As a standing committee of the Washington Occupational Therapy Association (WOTA), the mission of Occupational Therapy in the Schools (OTIS) Standing Committee is to support a professional community for members involved in school-based practice. OTIS facilitates enhanced service delivery in school-based settings, expanded networking among school-based therapists across the state, the communication and use of best evidence in practice, and improved awareness of the purpose and value of occupational therapy in educational environments.

OTIS will:

1. Communicate with WOTA leadership and membership regarding current issues affecting school-based practice.

1.1 OTIS will provide school-based practice updates via the WOTA newsletter.

1.2 OTIS will provide specific updates regarding federal legislation such as the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act.

1.3 OTIS will analyze and distribute results of the WOTA online survey of WA state school-based occupational therapists and use findings to prioritize future goals and objectives.

1.4 OTIS will work with the Conference Committee to further develop opportunities for school-based practitioners at annual WOTA conference.

2. Provide current resources to WA state school-based occupational therapy practitioners for the express purpose of enhancing service delivery through the use of best evidence.

2.1 OTIS will maintain a listserv for its members.

2.2 OTIS will develop Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Tip Sheets, e.g., Caseload, OT Role in the Schools, and Supervision, for distribution via the OTIS web pages.

2.3 OTIS membership will assemble quarterly to network with other practitioners.

2.4 OTIS will develop web pages for the WOTA website to include Mission and Goals, FAQ/Tip Sheets/ Q & A, Resource List, Listserv information, Links to AOTA, SETC, OSPI, etc.

3. Collaborate with other professional associations, organizations, and committees, in order to address the needs of schools and school-based therapists.

3.1 OTIS will explore development of a joint statement with the Physical Therapy Association of Washington (PTWA) regarding role delineation within school-based practice.

3.2 OTIS will maintain membership in local and state committees as they exist, including Special Education/ELL Joint Task Force on the Certificate of Mastery, Washington State Special Education Coalition, and Washington Educational Staff Associates Council.

3.3 OTIS will establish, build, and maintain relationships with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Washington Education Association (WEA).