Related Services - For Administrators

A School-Based, Educational Perspective

School administrators are often asked to balance compliance, staffing, and student needs—without always having clear guidance on how related service providers are meant to function within an educational model.

This concise, administrator-friendly document provides clear role definition, boundaries, and expectations for school-based related service providers, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, school psychologists, social workers, and other specialists.

Rather than a medical or clinic-based lens, this resource focuses on educational access, participation, and functional performance—helping leaders ensure services are collaborative, compliant, and sustainable within schools.

What This Resource Covers:

✔️ The purpose of related services in schools
✔️ Key differences between school-based vs. medical models
✔️ Core responsibilities of related service providers
✔️ What related service providers are not designed to do
✔️ Why role clarity matters for staffing, retention, and outcomes
✔️ How administrators can support effective service delivery
✔️ Practical examples tied to access, participation, and capacity-building

Who This Is For:

• School & district administrators

• Special education directors & coordinators

• Principals & assistant principals

• Related service leaders and department heads

• Therapists looking for a clear, shareable explanation for leadership

Why You’ll Love It:

✅ Written in clear, non-clinical language
✅ Grounded in IDEA and educational service delivery
✅ Supports collaboration over compliance confusion
✅ Helps prevent role drift, burnout, and misaligned expectations
✅ Easy to share with leadership and teams

If you’re looking to strengthen collaboration, clarify expectations, and ensure related services are used where they have the greatest educational impact, this document is a must-have.