ESOT INDICATORS
Quality Indicators for School-Based Practices
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
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Key ConceptChildren 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.
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What it Looks LikeThe 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.
QI-02
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Key ConceptChildren 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.
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What it Looks LikeThe 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.
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.
QI-03
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Key ConceptChildren 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.
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What it Looks LikeThe 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.
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.
QI-04
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Key ConceptChildren 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.
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What it Looks LikeThe 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.
QI-05
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Key ConceptChildren 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.
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What it Looks LikeThe 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.
QI-06
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Key ConceptChildren 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.
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What it Looks LikeThe 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.
QI-07
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Key ConceptChildren 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.
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What it Looks LikeThe 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.
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
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.