Last Tuesday, after school, I did something that honestly scared me a little. I loaded my 5-year-old into the car, threw on my “School-Based OTs Looking for Change” t-shirt, and headed to the library for my local senator’s (Senator Steven Rhoads) public meeting hours.

Classic OT move, right? Racing from work to educate elected officials about OT practice realities with a preschooler in tow!

The Reality Check

I walked in with printed copies of the two bills and the NYSUT resolution that are currently pending, ready to talk about the pressing issues facing school OTs and PTs in New York.

What I discovered? This well-meaning elected official knew basically nothing about NYSED or how our roles actually work in schools.

I found myself explaining inequities he’d never considered – how we can’t become educational leaders despite our advanced degrees and expertise, how that limitation directly impacts our ability to help kids, and how many of us are stuck on civil service pay scales that leave us making $30,000 less annually than our teaching colleagues.

The moment that really got to him? When he glanced at my daughter happily building with Legos and I said, “We have the same expenses as all the other teaching staff, and our education costs more.”

The Lightbulb Moment

By the end of our conversation, I could see understanding dawning. He realized we weren’t asking for special treatment – we were asking for equity. For recognition of our expertise. For the ability to truly lead and advocate for the students we serve.

He said, “This (us getting into Pupil Personnel so we can be equal to teachers, social workers, etc.) seems like common sense” (Ya think!?)

His advice? “You need to get Senator Shelley Mayer on board. She’s key to moving these bills forward.”

This Is Our Moment

Here’s the thing – those bills are pending RIGHT NOW. This is our crucial window to make our voices heard. We can’t wait for someone else to do the work for us. We ARE the experts on what school-based OTs and PTs need.

The Ripple Effect

That library meeting reminded me that our community leaders want to help – they just need to understand the issues first. When we show up authentically (even with Legos scattered around us!), we create real change.

Every message matters. Every conversation counts. Every one of us has a story that illustrates why these changes are crucial for our students.

Ready to Speak Your Truth?

Send that message to Senator Mayer. Share your story with local representatives. Wear your OT or PT t-shirt with pride! Our students deserve therapists who can lead, grow professionally, and stay in the field long-term.

Let’s educate our elected officials together!

Click the image to view the series of handouts I brought to the Senator. This is called a “Leave Behind”.

P.S. – My 5-year-old asked why I was “talking to the important man about work.” I told her sometimes grown-ups need to speak up so other grown-ups can help kids better. She got it immediately. Maybe we should all think like 5-year-olds more often!

Schools are increasingly turning to Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to ensure every student receives the appropriate level of assistance to thrive. Within this framework, Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) have emerged as invaluable team members whose contributions may be unrecognized or underappreciated. As we navigate 2025’s educational challenges, OTAs are continuing to be essential partners in creating truly inclusive learning environments, particularly for our youngest learners.

What Many Don’t Know About OTAs in Educational Settings

While Occupational Therapists (OTs) are familiar figures in special education, their partners—Occupational Therapy Assistants—remain somewhat invisible heroes in the educational support system. Many administrators, teachers, and even parents are unaware that OTAs:

• Receive specialized training in child development, sensory processing, motor skills, and adaptive strategies
• can implement interventions across all three tiers of MTSS support
• Typically have more consistent daily interaction with students than supervising OTs
• Often serve as the bridge between therapeutic strategies and classroom implementation
• can provide cost-effective support solutions that extend the reach of occupational therapy services

The Proactive Power of OTAs in Early Education

The traditional model of waiting for students to struggle before providing occupational therapy support is rapidly being replaced by a proactive approach where OTAs play a crucial role. Research increasingly shows that early intervening yields the most significant results, and OTAs are perfectly positioned to deliver this support.

In early education settings, OTAs are:

1. Conducting whole-class screenings to identify potential developmental concerns before they affect academic performance
2. Co-teaching sensory-motor lessons alongside classroom teachers to benefit all students
3. Designing classroom environments that support diverse sensory and motor needs
4. Training paraprofessionals and teachers on therapeutic techniques that can be embedded into daily routines
5. Facilitating small groups focused on fine motor, visual-motor, and self-regulation skills

2025 Trends: How OTAs Are Transforming MTSS Implementation

The school setting is the second most common practice area for OTAs (Spielman, 2019). This year has seen several notable trends in how schools are leveraging OTAs within their MTSS frameworks:

1. Integration into Universal Screening Teams

OTAs are increasingly included in universal screening processes, bringing their expertise in fine motor, visual-motor, and sensory processing assessment to identify students who might benefit from targeted support before academic difficulties emerge.

2. Tech-Enhanced Interventions

In 2025, OTAs are utilizing adaptive technology tools to enhance their interventions. As our students increasingly rely on their Chromebooks and iPads, OTAs are embracing technology to make therapy more engaging and effective.

3. Collaborative Push-In Services

Rather than pulling students out for therapy, OTAs are pushing into classrooms, providing support during normal instructional time. This approach not only reduces stigma but ensures strategies are implemented in the actual environments where skills will be used. Seeing children in their natural learning environment is best practice.

