Strategies for Helping Administrators Support YOUR School ......For Successful Recruitment of OTs and OTAs, Your LEA Needs to Stand Out! Competitive salaries/benefits •Benchmark

9/23/2018

1

Strategies for Helping Administrators Support YOUR School Practice!

J EAN E . P OLICHINO, OTR, MS, FAOTA

2 018 MO UNTAIN C ENTRAL C ONFERENCE

N OVEMBER 3 , 2 018

Learner Outcomes

As a result of this course, participants will be able to: ◦ recommend 3 strategies for attracting candidates for

vacant school therapy positions,

◦ Identifying 2 methods for facilitating positive therapist transition into their school positions,

◦ Articulating 2 strategies increasing the odds that therapists who fill jobs in your district will stay, and

◦ Describing 3 components of best practice occupational therapy in schools.

SISP = Specialized Instructional Support Personnel

9/23/2018

2

LEA = Local Education Agency

Administrative Challenges

ISSUE #1: POSITION VACANCIES

How Many of You are Working in School Districts

or Charter Schools with OT Vacancies?

9/23/2018

3

Texas Personnel Shortages2006 (Most Recent) Data

Source: Texas Study of Personnel Needs in special Education, May 2006

Related Service Estimated Vacancy Rate (%)

Educational Diagnostician 6.2

Bilingual Diagnostician 7.7

SLP, licensed or certified 8.7

Bilingual SLP, licensed or certified 19.1

LSSP 4.9

Bilingual LSSP 14.7

Occupational Therapist 4.3

Physical Therapist 8.0

Orientation and Mobility Specialist 5.6

SISP Shortage Data, 2013-14

• 49 states report a shortage of special ed & related service personnel 82% of special educators and SISPs reported there are not enough professionals to meet student needs

• 47% of SLPs report shortages in their schools

• NASP projects a 15,000 school psychologist shortage by 2020

• School counselors and nurses serve many more students than are recommended

• sped teacher shortage 2016-18 54% per EdWeek, 1/24/18

“There is both a shortage of professionals to fill available positions and a shortage of positions to meet the growing demand for services for American’s six million children and youth with

disabilities who receive special education services.”

- https://specialedshortages.org, 2013-14

9/23/2018

4

Service delivery cannot be successfully accomplished

without adequate personnel

(a quality issue as well as a compliance issue)

Reasons for Special Education and Related Services Personnel Shortages, 2013-14

• Poor Working Conditions (e.g., excessive paperwork, unmanageable caseloads/workloads, inadequate support, professional isolation)

• Insufficient funding for incentive programs to entice new graduates

• Few qualified faculty to increase preparation programs and increasing higher education costs

• Maldistribution of professionals around urban centers

• Rural, high poverty and high crime areas are less desirable

• Credentialing barriers limit re-specialization and/or paths to licensure for otherwise qualified personnel

• 80% of respondents reported ocal budget cuts “have impacted the ability to provide services mandated by IDEA;”

•Budget cuts increase caseloads, impact the ability to purchases resources such as assistive technology and reduce professional development opportunities

- NCPSSERS

9/23/2018

5

For OTs Specifically (most recent data)

▪ OT supply doesn’t meet demand nationally

▪ Schools are generally not the OT candidate’s first choice for employment

▪ OT salaries are typically higher in the private sector

- COPSSE, 2004

What is the Impact of Personnel Shortages?

▪ “Shortages impede the ability of students with disabilities to reach their full academic potential and hinder the work of districts to prepare all students to be college and career-ready.”

▪ “. . . the national cost of public school teacher turnover could be over $7.3 billion a year.”

▪ “As a result of high turnover, high need urban and rural schools are frequently staffed with inequitable concentrations of . . . specialized instructional support personnel.”

▪ Chronic shortages leads to hiring of underqualified individuals and limits the quality of services

▪ Constant retraining of staff means high-needs school are unable to close the achievement gap.

- https://specialedshortages.org, 2013

9/23/2018

6

What Are the Benefits of a Strong, Comprehensive Recruitment Effort?

▪ Helps attract a more diverse and culturally competent workforce

▪ Helps ensure a highly qualified workforce for addressing student academic and social needs

▪ Improves the equitable distribution of SISP into rural areas as well as low income areas

So, how can you tip the odds of success in your favor?

