ESOT INDICATORS

Quality Indicators for School-Based Practices

The quality indicators include performance domains and key concepts. See the downloadable quality indicators document for more specifics.

Click an icon below to learn more about each indicator.

WHAT IS A QUALITY INDICATOR?

Simply put, quality indicators are standards or benchmarks used to ensure that occupational therapy services provided in educational settings are effective, efficient, and aligned with best practices. These indicators help guide occupational therapists in delivering high-quality services that support students' educational goals and participation in school activities. We will dig into this a bit more below.

QISP

The Quality Indicators for School Practice (QISP) was developed through conversation with hundreds of occupational therapy stakeholders across the country. It was validated through research and it provides a framework for Effective School OT practice across seven performance domains.

QI-01

Children and youth's developmental, medical, social-emotional, and learning characteristics, along with their environmental context, significantly influence their participation in meaningful activities and social and physical settings. Understanding these factors is crucial for promoting optimal engagement and success in school and community life.

Participation in meaningful activities across various routines in natural settings significantly enhances development and learning in children and youth. Conversely, limited participation hinders learning and development, leading to a detrimental cascade effect. Ensuring active engagement in these activities is crucial for fostering optimal growth and educational success.

Enhancing learning and development in children can be achieved by adapting activities and environments to boost participation in meaningful roles and routines. By creating supportive and engaging settings, we can foster optimal growth and educational success.

The Occupational Therapy Practitioner understands the impact of client factors, performance skills and patterns, and environmental contexts on health, wellness, engagement in meaningful occupations, and social participation.

They adapt and modify school environments and instruction to ensure optimal access, participation, and learning for all students. This includes physical environmental modifications, optimal classroom design, universal design, and system supports such as SEL, RtI, and PBIS, as well as inclusive classroom supports.

Observing and intervening in natural school settings encourages students to engage in various activities. They also work with other education partners to promote student participation, ensuring a comprehensive and supportive educational experience for every student.

Children and youth learn best; build authentic social relationships; and experience improved health and wellness outcomes when they participate actively in meaningful and valued roles, routines and self-chosen activities.

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QI-02

Compliance with regulatory, policy, and guidance requirements—including licensure, educational legislation, state and local regulations, standards of learning, and professional association guidelines—is integral to shaping professional roles and ensuring the delivery of safe and ethical services.

Understanding how developmental, medical, social-emotional, and learning factors, alongside environmental contexts, impact children and youth's engagement in meaningful activities and social settings is crucial.

Active participation in diverse occupational routines within natural environments supports developmental and educational progress.

Conversely, restricted engagement can hinder learning and development, leading to negative consequences. By adapting activities and environments to promote meaningful participation, we can foster positive outcomes in learning and development.

Occupational Therapy Practitioners are skilled in understanding how client factors, performance skills, patterns, and environmental contexts influence health, wellness, meaningful engagement in activities, and social participation.

They adapt and modify school environments and instruction to enhance access, optimal participation, and learning for all students. This includes physical modifications, optimal classroom designs, universal systems like SEL, RtI, PBIS, and inclusive supports.

They observe and intervene in natural school settings to foster engagement and participation in various activities, encouraging student involvement across different school contexts. Collaborating with education partners, they promote comprehensive student participation and support across diverse learning environments.

QI-03

Information regarding strengths and needs that influence occupational performance and the ability to participate in meaningful school activities and contexts is gathered through collaboration with relevant stakeholders, formal observation in relevant environments, occupation-based data collection, and standardized and non-standardized assessment.

Developmental, medical, social-emotional and learning characteristics of children and youth together with contextual factors influence participation in relevant occupations and social and physical contexts.

Development and learning is facilitated by participation in activities of meaning across the spectrum of occupational routines in natural settings; conversely, limited participation interferes with learning and development, yielding a detrimental cascade effect.

Adapting activities and environments to enhance participation in meaningful roles and routines can positively influence learning and development.

The Occupational Therapy Practitioner understands the influence of client factors, performance skills and patterns, and environments and context on health, wellness, engagement in occupations of meaning, and social participation.

Adapts and/or modifies school environments and instruction to promote access and optimal participation and learning for all students (e.g., physical environmental modification and optimal classroom design, universal design and system supports [SEL, RtI, PBIS], inclusive classroom supports).

Observes and intervenes in naturally occurring contexts throughout the school environment Encourages engagement and participation in occupation across school contexts Works with other education partners to promote student participation across contexts.

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QI-04

Children and youth learn best; build authentic social relationships; and experience improved health and wellness outcomes when they participate actively in meaningful and valued roles, routines and self-chosen activities.

Developmental, medical, social-emotional and learning characteristics of children and youth together with contextual factors influence participation in relevant occupations and social and physical contexts.

Development and learning is facilitated by participation in activities of meaning across the spectrum of occupational routines in natural settings; conversely, limited participation interferes with learning and development, yielding a detrimental cascade effect.

Adapting activities and environments to enhance participation in meaningful roles and routines can positively influence learning and development.

The Occupational Therapy Practitioner understands the influence of client factors, performance skills and patterns, and environments and context on health, wellness, engagement in occupations of meaning, and social participation.

Adapts and/or modifies school environments and instruction to promote access and optimal participation and learning for all students (e.g., physical environmental modification and optimal classroom design, universal design and system supports [SEL, RtI, PBIS], inclusive classroom supports).