4. Data-Driven Decision Making

Today’s OTAs are skilled in collecting and analyzing progress monitoring data, allowing MTSS teams to make informed decisions about when to intensify, modify, or fade supports.

5. Whole-Child Wellness Approaches

OTAs are increasingly taking a holistic approach, addressing not just fine motor and sensory needs but also supporting social-emotional learning, proactive mental health approaches, executive functioning, and overall wellness within MTSS frameworks.

Building an Effective OT/OTA Partnership Within MTSS

The most successful schools utilize a collaborative model where:

• OTs conduct comprehensive evaluations and develop intervention plans
• OTAs implement daily interventions across all three tiers
• Both professionals collaborate with teachers to embed strategies into classroom routines
• OTAs collect ongoing progress monitoring data
• The team meets regularly to analyze data and adjust interventions

This partnership model maximizes the specialized skills of both professionals while ensuring more students receive timely, appropriate support.

Beyond the Individual: How OTAs Support Systemic Change

Perhaps the most significant contribution OTAs make to MTSS is their ability to effect systemic change. By working across tiers of support, OTAs help schools:

• Create universally designed learning environments that reduce barriers for all students
• Develop teacher capacity to support diverse learners
• Implement evidence-based practices consistently
• Foster inclusive school cultures that celebrate neurodiversity
• Build sustainable systems that support students’ developmental needs

The beauty of having OTAs involved in our MTSS process is that they think beyond the individual child. They help us create classrooms where fewer students struggle in the first place.

Looking Ahead: The Future of OTAs in Educational Settings

As schools continue to recognize the value OTAs bring to MTSS frameworks, we can expect to see:

• Expanded roles for OTAs in curriculum development and teacher professional development
• Increased collaboration between OTAs and other support professionals
• Greater inclusion of OTAs in school leadership and MTSS decision-making teams
• More research documenting the effectiveness of OTA-supported early intervention
• Growing demand for OTAs with specialized pediatric and educational training

Conclusion: The OTA Advantage

As schools strive to create truly inclusive environments that support every child’s development, Occupational Therapy Assistants are proving to be essential team members in effective MTSS implementation. Their unique combination of specialized training, practical skills, and collaborative approach makes them ideally suited to support our youngest learners during their most formative years.

By leveraging the often-overlooked talents of OTAs, schools can create more responsive, effective support systems that identify and address challenges early—ultimately helping more children reach their full potential.

If you’re interested in learning more about the MTSS framework, join us at the upcoming Inclusive Classrooms Summit (June 16-18, 2025), where experts will share best practices and implementation strategies.

Reference: 

Spielman, M. (2019). Best practices for occupational therapy assistants in schools. In G. Frolek Clark, J. E. Rioux, & B. E. Chandler (Eds.), Best practices for occupational therapy in schools (2nd ed., pp. 71-78). AOTA Press.

Can we address a common misconception? School-based Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) are far more than support staff. Their specialized expertise contributes significantly to student success in educational environments.

Join me in exploring the impactful world of school-based OTAs and their essential contributions.

The Multifaceted Role of School OTAs

On any given Monday morning, while many are still enjoying their first cup of coffee, school OTAs are already engaged in:

• Participating in comprehensive student evaluations
• Delivering evidence-informed interventions
• Contributing to mental health support initiatives
• Skillfully managing complex sensory regulation challenges

The Professional Evolution of School-Based OTA Practice

Since their introduction to educational settings in 1975 with the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, OTAs have continuously refined their approach. The profession has evolved from a primarily clinical model to a more holistic educational support framework.

Understanding the Professional Distinction

OTAs are sometimes confused with classroom aides, but the roles differ substantially. School OTAs are licensed healthcare professionals with specialized education and clinical training. Their expertise enables students to access educational opportunities through targeted therapeutic interventions.

Current Trends in School-Based OTA Practice

Today’s school OTAs are advancing the field through:

• Enhanced mental health support strategies
• Innovative technology integration in therapy
• Implementation of multi-tiered support systems
• Development of engaging sensory regulation techniques

Download Your Free Fact Sheet!

Want to learn more? I’ve created a comprehensive, 5-page fact sheet breaking down everything you need to know about school-based OTAs. It’s perfect for:

• Administrators who need the facts
• Teachers wanting to collaborate better
• Anyone who’s ever called an OTA “the OT’s helper” (we forgive you)

Remember: When we support our OTAs, we support our students. And isn’t that what it’s all about?

Let me know in the comments: What’s your favorite way to collaborate with school-based OTAs?

It’s been warm and sunny here in Orlando. I arrived Wednesday evening and went right to the Community of Practice and Special Interest Section Reception. It was a huge networking event where all the different COPS and SIS groups met up with each other in real life (as opposed to Zoom).

It was so great to see some of the other State School Leader COP members I meet with monthly, including Jan Hollenbeck, Joyce Rioux, Moira Bushnell, Michelle Grahamm, and Vaishnavi Tallury. These women are all so inspiring and it was my honor to network with them.

Although I’m not a member of the school mental health COP, I also was able to meet and chat with that group, who MAY have convinced me to join!