Recruiting Strategies for Related Services Personnel

9/23/2018

7

What Administrators Need to Know (but too often, do not)

Credentialing (licenses and certification)◦ Every discipline is different

◦ Some have multiple paths to entry

◦ Not all disciplines are regulated by the state

◦ OT and OTAs are licensed professionals in Texas

Therapist Preparation for School-based Jobs◦ For example, OT preparation is almost solely for healthcare jobs

◦ LEAs need a plan for training and mentoring

Where LEAs Can Find Providers

Start Locally◦ Local university programs

◦ Local professional groups

Try State Sources◦ State professional associations (websites!)

◦ State licensure mailing lists

◦ Exhibit at Conferences

Look Nationally◦ National professional associations (website job postings)◦ National therapy headhunters

◦ Read the small print (it should be turnkey)

◦ Pay attention to non-compete clauses

Market/Advertise◦ Partner with your Human Resource department to ensure use

of Internet-based options (including social media)◦ Job Fairs (healthcare and education)◦ Promotional Print Material (paid ads in association newsletters,

etc.)◦ Radio/TV ads

9/23/2018

8

Frequently Used Recruitment Strategies for Teachers and Related Services Personnel (Muller, 2010)

• Use of promotional/print materials

• Use of online recruitment systems

• Use of Recruiters

• “Grow your own” Programs

• Tuition Assistance

• Job Fairs

For Successful Recruitment of OTs and OTAs, Your LEA Needs to Stand Out!

✓ Competitive salaries/benefits• Benchmark compensation against the ENTIRE market, not just other LEAs

• Position yourself to be a player

✓ Provide paid Professional Development relevant to school practice in their field (not teacher inservices)

✓ Create Loan forgiveness programs

✓ Provide Access to Benefits for Part-time therapists

✓ Consider a Sign-on Bonus

✓ Pay for their move and/or first year’s rent

By the Way, Contracting is not necessarily a bad thing

◦ Board perception v. administrative make/buy decision

◦ Administration and HR should review IRS Rules

◦ Seek entities and/or individuals that specialize in school-based practice

◦ Have a contract template ready, if only for purposes of negotiation

◦ To make best use of contractors, orient them to your district and outline expectations

◦ Using a daily rate, rather than an hourly rate of a per student rate frees them to contribute to early intervening/RtI activities, provide teacher and parent training sessions, work up equipment/materials orders, etc.

9/23/2018

9

Grow Your Own for Long Range Success!

✓ Offer to guest lecture in local community college/university preservice programs (or support your therapists as they do so)

✓ Help with tuition in return for 2-5 year commitment

✓ Partner with an IHE (Institution for Higher Education) program and offer to host a cohort for a distance learning program

Recognize the Interview as a Recruiting Tool

Preparation for the Interview

▪ Be welcoming! Read the application prior to the candidate’s arrival and have a quiet environment for the interview, away from distractions

▪ Be prepared with interview questions; ask each candidate for the position the same questions

▪ Two interviewers are ideal – one to ask questions and one to write down what is said

▪ Once your questions have been asked, invite the candidate to ask questions and have information ready for them (salary range, basis for salary offers, your orientation and mentoring activities, resources provided, work days and hours, available benefits)

9/23/2018

10

From my Experience -- Qualities/Skills to Look for in the OT or OTA Interview

▪ Prior school experience or school fieldwork!

▪ Orientation to compliance (this is critical, given the legal frameworks governing school practice)

▪ Genuine interest in and enjoyment of others

▪ Demonstration of mutual respect and manners

▪ Orientation to collaboration and teamwork

▪ Evidence of a positive, can-do outlook

▪ Organizational skills necessary for itinerant work

▪Willingness and ability to produce professionally presented reports and adhere to timelines (critical to producing defensible documentation)

▪ Ability to close a conversation gracefully and move on

▪ Drive to provide high quality of work without close supervision

▪ Hustle!

Remember, Positive Word of Mouth from

Current or Former Employees is a Powerful

Recruitment Tool!

9/23/2018

11

Nothing is more important

than your LEA’s reputation

as a good place to work!

If vacanciesaren’t your problem, what about turnover?

Retention –What’S Getting in the Way?

9/23/2018

12

Top 5 Barriers to Retaining Related Services Personnel in Texas

1. Overwhelming amount of required paper work

2. Legal complexities of working in special education

3. Job stress due to conflicting demands of the job and work overload

4. Multiple-campus assignments

5. Excessive Caseloads

- Texas Study of Personnel Needs in special Education, May 2006

Survey of 500 Teachers Nationally re What Would Make them Remain in or LeaveTheir Jobs (Sept 2017)

REMAIN

1. Competitive Salary

2. Positive School Climate

3. Some Level of Autonomy

4. Supportive Leadership

LEAVE

1. Indifferent or Negative Leadership

2. Noncompetitive Salary

3. Poor School Climate

4. Low Level of Autonomy

So, how can LEAs Overcome these Barriers?

