Evaluation in School-Based Occupational Therapy Practice: Designing Meaningful, Educationally Relevant, and Participation-Focused Evaluations

Evaluation is one of the most important responsibilities of school-based occupational therapy practitioners. Effective evaluation does more than identify strengths and needs. They provide the foundation for educational decision making, support the identification of barriers and supports influencing participation, and guide the development of meaningful interventions that improve student outcomes. Grounded in IDEA, the ESOT Quality Indicators for Effective School-Based Occupational Therapy Practice, the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework, and contemporary evidence, this six-part professional learning series examines evaluation as a collaborative, strengths-based, occupation-focused, and evidence-informed process. Participants will explore how to design evaluations that are educationally relevant, conducted within authentic environments, responsive to student strengths and contexts, and capable of supporting high-quality eligibility, intervention, and service delivery decisions. Throughout the series, participants will examine regulatory requirements, participation-focused evaluation models, dynamic assessment approaches, occupational and ecological frameworks, contextualized data collection, interpretation and synthesis of findings, and strategies for reducing bias while strengthening collaborative decision making. Emphasis is placed on collecting meaningful data that support educational participation, guide intervention planning, and promote equitable outcomes for students.