2026-27 Certified Occupational Therapy Asst. (COTA)

JOB SCHEDULE:                   CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT

SALARY SCHEDULE:             SALARY SCHEDULE HSL

DEPARTMENT:                      SPECIAL SERVICES

FLSA STATUS:                       NON-EXEMPT

SAFETY-SENSITIVE:             YES

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant is responsible for implementing intervention and therapy regarding students’ fine and gross motor skill functioning abilities (e.g. perceptual- -motor, hand functions, motor coordination, sensory development, etc.) under the direction of the Occupational Therapist

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
• Associates Degree as an Occupational Therapy Assistant and must hold a current license awarded by the State of Oklahoma.
• Prior experience in a school setting preferred

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provides direct and indirect therapy to students with disabilities under the supervision of Occupational Therapists.
2. Develops and maintains appropriate occupational therapy records (documentation, schedules, daily plans, progress notes, etc.)
3.  Provides training and demonstrations to appropriate persons for maintenance of equipment, appropriate exercises and activities, proper body mechanics for lifting, carrying, and handling and positioning of the student with disabilities in order to carryover therapy goals in the school setting.
4.  Develops maintenance programs for students with disabilities so that appropriate persons can provide appropriate activities to support and carryover therapy goals in the school setting. Consults with appropriate persons in activities of daily living such as feeding, positioning, toileting, dressing, etc.
5. Communicates with educational and related services staff, parents, occupational therapist, and other professionals concerned with the student’s educational progress.
6.  Participates/promotes the overall effectiveness of the District by sharing responsibilities of other members of the department during peak periods, helping with overload of duties, filling in when others are away from work station, etc.
7.  Participates in professional meetings, in-services, and workshops related to the best practices in education and of occupational therapy in schools.
8. Actively supports the District’s goals and will implement any activities associated directly or indirectly with the Special Services Department.
9. Additional duties that may be assigned by the immediate supervisor.

LANGUAGE AND GRAMMAR SKILLS:  

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence and memos. Ability to compose and write grammatically correct correspondence and memos.

REASONING ABILITY:  

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, schedule form, or blueprint form.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, climb or balance, and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to sit.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up or more than 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to or more than 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to fume or airborne particles. The employee frequently works in high, precarious places and in outside weather conditions. The employee frequently works near moving mechanical parts, extreme cold (including outdoors), extreme heat (including direct sunlight), risk of electrical shock and vibration.

The noise level in the work environment will vary from somewhat loud to extremely loud.

To ensure continuity of services, a different work location may be necessary in the event of a health crisis or disruptive situation that requires the closing of school and/or office buildings. An employee’s eligibility for a varied work location will be determined by the superintendent of schools. Expectations and guidelines for this change will be distributed by the employee’s supervisor, based on his/her role and responsibilities.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  

Employee may occasionally be required to supervise a varying number of employees in the overall direction, coordination, and completion of tasks as assigned.

DISCLAIMER:

Please note that job descriptions are not intended, and should not be construed, to be exhaustive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with a job. They are intended to be accurate reflections of those principal job elements essential for making fair hiring and pay decisions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.