Close Menu
bkngpnarnaul
  • Home
  • Education
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Math
    • Physics
    • Science
    • Teacher
  • E-Learning
    • Educational Technology
  • Health Education
    • Special Education
  • Higher Education
  • IELTS
  • Language Learning
  • Study Abroad

Subscribe to Updates

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Loading
What's Hot

K-12 Gamification: A Guide For Publishers

September 23, 2025

Can Plantar Fasciitis Cause Knee Pain? Know the Link

September 23, 2025

The Purpose of a Classroom Observation for Gathering Data

September 23, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Tuesday, September 23
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest Vimeo
bkngpnarnaul
  • Home
  • Education
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Math
    • Physics
    • Science
    • Teacher
  • E-Learning
    • Educational Technology
  • Health Education
    • Special Education
  • Higher Education
  • IELTS
  • Language Learning
  • Study Abroad
bkngpnarnaul
Home»Special Education»Pros and Cons: District Employee vs. Contracted Therapist
Special Education

Pros and Cons: District Employee vs. Contracted Therapist

adminBy adminJune 16, 2025No Comments7 Mins Read0 Views
Share Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp Copy Link
Follow Us
Google News Flipboard Threads
Pros and Cons: District Employee vs. Contracted Therapist
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Copy Link


If you are looking into school-based occupational therapy (OT) jobs, WELCOME! As a pediatric therapist, I can firmly say that I love working in the schools! However, I also recognize that there is a lot to think about when you are applying for positions. As an overview, there are two main employment routes for therapists: working directly for a school district (as a district employee sometimes under the teacher contract) vs. working as a contracted therapist (through an agency, intermediate unit, or independently). Not all jobs are created equal. I hope this blog gets the wheels turning for questions you should ask as you are looking for school-based OT jobs.

Student wrote sentence on Bright Lines paper after using model magic to make a dragon fly on a dough matStudent wrote sentence on Bright Lines paper after using model magic to make a dragon fly on a dough mat

For reference, I am a district employee working on the teacher contract in a suburban school district in Pennsylvania. Learn more about a “day in the life” in this blog. See an example of one of my classrooms in this OT room tour blog or this sensory room tour blog! I will be the first to say that I am blessed with my own spaces and materials that have been district-funded. This is an uncommon situation for school-based OTs. We will cover all of those things below!

Therapist as a District Employee

Pros

Increased likelihood of therapist job security/consistency 

  • These jobs may be more stable. Tenured staff [at my district after 3 years of satisfactory performance] have additional protections. With contracted jobs [especially through agencies/intermediate units], therapists may service multiple districts and these assignments are likely to change from year to year.

Therapist will have [probably pretty good] benefits

  • Things like health insurance, retirement plans (like teacher pensions), sick days, holidays and paid time off are all part of being a district employee.
  • Depending on your state, you may have the opportunity to take you salary in a 12 month pay [instead of 9 or 10 month] which allows you to be paid while being off in the summer. It may not be required that you work extended school year [ESY], but could choose to do so for extra pay.
My students helped me to decorate my door for a holiday door decorating contest!

Feeling part of the community; a sense of belonging

  • While district employees may travel between schools within the same district, they are still typically “known”. You are able to participate in district-wide events, trainings, meetings, etc. After several years in the same district [and some intentionality on your part!] you can really feel part of the school community. This can be harder as a contractor. You may feel more isolated.

Typically less need for extensive travel

  • Working within the same district [depending on the size] typically limits the distance and frequency in which you need to travel. This can allow the therapist more time in the schools, working with students and collaborating with teachers/staff.
I have a 30 minute [paid] lunch and have built a community of “teacher friends”, so I can do coffee runs over lunch!

If you opt in, you may have access to union representation

  • The teacher’s union will provide advocacy, support you in disputes/grievances/lawsuits, and can represent you in collective bargaining for salary and working conditions. My physical therapist (PT) coworker and I joined the negotiations committee as part of our union to ensure that our most recent contract included things specific to related service providers as there were many more of us included on this contract than when the previous one was written.

Therapist may be provided with funding for professional development

  • In my experience, I have had opportunities funded by the district such as access to occupationaltherapy.com, funding to attend national, state and local conferences and annual funding allotments for additional coursework [I pursued my clinical doctorate – OTD degree – with this funding].
  • There are typically “professional development days” required for teachers. After some advocacy, we were able to adjust this time so that we were afforded opportunities to earn credit towards CEUs that are required to uphold our therapy licenses [as compared to the trainings the teachers were completing to uphold theirs].
My co worker and I at the AOTA conferenceMy co worker and I at the AOTA conference
American Occupational Therapy Association Conference in Philadelphia, PA

Therapist may have their own space

  • While not guaranteed, I feel as though being a therapist hired by the district increases the likelihood that you will have a treatment and/or office space.