9/23/2018

13

Frequently Used Retention Strategies for Teachers and Related Services Personnel (Muller, 2010)

▪ Professional Development Opportunities

▪ Administrative Support

▪Mentoring or Coaching

Administrative Practices that Foster Retention

❑Management knowledgeable in related services fields (or willing to learn)

❑ Provider access to management

❑ Genuine interest in provider perspective and ideas

❑ Frank look at caseload v. workload issues

❑ Streamlining documentation

❑ Contemplating staff mix

❑ Ensuring therapists a place at the table (advisory boards, committees, task forces)

❑ Performance Feedback and Annual Appraisal relevant to their skill set

❑ Paid Professional Development in their field

❑Access to Benefits for Part-time providers

9/23/2018

14

Specific Actions that Contribute to Retention of School Therapists (adapted from - https://specialedshortages.org, 2013-14)

Assure a Manageable Workload◦ Seek understanding of the scope of therapists’ workloads

◦ Ensure time is included in each student IEPs for needed “indirect” services (consulting with instructional staff and other professionals, providing training, fabricating materials, adjusting/repairing equipment, etc.)

◦ Recognize roles and responsibilities beyond direct/indirect services included in student IEPs that include contributions to early intervening/RtI services, 504 services

◦ Permit flexibility in scheduling to accommodate meeting the various needs of students in natural environments during the appropriate time in the daily routine (e.g., avoid regimentation in scheduling that is typically for administrative convenience)

◦ Include time for collaborative teamwork at each assigned school

◦ Ensure time for OT/OTA supervision as per state licensure regulations

◦ Ensure a quiet workspace for data analysis, report writing and documentation of services

◦ Ensure a sufficient number of qualified SISP to meet the needs of students and maintain reasonable workloads

◦ Provide adequate resources (e.g., clerical assistance, equipment and materials)

When Determining Staffing Needs, Consider the Settings as well as the Number of Students◦ Identify the number and location of schools the SISP is

assigned to

◦ Calculate the travel time between schools

◦ Ensure service delivery models meet student needs

◦ Evaluate how technologies can increase efficiencies (e.g., using Facetime or Skype for OTA supervision and IEP meeting attendance; utilizing telehealth to serve students in rural areas or across large LEAs)

9/23/2018

15

Administrative Challenges

ISSUE #2: INDUCTION/TRANSITION

INTO THE JOB

Be sure Your Administration does not Assume the

New Therapist(s) Knows How to Practice in Schools!

Develop and Execute an Induction/Transition Plan

✓ Therapists and Administrators should collaboratively develop a process and timeline for orienting a new recruit to school practice

✓ Ensure ALL therapists new to schools participate in all facets of the orientation (those with significant school experience also need to hear about local procedures & practices)

✓ Assign a mentor or “buddy” who 1) is consistently available by phone or text, and 2) can share not only practice tips but cultural norms in your LEA

9/23/2018

16

Strategies for Successful Induction/Transition into the Job

Explicit instruction in What is Expected✓Professional behaviors (tardies/absences, punctuality, confidentiality, teamwork,

advocacy, etc.)

✓LEA service delivery policies and practices (FAPE, LRE, etc.)

✓Alignment of LEA therapy practices with evidence

Ongoing Mentoring/Coaching✓Scheduled, periodic meetings to reinforce/apply what’s required

✓Quick response to questions (teachable moments)

✓Skill-building opportunities

Suggested Topics to Include in Therapist Orientation

◦ IDEA Part B Legal Requirements/Compliance Issues

◦ IEP Process - How are decisions made for students?

◦ How OT as a Related Service Fits in the IEP process

◦ IDEA Documentation Requirements and LEA Expectations

◦ Evidence-Based Practices for Evaluation and Intervention

◦ How OT practitioners serve 504 Students

◦ OT Role in EI/RtI Services

Administrative Challenges

ISSUE #3: IGNORANCE OF, OR WORSE, IGNORING BEST PRACTICES

9/23/2018

17

Critical Areas for Successful, Evidence-based Service Delivery

Participation (v. impairment) focus in◦ Evaluation to determine educational need for the addition

of related services in the IEP or 504 Plan

◦ Intervention strategies embedded in natural school environments and delivered during daily routines

Inter-disciplinary collaborative teamwork, beginning with goal development and including:◦ modeling of strategies in context, with follow-up

◦ shared data collection and analysis for progress monitoring

◦ Collaborative progress reporting to parents (1 note home)

Documentation is Critical◦ Is data collection for the evaluation consistent with

evidence-based practices for determining each individual student’s educational need?

