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Working in schools as an OT, PT, or SLP

Federal special education rules under IDEA list speech-language pathology services, physical therapy, and occupational therapy as related services for children with disabilities. BLS says some occupational therapists and some speech-language pathologists work in schools, and lists educational services among the largest employers of both. School work can involve extra state credentials: BLS says school-based SLPs may need a teaching certification, and points occupational therapists to state regulatory agencies for school requirements.

Quoted from official pages checked November 10, 2026. Confirm current requirements, fees, and dates on those sites. This page is not legal advice and does not guarantee eligibility, certification, or licensure.

IDEA related services

The U.S. Department of Education’s IDEA regulation 34 CFR 300.34 Related services, checked November 10, 2026, states:

Related services means transportation and such developmental, corrective, and other supportive services as are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education, and includes speech-language pathology and audiology services, interpreting services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, early identification and assessment of disabilities in children, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, and medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes.

It defines the terms. Occupational therapy “Means services provided by a qualified occupational therapist”. “Physical therapy means services provided by a qualified physical therapist.” Speech-language pathology services include “Identification of children with speech or language impairments” and “Provision of speech and language services for the habilitation or prevention of communicative impairments”. This section of the regulation does not list credential requirements, and none are added here.

Occupational therapists

BLS’s occupational therapists page, checked November 10, 2026, states: “Occupational therapists work in a variety of settings, such as hospitals, schools, and outpatient clinics.” And: “Occupational therapists typically work in healthcare settings. Some occupational therapists work in schools.” It also states: “Some occupational therapists work with children in inpatient, outpatient, or educational settings. They may provide early intervention therapy to infants and toddlers or work with school-aged children to encourage engagement, such as participating in academic activities.” BLS lists “Educational services; state, local, and private” at 13% of 2025 occupational therapist jobs. On requirements, it states: “For information regarding the requirements for practice as an occupational therapist in schools, contact state occupational therapy regulatory agencies.”

Physical therapists and PTAs

APTA’s School-Based Physical Therapy page, checked November 10, 2026, states: “Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants are integral members of school-based teams that ensure a free and appropriate education for students with disabilities and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living in many cases.” BLS’s physical therapists page, checked the same day, does not mention schools, and educational services is not among the largest employers it lists. No BLS school figure for PTs is given here.

Speech-language pathologists

BLS’s speech-language pathologists page states: “Most speech-language pathologists work in schools or healthcare facilities.” It lists “Educational services; state, local, and private” at 39% of 2025 SLP jobs, the largest share. It also states: “In schools, they evaluate students for speech and language disorders and work with teachers, other school personnel, and parents to develop and carry out individual or group programs, provide counseling, and support classroom activities.” And: “Those working for schools may have a 2-month break during the summer and a shorter midwinter break.”

On credentials, BLS states: “Speech-language pathologists who work in schools may need a teaching certification. For specific requirements, contact your state’s department of education or the school district or private institution in which you are interested.” It adds: “State departments of education can provide information about certification requirements for those who want to work in public schools.”

ASHA’s employment settings page states: “More than half of SLPs (56%) are employed in educational settings, including 53% in schools and 3% in colleges and universities.” That is ASHA’s own figure, separate from BLS. ASHA’s 2010 position statement on the roles and responsibilities of SLPs in schools states that SLPs in schools “have integral roles in education and are essential members of school faculties”. ASHA’s Schools page links caseload and workload resources; no caseload numbers are copied here.

Pay

BLS publishes median pay by industry, including educational services, for OTs and SLPs. Those figures are on OT work settings and SLP work settings and are not repeated here.

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