Friday came so fast, and I was able to present my research poster with Kim Wiggins all about the perceptions of school OTPs and PTs as leaders in the New York State DOE. The research was recently published in JOTSEI, if you’d like to read it. It was so cool to see this research quoted and referenced in other people’s courses and posters. It felt like such an accomplishment!

Jayson Davies (from OT Schoolhouse Podcast) and I hosted a school-based OTP happy hour on Friday—which was SO fun! My favorite part of AOTA is meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones. Francine Seruya and Mindy Garfinkle (caseload/workload royalty) even came by for a drink! I was able to invite people who were discussing advocacy to the USA School-Based OTPs Looking For Change Advocacy Coalition. ​

I also attended the Utica University gathering to connect with former professors and new grads entering the field. Last night my college roommate and I had dinner with Robyn Laub in Disney Springs—it was a beautiful night with great conversation and friendship.

As I write, I’m sitting in the airport reflecting with gratitude on this wonderful experience. I am truly blessed for the opportunity to connect with so many wonderful people, learn new skills, and share them with you!

Her advocacy journey was slow but progressive. She started addressing prejudices one at a time to reach her goals. Like a giant snowball, her efforts began small, and they became bigger and bigger as time passed.

She is proof that advocating for yourself and other people might be challenging, but it can pave the way for the success of future generations. She inspires me to continue fighting for my OT and PT colleagues so that we may have access to all the opportunites that are curently offered to the rest of the SISPs.  

 We must advocate for EQUITY!

Here’s the deal. In most states in the U.S. (except 4) school-based O.T. and P.T. staff aren’t included in the category of pupil personnel with the other Specialized Instructional Support Personnel (SISPs). 

Although the federal mandate Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) DOES include us as SISPs and values our contributions to the school setting, the states have not updated their laws and procedures to catch up. 

We have similar job roles to teachers, social workers, guidance counselors, and speech therapists, providing educationally relevant services to children in school.

However, in every state throughout the US (except 4), OTps & PTs are the only ones not included under the umbrella of “teachers” by their state education departments.

This creates many barriers for school-based OTps and PTs. We can’t take coursework to pursue administrative degrees. We are often limited from joining the teachers union, which impacts our retirement, benefits, and salary — for the rest of our careers.

One of Ruth’s famous quotes is “Women belong in all places where decisions are being made.”

And this inspired me to apply it to our situation. “School OTs & PTs belong in all places where educational decisions are being made.”

This quote is in direct alignment with the Every Student Succeeds Act, which includes school OTs and PTs as vital team members who should be included in educational decisions, curriculum committees, and so much more.

Occupational Therapy practitioners and Physical Therapists are considered Specialized Instructional Support Personnel under IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Act).

In New York, the Board of Regents calls on all schools to develop policies that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion as a priority in their schools.

For example, in New York State’s ESSA Plan and Career Ladder Framework aspire to offer school leadership opportunities, provide career advancement opportunities, and raise the diversity of the workforce to support student learning (NYSED, 2020b; Rafal-Baer, n.d..).

To become an administrator in the NY State public school system, a person must be educationally credentialed. This means they have a “teaching certificate” under the Office of Teaching Initiatives. The other SISPs (social workers, guidance counselors, psychologists, and speech and language pathologists) have a pathway to leadership positions because they are categorized as pupil personnel or classroom teachers within the NYSED.

School-based occupational and physical therapy providers in most states are not included in the pupil personnel category with the other Specialized Instructional Support personnel (SISP), which obstructs the pathway to leadership positions.

This leads to pervasive inequity for OTs and PTs, including but not limited to how we are hired, our pay scales, retirement, and pension availability. This impacts the recruitment and retention of highly qualified, experienced, and effective OT and PT professionals.

OTs and PTs have No Advancement Ladder

New York State is facing a teacher shortage, which impacts the pool of candidates for school administration (DeWitt, 2018).

NYSED has proposed to change some of the requirements to obtain a teaching certificate (AKA educational credential) to lessen the burden of the teacher shortage (NYSED, 2022a).

Ruth said “My hope for our society that  we’re gonna use the talent of all  of the people and not just half of them.”

What can Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists Bring to School Leadership Positions?

Master’s and Doctoral degrees

New York state-licensed professionals

Nationally certified

Qualified and trained to identify barriers and supports to learning in the school environment.

Knowledgeable in skills that would benefit the school community on a system, group, and individual student levels.

Trained to follow a strength-based, functional perspective, focused on student participation, performance, and success.

Educationally relevant experience

Specific and advanced training:

• • • • childhood development from birth through 21
      • competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns
      • concepts, strategies, and principles related to movement and performance
      • achieving and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical activity
      • physical activity for overall wellness, enjoyment and/or self-expression
      • social-emotional learning
      • executive functioning skills
      • self-regulation
      • life skills, community integration, and vocational training
      • mental health
      • trauma-informed care
      • public health
      • transition planning
      • assistive technology
      • physical disabilities
      • accommodations
      • universal design for learning
      • ergonomics/adaptive seating

Reference

Ginsburg, R. B. (2016). My own words. Simon and Schuster.