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Time-saving assessment hacks for school-based OTs and PTs

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As a school-based occupational or physical therapist, you know that time is your most precious resource. Between evaluations, documentation, meetings and direct therapy, your schedule is packed. And as productivity expectations continue to rise, the number of hours in each day remains stubbornly the same!

Here are some practical ways to maximize your valuable time (without compromising quality) by making strategic assessment choices and leveraging the power of digital tools.

1. Go digital with Q-global®: Save double handling, reduce errors, and lighten your load.

Q-global, Pearson’s online platform for test administration and scoring, is a game-changer for busy clinicians. Here’s how it helps:

  • Instant scoring: Enter raw scores and let Q-global do the rest — no more flipping through norm tables.
  • Auto-generated reports: Get a head start on documentation with narrative summaries and caregiver letters.
  • Less to carry: No need to lug around easels or manuals and access your data anywhere there’s an internet connection.
  • Flexible purchasing: Buy usages in whatever quantity you need, whenever you need them. Usages never expire and can’t be lost or damaged.

Pro tip: Talk to your team leader about subscribing to Pearson’s Digital Assessment Library for Schools (DALS) or DALS+, giving you unlimited access to digital products and generous discounts on physical kits.

2. Add teacher and caregiver questionnaires to your assessment battery for a holistic view of performance.

By incorporating teacher and/or caregiver ratings into your evaluation, you can gain a more complete understanding of each student’s strengths and challenges with minimal extra time required for administration. Our most popular tools include:

  • PEDI-CAT: This computer adaptive caregiver questionnaire measures Daily Activities, Mobility, Social/Cognitive skills, and Responsibility – ideal for adding a participation-based perspective to evaluations, setting functional goals, and monitoring progress.
  • MABC-3 Checklist: This tool provides a standardized measure of everyday gross and fine motor coordination difficulties, including the contribution of non-motor factors and the impact of motor challenges on life participation.
  • Sensory Profile™ 2: Choose from caregiver or teacher forms to help understand a student’s sensory processing patterns and identify sensory-related challenges affecting participation.

3. Take advantage of new features to get the most information from the fewest test items.

Computer adaptive tests like the PEDI-CAT use algorithms to reach a valid and reliable score while only administering the most relevant test items – based on the respondent’s initial answers, items that are clearly too easy or too difficult for the examinee are not administered. The PEDI-CAT also offers a shorter version, the Speedy CAT, to save even more time when a more granular level of detail is not required.

Many tests allow you to obtain scores at the subtest level and only use the sections you need. For example, the BOT-3 is designed with flexibility in mind. You can:

  • Administer individual subtests
  • Focus on one or more of the four domains (consisting of two related subtests each)
  • Use the new supplemental scores:
    • Skilled Manual Performance: A composite of the three subtests focused on skilled use of the hands – Fine Motor Precision, Fine Motor Integration and Manual Dexterity
    • Planning and Coordination: Ideal for students with known or suspected praxis challenges
    • Movement Fundamentals: Track acquisition of foundational skills needed for more complex movement patterns

This modular approach means you can tailor each assessment to the referral question and avoid over-testing.

4. Choose the right tool for the job.

Consider the level of detail you need from your assessment. Is the purpose of the evaluation to provide an in-depth investigation of skills? To monitor progress? To supplement other formal and/or informal testing? Do you need a task-based tool, or can you use a questionnaire? Sometimes a shorter assessment such as the BOT-3 Brief can give you all the information you need — especially if used in combination with other measures.

Clinical tip: When assessing motor skills, use the BOT-3 when you need detailed insights for intervention planning. When you need a quicker snapshot of performance — especially for students with cognitive or behavioral challenges — consider the MABC-3.

5. Increase your proficiency with test administration and interpretation while earning AOTA CEs.

The more familiar you are with test administration, scoring, and interpretation, the more efficient you’ll be. Take some time to practice and get really familiar with the assessments in your toolkit so that evaluations run smoothly. You could also consider attending training to help equip you with the skills to test like a pro. Live and on-demand options that attract AOTA CEs include: 

  • BOT™-3 Administration and Scoring (3 hours)
  • Using and Interpreting the Sensory Profile™ in Clinical Practice (3 hours)
  • Practical Applications of the Bayley™-4 (5.5 hours)
  • Bayley-4 Online Independent Study Modules (12 hours)

Work smarter, not harder

With the right tools and strategies, you can reclaim valuable time in your day while still delivering high-quality, evidence-based assessments. Whether you’re screening or conducting a comprehensive evaluation, Pearson offers plenty of options to give you the flexibility and efficiency you need. Learn more or order today at https://www.pearsonclinical.ca or contact your local assessment consultant.