Occupational therapist
Department
Special Education: Reports to
Associate Director of Special Education
Location
San Jose
Type
Full-time
FLSA Status
Exempt
Schedule: School year
About kipp norcal
We are a thriving nonprofit network of 23 free, public charter schools open to all students. At KIPP, we believe all children should grow up free to create the future they want for themselves and that schools can and should be a critical factor in making that vision a reality. Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world.
Our student community consists of over 7,100 elementary, middle, and high school students in East Palo Alto, Oakland, San Francisco, San Lorenzo, San José, Redwood City, and Stockton. 80% qualify for free or reduced price lunch, 27% are multilingual learners, and 17% receive special education services. We strive to cultivate a representative team of teachers and leaders that reflect our students’ diversity.
Role overview
The Occupational Therapist partners with school teams to ensure students receive occupational therapy services that improve access to instruction, increase independence, and support meaningful participation in the educational environment. This role leads occupational therapy services across a portfolio of schools, collaborating with educators, families, and multidisciplinary teams to develop individualized supports that enable students to achieve their educational goals.
In this role, you own projects end-to-end with real autonomy over how the work gets done. You make day-to-day execution decisions and bring your manager in when something would change the project's direction or require resources beyond your scope.
Core responsibilities
- Student evaluation & service planning
- Leads occupational therapy evaluations, screenings, and assessments to identify student needs and determine eligibility for school-based occupational therapy services.
- Develops individualized occupational therapy goals and service recommendations that align with student needs, educational priorities, and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
- Partners with multidisciplinary teams to interpret assessment findings and integrate occupational therapy recommendations into comprehensive student support plans.
- Maintains evaluation documentation and service records that meet IDEA, state, and organizational compliance requirements.
- Occupational therapy service delivery
- Delivers direct and consultative occupational therapy services that improve student participation, functional independence, sensory regulation, and access to instruction.
- Develops intervention plans that address fine motor, sensory processing, self-regulation, visual-motor, and functional performance skills within educational settings.
- Monitors student progress using evidence-based practices and data to evaluate intervention effectiveness and recommend adjustments to services over time.
- Manages assigned caseloads to ensure services are delivered consistently, accurately documented, and aligned with IEP timelines.
- Consultation, coaching & collaboration
- Consults with teachers, Education Specialists, paraeducators, and school leaders to develop classroom strategies that support student participation and functional success.
- Coaches school staff in implementing occupational therapy recommendations and adaptive strategies that strengthen student outcomes across instructional settings.
- Partners with families to build understanding of student needs and promote consistency between school and home supports.
- Collaborates with Regional Special Education staff and related service providers to coordinate integrated supports for students with complex learning needs.
- Program implementation & continuous improvement
- Oversees occupational therapy services across assigned schools, identifying opportunities to improve service delivery, coordination, and student outcomes.
- Utilizes service data, documentation systems, and progress monitoring tools to maintain compliance and improve program effectiveness.
- Contributes to department initiatives, professional learning, and cross-functional projects that strengthen special education services across KIPP NorCal.
- Communicates implementation progress, emerging concerns, and resource needs to the Lead OT-APE, escalating issues requiring regional support.
- Other duties as assigned.
Kipp leadership competencies
These competencies describe the core leadership behaviors expected at this level – they guide how we hire, develop, and grow our people at KIPP NorCal.
Lead Self: You seek diverse feedback, adjust your approach based on your impact on others, and continuously develop your expertise. You interrupt bias, advocate for equitable practices, and share your knowledge with peers.
Lead People: You build authentic relationships across lines of difference and foster inclusion and psychological safety. You communicate the rationale for change, build buy-in, and surface resistance early. You partner across teams, identify coordination gaps, and resolve them proactively.
Lead Results: You translate strategy into project plans and manage competing priorities without losing sight of outcomes. You use data to analyze problems and inform decisions, deliver on time and scope, and manage up effectively — flagging risks early and bringing options when facing obstacles.
Knowledge & skills
Required Qualifications
- Experience
- Experience providing occupational therapy services in educational, pediatric, or related settings.
- Demonstrated experience conducting school-based occupational therapy evaluations and developing intervention plans that support student access to instruction.
- Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to support students with disabilities across educational environments.
- Education
- Degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited institution.
- Current California Board of Occupational Therapy (CBOT) license.
- Certification through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
- Knowledge/skills
- Strong knowledge of school-based occupational therapy assessment tools, intervention strategies, and special education service delivery.
- Ability to analyze assessment data and develop evidence-based therapy recommendations that support student achievement and independence.
- Strong consultation, collaboration, and communication skills with educators, families, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Excellent organizational and case management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting compliance timelines.
- Demonstrated commitment to educational equity and culturally responsive practices that support students from historically underserved communities.
- Ability to work independently while building strong collaborative partnerships across schools and regional teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Three or more years of occupational therapy experience, including experience providing services in K–12 school settings.
- Experience with SEIS, PowerSchool, Medi-Cal billing, or comparable educational documentation systems.
- Bilingual in Spanish or Vietnamese.
- Experience supporting students with complex disabilities within public or charter school settings.
Role details
The following details describe how this role is structured and what to expect day-to-day.
Work Setting
School-facing
Travel Expectation: Frequent school travel
Driver’s License: Must have a valid CA driver’s license and access to reliable transportation for work-related travel
Physical Demands
Ability to navigate office and school campuses, use technology, and occasionally lift or carry materials up to 20 lbs.
Mental Demands
Ability to manage competing priorities, concentrate for sustained periods, analyze complex information, and make decisions under normal work pressures.
Environmental: Primarily school-based environment, with regular travel between school sites
Kipp northern california is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
Compensation
KIPP Northern California is dedicated to you and your family's well-being. We offer a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, paid time off, retirement benefits, and commuter benefits.
- We benchmark annually against comparable organizations and school districts in the regions where we operate to offer competitive compensation. The salary range for this position follows a step scale based on years of experience. The salary range for this role is:
- Stockton: $92,000 - $109, 267
- Bay Area: $99,000 - $117,581
How To Apply
Please submit a cover letter and resume by clicking apply on this page.