More opportunities for MTSS and general education supports exist

  • Services that may not be traditionally “billable” are easily to complete when you are salaried through the district. Need to meet with a teacher to chat about a student? Need to observed in PE to understand how to modify things for your autism support classroom? Want to co-teach with a kindergarten teacher to build early fine motor skills with incoming students? If it fits in your schedule, no problem! I find that I need to be less creative in “justifying the time” for these types of non-direct services as a district therapist because I don’t need to submit a timesheet at the end of each month.
barrel tunnel and boss ball on a mat in the therapy roombarrel tunnel and boss ball on a mat in the therapy room
I am lucky to have access to sensory equipment/sensory rooms at all of my schools to utilize during treatment sessions.

Cons

Potential for a lack of variety

  • While the job may be more stable/secure, you know [for the most part!] the students you will have from year to year as you are always servicing students within the same district. Depending on the size of the district, this may be a bit monotonous. The diversity of your experience may be limited.

There may be a lower pay

  • When comparing to contracts, also consider the cost of benefits. If you have to pay for your own insurance and don’t have paid time off as a contractor, that could be why your pay is higher. However, especially if you are new to schools and have years of experience, there is the potential that you may start lower on the pay scale. Public schools do not always honor years of service outside of public schools.
  • Public school salary schedules are posted publicly, so check that out as you are looking for jobs. If you are an OTR, you will likely start the “masters” column. However, also inquire about starting higher as your masters degree may have been more credits than a traditional teaching masters!
Make sure you advocate for appropriate pay based on your years of experience and education level!

There may be less flexibility or room for negotiation

  • Typically, when working on a teacher contract, you are locked into those fixed hours. You have a set caseload, and obligation to attend all meetings. The salary and benefits come directly from the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union [who may be unfamiliar with the therapist roles]. There is likely not a lot of room to customize your schedule nor negotiate salary or benefits upon hire.

Additional responsibilities may be expected of you on the teacher contract

  • While you also *should* be guaranteed a lunch and planning period, teachers are expected to have recess and/or door duties. They run stations at field day and attend faculty meetings/professional development on curriculum topics, etc. Depending on your district, these things may also be part of your requirements.
fine motor bin with clothes pins, theraputty, play dough, pac man tennis ball, tooth picks, dominoes, single hole punch, etc. fine motor bin with clothes pins, theraputty, play dough, pac man tennis ball, tooth picks, dominoes, single hole punch, etc.

Make sure you consider all of the above before making a decision on a school-based OT job! Things like pay, stability, variety, community, mentorship, etc. are all important things to consider! However, I am a firm believer that a job is what you make of it! Give it your all and advocate for the role of OT in the schools [with fair/reasonable workloads]. Collaborate with other OTs and do what’s best for kids! You got this!





Source link

Cons Contracted District Employee Pros Therapist
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp Copy Link
yhhifa9
admin
  • Website

Related Posts

Special Education

The Purpose of a Classroom Observation for Gathering Data

September 23, 2025
Special Education

 5 Visuals for Preschool Special Education Classrooms on Day 1

September 22, 2025
Special Education

Dyscalculia FAQ: The Math Disability Teachers Should Know About

September 21, 2025
Special Education

The Bender Bunch: Thanksgiving Crowd Pleasers

September 20, 2025
Special Education

20 Teacher Affirmations to Keep a Positive Mindset

September 19, 2025
Special Education

What is LRE? – Simply Special Ed

September 18, 2025
Add A Comment
Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Top Posts

2024 in math puzzles. – Math with Bad Drawings

July 22, 202521 Views

Testing Quantum Theory in Curved Spacetime

July 22, 202514 Views

How AI Is Helping Customer Support Teams Avoid Burnout

May 28, 202510 Views

Chemistry in the sunshine – in C&EN

August 9, 20258 Views
Don't Miss

Can I Use Financial Aid for a Study Abroad Program?

By adminSeptember 23, 20250

248 Are you wondering how to pay for study abroad? You’re not alone! Cost concerns…

What I Wish I Knew Before Starting University | Study in Ireland

September 22, 2025

Meet Four College Students Who Studied Abroad in England

September 19, 2025

Literary Gardens – Global Studies Blog

September 16, 2025
Stay In Touch
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Vimeo

Subscribe to Updates

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Loading
About Us
About Us

Welcome to Bkngpnarnaul. At Bkngpnarnaul, we are committed to shaping the future of technical education in Haryana. As a premier government institution, our mission is to empower students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to thrive in today’s competitive and ever-evolving technological landscape.

Our Picks

K-12 Gamification: A Guide For Publishers

September 23, 2025

Can Plantar Fasciitis Cause Knee Pain? Know the Link

September 23, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Loading
Copyright© 2025 Bkngpnarnaul All Rights Reserved.
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.