Work Study Adapted Physical Activity Jobs in Chicago, IL

Under general supervision, the employee will:

• Help students with disabilities access, participate in, and benefit from their educational programs by providing educationally relevant physical therapy services.

The criterion indicated below are intended to describe various types of work that may be performed. The exclusion of specific responsibilities does not prohibit them if the work is similar, related, or a logical task of the position.

Direct Service and Support to Students

• Provides educationally relevant physical therapy services to students whose motor, mobility, positioning, access, or functional needs affect their ability to participate in and benefit from their educational program.
• Provides individual, small group, classroom-based, and other integrated physical therapy services as appropriate to students' educational needs and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
• Develops and implements interventions to improve students' functional mobility, balance, strength, coordination, endurance, positioning, transitions, transfers, and participation in school activities.
• Supports students in developing the functional skills necessary to safely and independently access classrooms, hallways, stairs, playgrounds, cafeterias, restrooms, transportation, extracurricular activities, and other school environments.
• Facilitates student participation and independence within natural school routines and the least restrictive environment.
• Provides instruction and support related to the safe and effective use of mobility devices, adaptive equipment, positioning systems, orthotics, and other assistive technology used within the educational setting.
• Promotes student self-advocacy, independence, and participation in decisions regarding mobility, accessibility, positioning, equipment, and other physical supports when developmentally appropriate.
• Monitors students' physical access and functional performance throughout the school environment and adjusts intervention strategies based upon student progress and educational needs.

Collaborative Consultation with School Personnel

• Consults and collaborates with teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, nurses, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, adapted physical education teachers, transportation personnel, and other school staff regarding students' physical access and functional participation.
• Consults with and assists instructional staff in developing strategies, accommodations, environmental modifications, positioning techniques, and classroom routines that promote student access, participation, safety, and independence.
• Provides recommendations regarding appropriate classroom seating, positioning, mobility, transfers, adaptive equipment, accessibility, and participation in educational activities.
• Collaborates with school personnel to integrate physical therapy strategies into students' daily routines rather than limiting intervention to isolated therapy activities.
• Provides training and technical assistance to staff regarding safe student handling, positioning, transfers, mobility equipment, adaptive equipment, and implementation of physical therapy recommendations.
• Collaborates with physical education and adapted physical education staff to support student access to and participation in physical education and school-based physical activity.
• Provides appropriate staff development to schools regarding physical access, mobility, positioning, disability awareness, safe student handling, and other areas related to school-based physical therapy.

Direct Service to Parents and Community

• Establishes and maintains open, positive lines of communication with families regarding students' functional performance, mobility, participation, equipment needs, and educationally relevant physical therapy services.
• Maintains an ongoing and communicative relationship with families for the purpose of sharing information regarding the student's educational program and progress toward physical therapy-related IEP goals.
• Consults with families regarding strategies that may enhance consistency, independence, participation, and access across educational environments.
• Collaborates, as appropriate and with required authorization, with medical providers, community therapists, equipment vendors, orthotists, rehabilitation providers, and other outside professionals to promote continuity and coordination of services.
• Assists families and educational teams in identifying appropriate school and community resources related to accessibility, mobility, equipment, recreation, and transition needs.
• Promotes family participation in educational planning and decision-making within the context of students' individual strengths, needs, cultures, priorities, and life experiences.

Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation

• Participates in team meetings and IEP conferences including referral and pre-referral activities, evaluations, eligibility determinations, placements, IEP development, annual reviews, reevaluations, transition planning, and other educational planning meetings as appropriate.
• Conducts screenings and comprehensive physical therapy evaluations to determine students' functional strengths and needs as they relate to access, participation, and progress within the educational environment.
• Uses a variety of appropriate formal and informal assessment tools and techniques, including standardized assessments, clinical observation, interviews, record reviews, environmental assessments, functional mobility assessments, and task analysis.
• Evaluates students within relevant school environments and routines to determine the educational impact of motor, mobility, positioning, endurance, balance, coordination, accessibility, and other physical factors.
• Contributes discipline-specific information to multidisciplinary evaluations and assists the educational team in determining whether physical therapy is required for a student to access and benefit from special education.
• Prepares, with other team members, teachers, students when appropriate, and parents, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each identified student; monitors the plan's implementation; and participates in required reviews.
• Develops measurable, student-centered goals and objectives that address functional participation within educational environments and routines.
• Uses a variety of appropriate measures to collect data regarding student performance and progress and reports progress to the educational team in accordance with district procedures.
• Develops short-term and long-term intervention plans based upon students' educational needs, strengths, functional abilities, environments, developmental considerations, diversity, and educational priorities.
• Determines and recommends appropriate methods of service delivery, which may include direct intervention, integrated services, consultation, monitoring, staff training, environmental modification, or combinations of approaches based upon individual student needs.
• Makes recommendations regarding the frequency, duration, location, and method of physical therapy services based upon educational need and in collaboration with the IEP team.
• Evaluates and recommends adaptive equipment, mobility devices, positioning systems, supportive seating, and assistive technology necessary for students to safely access and participate in their educational programs.
• Assists educational teams in determining accessibility needs and recommending reasonable environmental adaptations or modifications within school buildings and programs.
• Collaborates with transportation personnel and educational teams regarding specialized transportation, positioning, securement, transfers, mobility devices, and other physical access needs when appropriate.
• Participates in transition planning to promote functional independence, mobility, access, self-advocacy, community participation, and preparation for postsecondary education, employment, and adult life as appropriate.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates school-based physical therapy services and procedures to support effective, efficient, and educationally relevant service delivery.

Accountability

• Conforms to applicable professional standards, ethical requirements, and standards of practice for physical therapists.
• Maintains all licenses, certifications, registrations, and continuing education requirements necessary to practice physical therapy in accordance with applicable state law and district requirements.
• Maintains current knowledge of federal and state laws, regulations, and professional standards applicable to school-based physical therapy and special education, with emphasis on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504, student and parent rights, confidentiality, accessibility, and services for students with disabilities.
• Provides physical therapy as an educationally relevant related service when determined necessary for a student to access, participate in, and benefit from the student's educational program.
• Practices within the scope of professional licensure and recognizes the distinction between medically based physical therapy and physical therapy required to support a student's educational program.
• Maintains student confidentiality and safeguards educational and health information in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, professional standards, and district procedures.
• Completes in a timely fashion all evaluations, treatment documentation, progress reports, Medicaid or other service documentation when applicable, equipment records, and other reports required by law, regulation, district procedures, or supervisors.
• Maintains accurate records of student services, assessments, recommendations, progress, consultation, equipment, and other relevant information.
• Participates in faculty, school, parent, multidisciplinary, and community meetings and programs as appropriate and serves on applicable committees and teams.
• Attends and participates in educational conferences, workshops, professional development, and continuing education pertinent to school-based physical therapy.
• Maintains competency in evidence-informed pediatric and school-based physical therapy practices, including assessment