Recreation Is a Related Service Under IDEA

Recreational Therapy can play an important role in helping students with disabilities access, participate in, and benefit from their educational experience.

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), recreation—including therapeutic recreation—is specifically identified as a related service that may be provided when required to assist a student with a disability in benefiting from special education.

Federal regulations define recreation services to include:

  • Assessment of leisure function

  • Therapeutic recreation services

  • Recreation programs in schools and community agencies

  • Leisure education

Can I Request a Recreational Therapy Assessment?

Yes. Parents and guardians can ask their student's school or IEP team to consider an assessment for Recreational Therapy.

If you believe recreation, leisure, social participation, independence, or related functional needs may be affecting your child's ability to participate in or benefit from their educational program, you can discuss these concerns with your child's IEP team and request consideration of a Recreational Therapy assessment.

An assessment can help the IEP team better understand the student's strengths and needs and determine whether Recreational Therapy may be an appropriate related service.

Not sure where to start?

Liv RecTherapy can provide information about Recreational Therapy in educational settings and help families better understand what Recreational Therapy assessment and services may look like.

Learn More About IDEA & Your Child's Educational Rights

We encourage parents, caregivers, and educators to learn more about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the role related services can play in supporting students with disabilities.

Under IDEA, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, is specifically identified as a related service. Federal regulations further identify recreation services as including assessment of leisure function, therapeutic recreation services, recreation programs in schools and community agencies, and leisure education.

  • Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with a qualifying disability must be provided with an Individualized Education Program (IEP).  The IEP is an educational map for children with disabilities; required components of the IEP include the child's present level of performance and measurable annual goals; the child's progress towards meeting annual goals is measured and reported.  

    Recreational Therapy is a related service outlined in IDEA Section 300.34 that supports students accessing Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).

    We offer assessments, IEP Goals/ Outcomes, Attending IEP meetings, Individual Sessions, and Group sessions.

    Goals may include but are not limited to community integration, teamwork, social skills, communication skills, free time/leisure skills, activities of daily living, online safety, overall wellness, emotional expression through art, physical fitness, coping skills, and more.

    Reach out today to get a free template letter to request a Recreation Therapy assessment as apart of your child's IEP.

  • We want your students to experience the benefits of Recreational Therapy, including improved physical, cognitive, behavioral, and social-emotional functioning:

    • Physical Functioning

      • Through adaptive fitness programs, Recreational Therapy can help individuals with physical disabilities improve their range of motion, strength, and endurance. I am a Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer and can provide specific programs to fit each individual's needs.

    • Cognitive functioning

      • We are improving decision-making, attention span, problem-solving, and creative expression.

    • Behavior functioning

      • We are improving emotional intelligence, understanding emotion, increasing self-awareness, valuing clarification, learning social skills, understanding individual and others' boundaries, increase knowledge of skills needed for community integration.

    • Social and Emotional functioning

      • Understanding boundaries, learning self-advocacy skills, practicing communication skills, learning team dynamics, building social skills, free time/leisure skills, activities of daily living, online safety, overall wellness, and emotional expression through art, learning and practicing coping skills.

    • Independence

      • Time management, building self-awareness, learning advocacy skills, increasing the ability to make plans, self-management skills, and understanding how to plan for community outings financially. Practice skills needed for activities of daily living.

  • To get an assessment added to your learners IEP you will make a written request to the IEP team. Once you have made your request please contact us. If you would like a template for making requests you may also reach out to us.

  • IDEA — Related Services: 34 C.F.R. § 300.34
    The federal regulation defining related services and specifically identifying recreation, including therapeutic recreation.

    https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.34

    IDEA — Recreation: 34 C.F.R. § 300.34(c)(11)
    The portion of IDEA regulations specifically addressing recreation. It identifies assessment of leisure function, therapeutic recreation services, recreation programs in schools and community agencies, and leisure education.

    https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.34/c/11

    IDEA — Evaluation Procedures: 34 C.F.R. § 300.304
    Information about federal requirements for evaluating students, including the requirement that evaluations be sufficiently comprehensive to identify special education and related-service needs.

    https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.304

    IDEA — Parent Participation: 34 C.F.R. § 300.322
    Information about parents' rights to participate in their child's IEP process and IEP Team meetings.

    https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.322

    California Department of Education — IEP Resources
    California-specific information and resources related to Individualized Education Programs, assessment, special education, and applicable California Education Code.

    https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/iepresources.asp

    California Department of Education — Parents' Rights & Procedural Safeguards
    Information from the California Department of Education about the educational rights and procedural safeguards available to parents of students receiving special education services.

    https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/pssummary.asp

    Have Questions About Recreational Therapy?

    Reading special education laws and regulations can be overwhelming. If you're interested in learning more about what Recreational Therapy can look like in a school setting, Liv RecTherapy is happy to provide information about our profession, assessments, and school-based Recreational Therapy services.

    (916) 600-4264
    Connect@livrt.com

    These resources are provided for general educational and informational purposes and are not legal advice.

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