Becoming a School Based Clinician 101

Are you interested in becoming a school-based clinician?

Or perhaps you’ve recently accepted a school-based job?

Do you just want to know more about it?

This post will take a look a becoming a school-based clinician and offer you ideas, tips, and tricks for starting your school-based journey.

We will touch on a few key aspects of being a school-based clinician that may vary from other settings and hopefully serve as a guide to help you get started or make a decision if school-based work is for you.

Let’s get started. 

The Schools

The school environments you work in can differ.

Every district and every school is different.

It can be important to get to know district policies, school culture, and even just learn your way around.

Just like a new student, learning where things are located can be important.

Don’t overlook the small stuff either like introducing yourself to the custodian or janitor (trust me at some point you’ll need them), knowing where the emergency exits are, or where the nearest bathroom is.

The school schedule can also be incredibly helpful, both the daily schedule and the calendar for the year. 

Expert tip: Don’t forget about summer!

Things to ask and consider.

Are you required to work summer school (called extended school year or ESY) and if so what are the days and times?

Is your salary dispersed over the entire 12-month year or are you only paid over 10 months?

If you are only paid for 10 months make sure to plan how you will get by the other 2 months. 

The Students and The Educational Models

The students you will be serving will require different levels of support.

If you are not already familiar with pediatric diagnoses, now would be a good time to brush up on your knowledge.

How students are supported looks different in different districts.

Some districts have self-contained programs for those students requiring more support than a general education classroom.

Some districts have all of their students in a general education setting.

It will be important for you to know what programs your district has (including the referral process), where they are located, and how they work. 

Expert tip: Some districts use a pull-out model (where the student is pulled out of class and receives therapy in a different room), some use a push-in model (where you go into the student’s classroom and treat the child while they are in class), and some use a combination of both.

Some districts prefer group treatment sessions, some prefer individual.

Make sure to find out. 

Treatment

Providing treatment in a school environment is different than treating in a clinical environment (educational vs. medical model).

While this can be a hot-button issue, generally speaking, your treatment should be academically relevant. 

Expert tip: Want to know more about the difference between educational and medical models of practice? Click here. 

Documentation

Documentation is data-driven and focuses on progress toward goals.

Goals are generally written for the school year, with progress updated on a semester or trimester basis.

A student’s progress is formally updated on a yearly basis (annual review) and every 3 years, a student must be fully re-evaluated (usually including formal assessments) to continue to qualify for special education services (triennial review).

Expert tip: There are formal timelines for both annual and triennial reviews. There are also formal timelines in which these reviews must be conducted and reported (45 days).

Meetings

Meetings both formal and informal take place to review progress, change goals, and review evaluations.

They also take place for placement in programs, to add or discharge services or change service hours. 

Expert tip: Learning about IDEA (Individuals With Disabilities Education Act) is critical to know and understand in your school-based journey. Click here to learn more.

Steps to Take

Now that you know a little bit more about becoming a school-based clinician what should you do?

• Get out there and apply for jobs. Often districts list their openings on the district website, so make sure to check there first. 
• Join a group. There are a lot of groups out there that can help you on your journey. Be sure to check Facebook groups!
• Take some CEU’s. CEU’s are a great way to gain some knowledge!