Requesting a special education evaluation through your child’s school 
• Participating in an eligibility and IEP meeting 
• Agreeing on services that support educational goals
   

Families can request an evaluation at any time, but timelines and processes are governed by state and federal education laws.

•  Therapy is provided at no cost to families 
• Services occur during the school day, eliminating the need for extra appointments 
• Therapy goals are aligned with classroom participation and academic access 
• Allows children to practice skills in real educational environments 
• Reduces transportation and scheduling burden for families

•  Therapy focuses on educational needs only, not medical or broader developmental goals 
• Frequency and duration of services may be limited 
• Services may be provided in small groups rather than individually 
• Therapists often manage large caseloads, which can affect consistency 
• Services may pause during school breaks or extended absences 
• Therapy sessions may pull students out of class, which can interrupt academic instruction or peer activities
   

Schools often try to minimize instructional disruption, but scheduling constraints can make some pull-out services unavoidable.

 School-based therapy may be a good fit for children who:

• Need support accessing classroom instruction 
• Benefit from therapy embedded in the school environment 
• Do not require intensive or medically based intervention 

It may be less appropriate as a sole therapy setting for children who:

• Need frequent or specialized therapy 
• Have medical or developmental goals outside of school participation 
• Require services year-round
   

Many families use school-based therapy alongside outpatient, in-home, or center-based services to fully meet their child’s needs.

 School-based therapy often works best when combined with:

• Outpatient therapy 
• In-home therapy 
• EIDT or early intervention programs (for younger children transitioning into school or for extended summer care)
   

Each setting serves a different purpose, and overlap is common and appropriate.

  School-based therapy services are provided through public school districts and are not selected by families in the same way as private providers.

We’re building resources to help families:

• Understand how school-based therapy differs from medical therapy 
• Learn how to advocate for evaluations and services 
• Know when additional therapy outside of school may be helpful 
• Additional school-based therapy resources coming soon

 School-based therapy plays an important role—but it is only one piece of the support puzzle. If you feel your child needs more support than the school can provide, seeking therapy in other settings is common and appropriate.

Understanding what school-based therapy does and does not cover helps families plan with clarity and confidence.