Developmental and Adapted Physical Education Teacher
What is Developmental Adapted Physical Education (DAPE)?
Developmental and Adapted Physical Education is specialized instruction to allow for safe and successful gross motor participation in physical education or special education setting for those students who meet initial Minnesota eligibility criteria. St Paul Public Schools follows the philosophy and standards of the National Association for Sports and Physical Education when determining if the development or achievement and independence in school, home and community settings are inadequate to allow success in the regular Physical Education. We assess looking at the whole child and any needs identified in the following domains: psychomotor, cognitive, affective, and physical fitness. (NASPE, 2013)
According to our Minnesota DAPE Best Practice Operational Guide, (Sept, 2012) Developmental Adapted Physical education is specifically designed physical education instruction and services for students with disabilities who have a significant delay or disorder in physical development. Developmental Adapted Physical Education instruction for pupils age 3-21 may include development of physical and motor fitness, fundamental motor skills and patterns, individual and group games and sports. Students with conditions such as obesity, temporary injuries, and short term illness or disabilities are termed special needs students. Special needs students are not eligible for Developmental Adapted Physical Education.
The DAPE teacher is a direct service provider, not a related service provider, because physical education for children with disabilities is a federally mandated component of special education services. This means that physical education needs to be provided to the students with a disability as part of the special education services that a child receives. This is in contrast to physical therapy and occupational therapy which are related services. (MN DAPE Best Practice Operational Guide, September, 2012)
Occupational Therapist
Occupational Therapy (OT) for Ages 0-3
Children ages birth to three provide services in the home, daycare, and community settings. OT focuses on students’ fine motor, functional, adaptive behavior, play, self help skills, sensory processing abilities, positioning and assistive technology. Occupational Therapist in birth to 3 work not only with the child, but also with their families, caregivers, and community agencies. The OT provides resources and assist with coaching the family and caregivers with their child’s daily routines in their home and community. A OT could be a primary service provider for children in birth to 3.
Occupational Therapy (OT) for Ages 3-21
Children/students ages three to 21 are usually provided services in a pre-school, school or for some children ages 3-5 in their daycare or home. School Based OT focuses on students’ fine motor, functional, self help skills (such as bathrooming, self feeding, dressing), sensory processing abilities, positioning and assistive technology needs for written expression, organization, self care and sensory processing. Occupational Therapists also assist in adaptations or the modification of educational tasks, environments or routines during the school or child’s day.
Service Determination
Occupational therapy is a related service, to receive OT in the schools, students must first qualify for special education and then secondly demonstrate needs that impact their ability to function in their educational environment as determined by the program OT with input from the educational team. For a specific time or episode of need, the occupational therapist will use a continuum of service (direct, indirect or both) to support student needs.
Scope of Practice
Occupational Therapy (OT) as an educational support service can be quite different from an OT in a medical setting. School based therapists focus on assisting students to acquire the functional abilities necessary to access educational materials and adapt to their educational environment. The focus is to build skills, adapt tasks, expectations and environments in order to facilitate the student’s success within their educational setting. Occupational therapist will train/support other providers and staff to carry out procedures or techniques to improve student performance.
Physical Therapist
Physical Therapy (PT) for Ages 0-3
Children ages birth to three are provided services in the home, daycare, and community settings. PT focuses on students’ physical and adaptive development, specifically related to the ability to acquire independent mobility and transitional movement, access play/learning opportunities and maintain optimal physical health (flexibility, circulation and respiratory function) through movement, positioning, and the use of adaptive equipment. PT includes services to address the promotion of perceptual motor development, fitness and endurance, and functional motor skills. PT offers recommendations for adaptive equipment to promote learning and independence.
Physical Therapist in birth to 3 work not only with the child, but also with their families, caregivers, and community agencies. The PT provides resources and assists with coaching the family and caregivers with their child’s daily routines in their home and community. A PT could be a primary service provider for children in birth to 3.
Physical Therapy (PT) for Ages 3-21
Children/students ages three to 21 are usually provided services in a pre-school, school or for some children ages 3-5 in their daycare or home. School Based PT focuses on students’ physical and adaptive development, specifically related to the ability to acquire independent mobility and transitional movement, access play/learning opportunities and maintain optimal physical health (flexibility, circulation and respiratory function) through movement, positioning, and the use of adaptive equipment. PT includes services to address the promotion of perceptual motor development, fitness and endurance, and functional motor skills. PT offers recommendations for adaptive equipment to promote learning and independence.
Service Determination
Physical therapy is a related service. To receive PT in the schools, students must first qualify for special education and then secondly demonstrate needs that impact their ability to function independently in their educational environment as determined by the educational PT; with input from the educational team. The physical therapist will use a continuum of service (direct, indirect or both) to support student needs for a specified time or episode of need.
Scope of Practice
Physical Therapy (PT) as an educational support service can be quite different from an PT in a medical setting. School based therapists focus on assisting students to acquire the functional abilities necessary to access educational materials and move around and adapt to their educational environment. The focus is to build skills, adapt tasks, expectations and environments in order to facilitate the student’s success within their educational setting. It is the role of the physical therapist to train/support other providers and staff to safely carry out procedures or techniques to improve students’ performance.
