OT and PT are related services. This means that a child must first qualify for special education (have an IEP) or be eligible for a 504 plan. If you suspect that your child has a disability, you can make a special education referral at any MPS school or at Central Services.
If your child already has an IEP, contact your child's special education teacher to see whether the concerns you have are also concerns of the teacher.
Therapy at school must be related to your child’s special education program or 504 accommodation plan, which is different from therapy in the community. For more information, see the guide "Understanding School-Based and Medically Based Services."
Recommendations from a physician are always considered, but the IEP or 504 team will determine the amount, if any, of therapy services that a student requires at school.
MPS OTs and PTs serve multiple school sites. Therapy sessions are scheduled at mutually agreeable times with the student's teacher and at times that are most beneficial to the student.
Whenever possible, therapy is provided in the classroom setting. A child can continue to receive instruction with peers while receiving extra support with specific tasks from the therapist. At times, it may be necessary to remove a child from the classroom to work on specific skills that would be a distraction in the classroom setting.