Observes and intervenes in naturally occurring contexts throughout the school environment Encourages engagement and participation in occupation across school contexts. Works with other education partners to promote student participation across contexts.

QI-05

Children and youth learn best; build authentic social relationships; and experience improved health and wellness outcomes when they participate actively in meaningful and valued roles, routines and self-chosen activities.

Developmental, medical, social-emotional and learning characteristics of children and youth together with contextual factors influence participation in relevant occupations and social and physical contexts.

Development and learning is facilitated by participation in activities of meaning across the spectrum of occupational routines in natural settings; conversely, limited participation interferes with learning and development, yielding a detrimental cascade effect.

Adapting activities and environments to enhance participation in meaningful roles and routines can positively influence learning and development.

The Occupational Therapy Practitioner understands the influence of client factors, performance skills and patterns, and environments and context on health, wellness, engagement in occupations of meaning, and social participation.

Adapts and/or modifies school environments and instruction to promote access and optimal participation and learning for all students (e.g., physical environmental modification and optimal classroom design, universal design and system supports [SEL, RtI, PBIS], inclusive classroom supports).

Observes and intervenes in naturally occurring contexts throughout the school environment Encourages engagement and participation in occupation across school contexts Works with other education partners to promote student participation across contexts.

QI-06

Children and youth learn best; build authentic social relationships; and experience improved health and wellness outcomes when they participate actively in meaningful and valued roles, routines and self-chosen activities.

Developmental, medical, social-emotional and learning characteristics of children and youth together with contextual factors influence participation in relevant occupations and social and physical contexts.

Development and learning is facilitated by participation in activities of meaning across the spectrum of occupational routines in natural settings; conversely, limited participation interferes with learning and development, yielding a detrimental cascade effect.

Adapting activities and environments to enhance participation in meaningful roles and routines can positively influence learning and development.

The Occupational Therapy Practitioner understands the influence of client factors, performance skills and patterns, and environments and context on health, wellness, engagement in occupations of meaning, and social participation.

Adapts and/or modifies school environments and instruction to promote access and optimal participation and learning for all students (e.g., physical environmental modification and optimal classroom design, universal design and system supports [SEL, RtI, PBIS], inclusive classroom supports).

Observes and intervenes in naturally occurring contexts throughout the school environment Encourages engagement and participation in occupation across school contexts. Works with other education partners to promote student participation across contexts

QI-07

Children and youth learn best; build authentic social relationships; and experience improved health and wellness outcomes when they participate actively in meaningful and valued roles, routines and self-chosen activities.

Developmental, medical, social-emotional and learning characteristics of children and youth together with contextual factors influence participation in relevant occupations and social and physical contexts.

Development and learning is facilitated by participation in activities of meaning across the spectrum of occupational routines in natural settings; conversely, limited participation interferes with learning and development, yielding a detrimental cascade effect.

Adapting activities and environments to enhance participation in meaningful roles and routines can positively influence learning and development

The Occupational Therapy Practitioner understands the influence of client factors, performance skills and patterns, and environments and context on health, wellness, engagement in occupations of meaning, and social participation.

Adapts and/or modifies school environments and instruction to promote access and optimal participation and learning for all students (e.g., physical environmental modification and optimal classroom design, universal design and system supports [SEL, RtI, PBIS], inclusive classroom supports).

Observes and intervenes in naturally occurring contexts throughout the school environment Encourages engagement and participation in occupation across school contexts Works with other education partners to promote student participation across contexts.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

AN ITERATIVE, COLLABORATIVE, AND INVESTIGATIVE JOURNEY

The development of the QISP has been an iterative and investigative journey that grew from a conversation among occupational therapy practitioners, educators, leaders, scholars, and consumers. Through an exhaustive systematic search of the literature addressing school occupational therapy practice, we established a set of essential guiding principles and key concepts that were supported by the evidence.

The principles and guiding concepts were then shared with audiences across the United States to refine our concepts and ideas. During the third step of the QISP development, the content validity of the guiding principles and key concepts was tested in a qualitative study through structured interviews with identified school based occupational therapy leaders, scholars, and practice experts.

Finally, seven performance domains were adopted, quality indicators were refined, and technical specifications for each of the indicators were identified. In the final phase, the abstraction elements developing, proficient, and exemplary were chosen to support reflection and professional reasoning.

This website supports the mission and vision of the QISP and its application by all stakeholders of occupational therapy practice in school settings, and provides a pathway to resources for high quality practice and Effective School Occupational Therapy outcomes.

We hope you find value, connection, and support as you find your way around this platform.

Evidence-Based Resources for Educators and Occupational Therapists

ESOT INDICATORS

Quality Indicators for School-Based Practices

WHAT IS A QUALITY INDICATOR?

QISP

QI-01

Key Concept

What it Looks Like

QI-02

Key Concept

What it Looks Like

QI-03

Key Concept

What it Looks Like

QI-04

Key Concept

What it Looks Like

QI-05

Key Concept

What it Looks Like

QI-06

Key Concept

What it Looks Like

QI-07

Key Concept

What it Looks Like

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

AN ITERATIVE, COLLABORATIVE, AND INVESTIGATIVE JOURNEY

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