School Psychologist
School Psychologists evaluate eligibility and continuing need for special education services as a part of a multidisciplinary team. School Psychologists evaluate and complete assessments that address various needs in cognitive and social-emotional functioning areas.
Role of a School Psychologist:
- Administer psychological and educational tests, and other assessment procedures as part of comprehensive special education evaluations;
- Interpret assessment results;
- Obtain, integrate, and interpret information about student behavior and conditions related to learning;
- Consult and collaborate with staff and families to support student’s needs in the classroom setting;
- Participate as a member of the Student Assistance Team (SAT) to provide support in developing appropriate interventions to support academic and social-emotional needs in the classroom setting
Student Population Served:
School Psychologists evaluate students as part of initial special education evaluations and reevaluations with parent/guardian consent. School Psychologists work with Student Assistance Teams (SAT) to develop interventions for general education students. Parents/guardians are notified when students are referred to SAT.
School Social Worker
School social workers help students to address barriers to learning through an ecological perspective in which the student is viewed within the context of the classroom, the family, the community and culture. School social workers understand and assess the functioning of an individual student within the context of multiple environments. School social workers provide services to all students related to the student’s social and emotional adjustment to school, family, community and society. School social workers are the link between the home, school and community providing direct and indirect services to students, families and school personnel to promote and support students’ academic and social success.
School social workers are prepared to provide a breadth of services. They may provide ongoing or short term crisis intervention directly to students. School social workers serve as a resource for students and their families when social emotional and behavioral concerns interfere with school performance. Inclusive would be possible life threatening situations, immediate loss of a significant person in the student's life, extreme emotional upset, or a traumatic stress situation. The school social worker may provide short term intervention and/or consultation to students, parents, classroom teachers, or administrators regarding implementing pre-referral interventions, referrals to the student assistance team or child study team or appropriate community resources. All SPPS social workers can provide training on Trauma Informed Care (TIC) to staff as well as incorporate TIC concepts into interventions and supports.
The role of the school social worker in the school system is determined partially by the funding source of the position. School social workers whose positions are funded by regular education funds serve primarily regular education students. Like special education social workers, they provide individual and group counseling, teach social skills, and work to promote school success, including assisting with supporting student attendance. All school social workers may assist in crisis such as homelessness, death in school, the threat of suicide, or suspected child maltreatment. In addition, all SPPS social workers can provide training on Trauma Informed Care to staff.
Speech and Language Pathologist
Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) in the school setting are an integral part of a school’s special education team. SLPs identify students who have communication disorders in the areas of articulation, language, voice and fluency (stuttering) and provide both direct and consultative special education services to children ages birth through twenty-one. The development of communication skills is crucial for success in schools, especially in the areas of literacy and social skills. When problems with articulation, language, voice quality or fluency adversely affect a child’s educational progress, the SLP works with the team to address the specific needs of the student.
According to Minnesota State special education criteria, a child may meet eligibility as a student with a speech-language disorders in four areas: articulation disorder, language disorder, voice disorder or fluency disorder. Students with other primary disabilities (e.g. developmental delays, learning disabilities, physical impairments, mental cognitive impairments or autism) may demonstrate communication problems that co-occur with their primary disability and require direct or indirect specialized services from an SLP.
SLPs work with students with identified speech and/or language impairments at all St. Paul schools and sites. In early ed, this includes homes, daycares and other community settings. These services may include screenings, pre-referral consultations, referral for evaluation and services. In keeping with federal and state mandates, SLPs design intervention activities that support state and district standards and grade level expectations, and often use curriculum-based intervention with materials adapted from the general education classroom.
Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s building SLP if they have questions or concerns regarding their child’s speech, language or academic progress.
Physical/Health Disabilities Teacher
The Role of the Physical/Health Disabilities Teacher
The Physical/Health Disabilities (P/HD) teacher is licensed to provide services for students age birth to 21, and is involved with educational evaluations and if they meet state criteria, interventions for students who have a medical diagnosis physical disability. Physically Impaired (PI) is defined as a medically diagnosed, chronic physical impairment - either congenital or acquired - that may adversely affect physical or academic functioning and result in the need for special education and related services (MN Rule 3525.1337). By law, a teacher licensed in P/HD must participate on student evaluations and subsequent education plan when considering the category of Physically Impaired (PI).
As a member of an evaluation and/or IEP team, a P/HD teacher addresses educational needs that support students full access and participation in activity similar to their classmates.
The itinerant teacher for the physically impaired, will consult with the educational staff who work with a student with a physical impairment. The P/HD teacher provides indirect consultative service for students who meet the special education criteria for physically impaired.
Consultative services include:
- Providing information about the student’s medical diagnosis and educational considerations.
- Based on the educational implications related to the medical diagnosis, consulting with team to identify appropriate accommodations and/or modifications.
- Assisting the classroom teacher set realistic expectations for the student.
- Collaborating with other team members, to assist with the evaluation process and IEP accommodations.
- Assisting teams with identifying students who may need to follow the building evacuation plan for students with limited mobility.
