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District staff say related services are need‑based; warn pull-out therapy can reduce class learning time
Summary
District 28 administrators and CPSC staff described how related services (OT, speech, PT) are determined by IEP goals, noted staffing shortages, and cautioned that 1‑on‑1 pull‑out therapy can reduce class time and transitions for students.
District 28 and CPSC officials told parents that related services — occupational therapy (OT), speech-language therapy and physical therapy — are determined by each child’s IEP goals and noted recruitment challenges for clinicians.
Jennifer Lozano Luna said related services are “goal based” and that decisions about 1‑on‑1 versus small‑group delivery depend on the child’s present levels and goals. “It really depends on the child's need,” she said, adding that some goals can be addressed by classroom teachers or special-education teachers.
Andy Corso acknowledged a citywide shortage of related-service providers and said the DOE is using “innovative ways to try to recruit, hire, and train more related service providers.” Corso also urged teams to weigh the instructional tradeoffs of pull‑out therapy: removed students miss class time and more transitions can be disruptive for young learners. “When they are getting pulled out of class for each service they're getting, that dramatically increases the number of transitions,” Corso said.
CPSC administrators noted a structural difference for nonpublic placements: CPSC and CSC offices contract for related-service providers rather than directly hiring them, which can affect speed of assignment. Parents were encouraged to discuss service delivery models at IEP meetings and to ask for services that best match the student's goals.