◦ Do service recommendations reflect current student data and support for the student’s functional performance and participation in academic and social/emotional activities at school)?

◦ Does time/frequency/duration/location documented in the IEP align with federal and state requirements?

◦ Are services delivered as specified in the IEP?

◦ Is service delivery time/frequency tracked and monitored?

◦ Are evidence-based interventions implemented and appropriately documented?

◦ Does the approach to service delivery align with best practices (e.g., contextually-driven and embedded/integrated into daily routines)?

◦ Is periodic data collection for progress monitoring evident?

9/23/2018

18

Additional Considerations in Related Services Delivery

▪ UDL must be a consideration in determining educational need, e.g., what is disabling may be in the design of the task or aspects of the environment

▪ A blended direct and indirect service approachis supported in IDEA and in evidence, and time for both should be included in time/frequency recommendations

▪ Contextual practice is consistent with evidence for positive results and with IDEA’s requirement for services to be provided in the least restrictive environment (removal from instruction for related services is not)

▪Modeling in context allows for replication of strategies daily by instructional personnel

Promote OT Contributions to MTSS

▪ Through UDL Efforts at district, campus or classroom level

▪ By assisting with Universal screenings/probes (data collection and analysis)

▪ Providing training for teachers

▪ Volunteering to serve on problem-solving teams or committees

▪ Providing Technical Assistance

▪ Leading classroom or small group activities

▪ Helping the LEA determine when special ed referral is indicated

You are in a

Perfect Position to Help Your Administrators

Support OT Services!

9/23/2018

19

Resources from Your Profession

AOTA Resources: https://www.aota.org/Practice/Children-Youth/School-based/Resources.aspx

Additional ResourcesCenter on Personnel Studies in Special Education http://copsse.education.ufl.edu/research-focus-areas/related-services.php

IRIS Center Module on Related Services http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/rs/chalcycle.htm

National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services https://specialedshortages.org/

Personnel Improvement Center, National Center to Improve Recruitment and Retention of Qualified Personnel for Children with Disabilities http://www.personnelcenter.org/

References

Budget Cuts Threaten Special Education Services, Survey Shows (2013). National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services (NCPSSAERS). Retrieved from https://specialedshortages.org/resources/

Caranikas-Walker, F., Shapley, K. S. & Cordeau, M. (2006). Texas Study of Personnel Needs in Special Education. Austin, TX: Texas Center for Educational Research.

Center on Personnel Shortages in Special Education (COPSSE). (2004). An insufficient supply and a growing demand for qualified related service providers: Special education workforce watch-Insights from research. Gainesville, FL: Author. Retrieved from http://www.coe.ufl.edu/copsse/docs/PB-21/1/PB-21/pdf

9/23/2018

20

Karr, S. T. (2012). Tips for Recruiting and Retaining Specialized Instructional Support Personnel. In CASE. 53. 3. 10-12.. Retrieved from casecec.org/Documents/InCASE/Vol53_No3_Jan-Mar2012.pdf

Muller, E. (2010). Strategies for the Recruitment and Retention of Qualified Related Service Providers. Personnel Improvement Center Practice Brief. Retrieved from http://www.personnelcenter.org/

Muller, E. (2010). State-Level Efforts to Recruit and Retain Qualified Special Education Personnel Including Related Service Providers. inForum Brief Policy Analysis. National Association of State Directors of Special Education. Retrieved from http://nasdse.org/DesktopModules/DNNspot-Store/ProductFiles/77_79655485-81f4-4622-b26f-4ef46597a82a.pdf

Personnel Issues in School-Based Occupational Therapy: Supply and Demand, Preparation and Certification and Licensure (May 2003). Prepared for the Center on Personnel Studies in Special Education (COPSSE) by Yvonne Swinth, Barbara Chandler, Barbara Hanft, Leslie Jackson and Jayne Shepherd. (COPDDE Document No. IB-IE). Retrieved from copsse.education.ufl.edu/docs/IB-1E/1/IB-1E.pdf

Special Education Personnel Shortages Factsheet. (2014). National Coalition on Personnel Shortages in Special Education and Related Services Retrieved (NCPSSERS) from https://specialedshortages.org/resources/

Viadero, D. (January 24, 2018). Teaching Shortages: Many Answers for a Complex Problem. Education Week. 37.18. 4-5.