Bucks County IU Therapists May Be Ousted At Bensalem Schools

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —Residents are expressing outrage at plans by the Bensalem Township School District to replace physical and occupational therapists for special education children.

The school board meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in which the Bucks County Intermediate Unit is on the agenda involving two voting items.

One is a special education services agreement with Bucks County Intermediate Unit 22 for the 2024-2025 school year.

The other is a therapy services agreement with Pediatric Therapeutic Services, LLC (“PTS”), which is engaged in the business of providing a range of pediatric therapy services to its own patients and to various other entities under contract with PTS.

PTS fills these service needs by locating and providing Independent Contractors (not employees), the company said in a presentation to the school board.

If the District/Program is dissatisfied with the professional services of the independent contractor provided by PTS, upon receipt of written notice, PTS will provide a replacement contractor satisfactory to the District/Program.

Click here to read the agreement.

"In a cost-cutting effort, IU therapists are going to be replaced with contractors. To a non-special education parent, this probably seems like no big deal but I can assure you having inconsistent therapists is not going to be beneficial to our kids. This is not where Bensalem School District should be cutting costs," one Facebook poster stated.

"This is heartbreaking," a poster on a Bensalem community Facebook page said. "As a district employee for 36 years in special education, I will tell you that our students depend on consistency and deserve someone highly qualified and familiar with their needs. Outsourcing is nothing more than trying to save a buck at everyone’s expense."

PTS would charge $85 an hour for an occupational therapist, $60 an hour for a certified occupational therapy assistant, $90 for a physical therapist, and $82.50 for a speech therapist.

One Facebook poster said that the Pennsbury School District and other districts have made the same moves, realized it wasn't a good decision and went back to contracting with the BCIU.

"A school in Pennsbury had 10 different OTs in a single school year," the poster stated. "That means, on average, a different/new OT each month of the school year. For children with special needs, it's critical for them to have relationships with their service providers so they'll have the greatest likelihood to make progress and meet their goals."

"Why does Bensalem seem to never actually think about the well-being of kids for certain things and care about the money?" another poster wondered. "This is why so many good teachers; aides, pt ot; you name it; leave or get let go because it’s all about money."