Section PI 11.24 - Related service: physical and occupational therapy(1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT. Subchapter V of ch. 115, Stats., gives an LEA the authority to establish physical therapy and occupational therapy services.(2) IEP TEAM. If a child is suspected to need occupational therapy or physical therapy or both, the IEP team for that child shall include an appropriate therapist.(7) PHYSICAL THERAPISTS' LICENSURE AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.(a)Licensure. A school physical therapist shall be licensed by the department under s. PI 34.093.(b)Caseload.1. Except as specified under subds. 2. and 3., the caseload for a full-time school physical therapist employed for a full day, 5 days a week, shall be as follows:a. A minimum of 15 children.b. A maximum of 30 children.c. A maximum of 45 children with one or more school physical therapist assistants.2. The caseload for a part-time school physical therapist may be pro-rated based on the specifications under subd. 1.3. A caseload may vary from the specifications under subd. 1. or 2., if approved in the LEA's plan under s. 115.77(4), Stats. The following shall be considered in determining whether the variance may be approved:a. Frequency and duration of physical therapy as specified in the child's IEP.c. Number of evaluations.e. Student related activities.(c)Medical information. The school physical therapist shall have medical information from a licensed physician regarding a child before the child receives physical therapy.(d)Delegation and supervision of physical therapy.1. The school physical therapist may delegate to a school physical therapist assistant only those portions of a child's physical therapy which are consistent with the school physical therapist assistant's education, training and experience.2. The school physical therapist shall supervise the physical therapy provided by a school physical therapist assistant. The school physical therapist shall develop a written policy and procedure for written and oral communication to the physical therapist assistant. The policy and procedure shall include a specific description of the supervisory activities undertaken for the school physical therapist assistant which shall include either of the following levels of supervision: a. The school physical therapist shall have daily, direct contact on the premises with the school physical therapist assistant.b. The school physical therapist shall have direct, face-to-face contact with the school physical therapist assistant at least once every 14 calendar days. Between direct contacts, the physical therapist shall be available by telecommunication. The school physical therapist providing general supervision under this subdivision shall provide an on-site reevaluation of each child's physical therapy a minimum of one time per calendar month or every tenth day of physical therapy, whichever is sooner, and adjust the physical therapy as appropriate.3. A full-time school physical therapist may supervise no more than 2 full-time equivalent physical therapist assistant positions which may include no more than 3 physical therapist assistants.4. Notwithstanding the provisions under this paragraph, the act undertaken by a school physical therapist assistant shall be considered the act of the supervising physical therapist who has delegated the act.(e)Responsibility of school physical therapist. A school physical therapist under this subsection shall conduct all physical therapy evaluations and reevaluations of a child, participate in the development of the child's IEP, and develop physical therapy treatment plans for the child. A school physical therapist may not be represented by a school physical therapist assistant on an IEP team.(8) SCHOOL PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANTS' QUALIFICATIONS AND SUPERVISION OF PHYSICAL THERAPY. (a)Licensure. A school physical therapist assistant shall be licensed by the department under s. PI 34.094.(b)Supervision. The school physical therapist assistant providing physical therapy to a child under this section, shall be supervised by a school physical therapist as specified under sub. (7) (d).(9) OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS' LICENSURE AND SERVICE REQUIREMENTS.(a)Licensure. The school occupational therapist shall be licensed by the department under s. PI 34.091.(b)Caseload.1. Except as specified under subds. 