School-Based PT (What do you do? Salary?)

[ClassOf17Whoop]

I have never been able to find much information on school-based PT; searches either just give me pediatric or general PT salaries, etc.

My best friend is a first year PE teacher/coach at a middle school and she said the PT there works with the SPED kids, but my friend has them all in her PE classes. My friend also says the PT at her school is not there every day, so she doesn't know if they do a rotation between different schools or something.

My questions are: what does a school-based PT do if the children they work with are still in regular classes all day? Is it common to not work a 40-hour week at a school? Is the pay comparable to regular pediatric pay or is it another class entirely?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[futurePT2017]

I volunteered with a school PT during my observations. She had her office at a school in town dedicated to serving students with disabilities and then she was assigned a few different schools. She was the only PT in her building, but I assume in smaller districts the PT offices might be housed in the same school. The things that you do with the students totally depends on the laws surrounding school PT in that state. For example, in NC, where I am, school PTs are only allowed to do so much. Their work is more centered around function within the school system. So, the PT I shadowed could do exercises with the students as long as they were related to the student's ability to function at school (i.e., run on the playground, carry a book bag and lunch tray, walk down the halls, etc.). School PTs also were the go to source for equipment (wheelchairs, adaptive equipment, etc.). The head PT was in charge of inventory and purchase of equipment for all SPED students. I know the PT I worked with said that she came from Ohio where school PTs were allowed to provide more PT services. So you'll have to check into your state for specifics.

In regards to your question about kids being in classes, she would be in constant contact with teachers and parents. It was a balancing act with teachers between making sure the kids got their PT sessions in and not stepping on any toes. Sometimes she pulled kids out, sometimes they had sessions before school, and other times she worked in their classrooms in the background. P.E. is a popular class to work with your kids in because often the PE teacher will let you incorporate PT into what they are doing already.

School PT hours from what I saw really varied. It's a salaried job, so it's going to depend on your administrators and supervisors, just like with teaching. Where I observed, if the PT got her paperwork done on time and all of her appointments in for the day, she worked a traditional 8-9 hour day. But it was definitely still 40 hours a week.

Salaries should be available on state websites. Should be accessible prob through a pdf with the teacher salaries.

 

[callmecrazy]

I am a school-based PT. There are a few ways it can work.
Many districts contract with the local Intermediate Unit or a private company to provide services. Currently, at least in this area, none of the IUs or contracted companies hire full-time therapists. So they're all either employed part-time or have multiple jobs. Or, the private practice has you doing early intervention or outpatient as well.
The other option is public schools that hire directly. The big city school district here does that. The PTs are full-time school employees and are compensated well from what I've heard. They are either at one school or between just a few schools in the same area, depending on need.
The last option, and the one I've worked in the longest, is to be a school-employed PT at a specialized school. This would be all of the special needs, approved public private, chartered schools (different than charter), etc. I work in one school, and we have a relatively large PT department at 12 PT/PTAs. The school I worked at previously had only myself and a PTA at part-time. In our school, and the education system in general, there is a big push for "integrated therapy", or treating students at natural times. So we may treat in gym class, at recess, during lunch, transitioning off the bus, etc. This doesn't always work though, so there is always a need to balance schedules with the team so we can pull-out for treatment. In addition, we also provide aquatic PT at my school, which is rare but obviously requires pull-out. In the case of specialized schools though, they are typically not following a traditional academic curriculum or school day schedule. Typically you will also keep the same caseload for an academic year. So I've had the same 21 kids on my caseload since August. They are each in a class of only 7 students, which is typical for kids with multiple,e-disabilities.
But to answer your questions directly...
Yes, it's possible to work 40hrs/wk, or much less depending on what you prefer. With the exception of required/voluntary Extended School Year, you have your summers off. This means you're only working about 75% of the year, which also means you can expect to make only about 75% of the salary for other settings in the area. It gives you summer and holiday breaks to pick up lots of PRN though, which are the times of highest need anyway.

I could go on forever about my often overlooked area of PT, so feel free to ask away if you have more questions!

 

[TAKEit-or-LEAVEit]

I am a school-based PT. There are a few ways it can work.
Many districts contract with the local Intermediate Unit or a private company to provide services. Currently, at least in this area, none of the IUs or contracted companies hire full-time therapists. So they're all either employed part-time or have multiple jobs. Or, the private practice has you doing early intervention or outpatient as well.
The other option is public schools that hire directly. The big city school district here does that. The PTs are full-time school employees and are compensated well from what I've heard. They are either at one school or between just a few schools in the same area, depending on need.
The last option, and the one I've worked in the longest, is to be a school-employed PT at a specialized school. This would be all of the special needs, approved public private, chartered schools (different than charter), etc. I work in one school, and we have a relatively large PT department at 12 PT/PTAs. The school I worked at previously had only myself and a PTA at part-time. In our school, and the education system in general, there is a big push for "integrated therapy", or treating students at natural times. So we may treat in gym class, at recess, during lunch, transitioning off the bus, etc. This doesn't always work though, so there is always a need to balance schedules with the team so we can pull-out for treatment. In addition, we also provide aquatic PT at my school, which is rare but obviously requires pull-out. In the case of specialized schools though, they are typically not following a traditional academic curriculum or school day schedule. Typically you will also keep the same caseload for an academic year. So I've had the same 21 kids on my caseload since August. They are each in a class of only 7 students, which is typical for kids with multiple,e-disabilities.
But to answer your questions directly...
Yes, it's possible to work 40hrs/wk, or much less depending on what you prefer. With the exception of required/voluntary Extended School Year, you have your summers off. This means you're only working about 75% of the year, which also means you can expect to make only about 75% of the salary for other settings in the area. It gives you summer and holiday breaks to pick up lots of PRN though, which are the times of highest need anyway.

I could go on forever about my often overlooked area of PT, so feel free to ask away if you have more questions!

**On average, how much do School PTs make? Weighing the Pros/Cons. Outpatient-Salve work, underpaid, ridiculous hours. School PT-underpaid but maybe less hours and holidays?

 

[SthrnBelleBritt]

**On average, how much do School PTs make? Weighing the Pros/Cons. Outpatient-Salve work, underpaid, ridiculous hours. School PT-underpaid but maybe less hours and holidays?

I’m afraid it might not be a lot because it seems they’ve answered every question except about the salary?!? Is is 45k or 50k?