IEP Services

[Christi Blunt]

If an OT quits without giving notice, how is this service implemented on the IEP moving forward until the school hires a new OT? Are they required to continue services by outside agency? Does the school keep track of missing services until the school hires OT? Can a family request outside services to be provided and paid for from the school district until someone is hire? Thank you for your help!

[Carolyn Rowlett]

The school SHOULD track missing minutes and make those up, but I would suggest the parent to track, as well. 

There is some lenience, in terms of time, given to school districts due to staff shortages across the country.  I would suggest that if a month has gone by without a replacement hire or contracting with an outside provider, to give the school a 10 day notice letter (just to be safe) informing that the parents will be obtaining outside services for the OT with the expectation that they are reimbursed by the school district.  (I would suggest first consulting with the Kansas Dept of Education to see what they consider to be a "reasonable time" in this scenario.)

Some of my answers might change depending on the specific child.  Will he/she suffer or lose significant gains if OT is not established right away?  Is it provided on a fairly rigorous schedule under the IEP and therefore it would be difficult to "double up" in order to provide compensatory services once an OT is hired?  The actual fact scenario could be relevant.

[Christi Blunt]

Okay, this all makes sense and exactly what I was thinking. Thank you so much!

[JSD24]

If an OT quits without giving notice, how is this service implemented on the IEP moving forward until the school hires a new OT?  They should be giving notice.  Most school contracts require 60 days if they want to be paid for accrued vacation & other benefits.  It's possible they did give notice but families weren't told.  There needs to be an OT present for OT services to happen.  If the family knew beforehand, they could ask for 'parent training' so the student gets a bit of OT at home.

Are they required to continue services by outside agency?  No.

Does the school keep track of missing services until the school hires OT?  They should be tracking this.

Can a family request outside services to be provided and paid for from the school district until someone is hire?  They can ask but the school is not obligated to pay.  You may find that outside OTs have a waitlist for an afterschool slot.  (If you expect the school to pay, you really need to have that in writing or it could be on the family to pay for this.)  Using insurance for getting outside OT might make sense if continuity of services is important but there's still waitlists to deal with.  (I was looking for OT for my son and we got in for a few cancellation sessions.  I'm in PA & my son had Medicaid & they paid for OT.  Turned out that he has dysgraphia and that's why his handwriting was bad.)