2. and 3., the caseload for a full-time school occupational therapist employed for a full day, 5 days a week, shall be as follows: a. A minimum of 15 children.b. A maximum of 30 children.c. A maximum of 45 children with one or more occupational therapy assistants.2. The caseload for a part-time school occupational therapist may be pro-rated based on the specifications under subd. 1.3. A caseload may vary from the specifications under subd. 1. or 2., if approved in the LEA's plan under s. 115.77(4), Stats. The following shall be considered in determining whether the variance may be approved:a. Frequency and duration of occupational therapy as specified in the child's IEP.c. Number of evaluations.e. Student related activities.(c)Medical information. The school occupational therapist shall have medical information regarding a child before the child receives occupational therapy.(d)Delegation and supervision of occupational therapy.1. The school occupational therapist may delegate to a school occupational therapy assistant only those portions of a child's occupational therapy which are consistent with the school occupational therapy assistant's education, training and experience.2. The school occupational therapist shall supervise the occupational therapy provided by a school occupational therapy assistant. The school occupational therapist shall develop a written policy and procedure for written and oral communication to the occupational therapist assistant. The policy and procedure shall include a specific description of the supervisory activities undertaken for the school occupational therapist assistant which shall include either of the following levels of supervision: a. The school occupational therapist shall have daily, direct contact on the premises with the school occupational therapy assistant.b. The school occupational therapist shall have direct, face-to-face contact with the school occupational therapy assistant at least once every 14 calendar days. Between direct contacts, the occupational therapist shall be available by telecommunication. The school occupational therapist providing general supervision under this subdivision shall provide an on-site reevaluation of each child's occupational therapy a minimum of one time per calendar month or every tenth day of occupational therapy, whichever is sooner, and adjust the occupational therapy as appropriate.3. A full-time school occupational therapist may supervise no more than 2 full-time equivalent occupational therapy assistant positions which may include no more than 3 occupational therapy assistants.4. Notwithstanding the provisions under this paragraph, the act undertaken by a school occupational therapy assistant shall be considered the act of the supervising occupational therapist who has delegated the act.(e)Responsibility of school occupational therapist. A school occupational therapist under this subsection shall conduct all occupational therapy evaluations and reevaluations of a child, participate in the development of the child's IEP, and develop occupational therapy treatment plans for the child. A school occupational therapist may not be represented by a school occupational therapy assistant on an IEP team.(10) SCHOOL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANTS' QUALIFICATIONS AND SUPERVISION. (a)Licensure. A school occupational therapy assistant shall be licensed by the department under s. PI 34.092.(b)Supervision. The school occupational therapy assistant providing occupational therapy to a child under this section shall be supervised by a school occupational therapist as specified under sub. (9) (d).Wis. Admin. Code Department of Public Instruction PI 11.24
Cr. Register, December, 1975, No. 240, eff. 1-1-76; am. (7) (b) 1 and (8) (b) 1, Register, February, 1976, No. 242, eff. 3-1-76; am. (7) (b) 4 and (8) (b) 2, Register, November, 1976, No. 251, eff. 12-1-76; am. (1) and (8) (b) 4., Register, February, 1983, No. 326, eff. 3-1-83; r. (11) (b) and (c), renum. (11) (a) to be (11), Register, September, 1986, No. 369, eff. 10-1-86; renum. from PI 11.19, Register, May, 1990, No. 413, eff. 6-1-90; am (7) (b) 4., Register, October, 1990, No. 418, eff. 11-1-90; am. (7) (a) and (8) (a), Register, March, 1992, No. 435, eff. 4-1-92; am. (1), (2) (intro.) and (3) (intro.), r. (2) (a) to (d), (3) (a), (b) and (11), r. and recr. (4) to (10), Register, July, 1993, No. 451, eff. 8-1-93; correction in (10) made under s. 13.93(2m) (b) 7, Stats., Register, April, 1998, No. 508; r. (1) to (6), cr. (1) and (2), am. (7) (b) 1. (intro.), 3. (intro.), (e), (9) (b) 1. (intro.), 3. (intro.), (e) and (10) (b), Register, September, 1998, No. 513, eff. 10-1-98; am. (9) (c), Register, May, 2000, No. 533, eff. 6-1-00; corrections in (7) (a), (8) (a), (9) (a), and (10) (a) made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Stats., Register November 2010 No. 659.Amended by, CR 16-027: am. (1) Register July 2016 No. 727, eff. 8/1/2016Amended by, correction in (7) (a), (8) (a), (9) (a), (10) (a), made under s. 13.92(4) (b) 7, Stats., Register June 2019 No. 762, eff. 7/1/2019