MT in Schools #2: A Step-by-Step Guide for Acquiring Music Therapy on Your Child’s IEP

Now that we’ve covered how music therapy is present in schools, and what that can look like, you may be interested in your child receiving music therapy at their school!If that’s the case, then this blog is definitely for you! Here we will cover in detail how you can pursue music therapy services for your child to receive at their school. 

Related Services in Special Education

Music therapy is recognized as a related service in special education and settings serving students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 20 U.S.C. §1400.  The Process to Obtaining Music Therapy Therefore, if you are interested in your child receiving music therapy as a related service in the school setting, this is what the process would look like:  

1. The parent/guardian may request a music therapy evaluation from the student’s IEP Team. 
2. The IEP Team requests a music therapy evaluation.
3. The music therapist completes the music therapy evaluation.
4. The music therapist presents their evaluation report and corresponding professional recommendation to the IEP Team.
5. The IEP Team accepts the music therapist’s proposal.
6. IF music therapy is recommended by the music therapist AND accepted by the IEP Team, services are then scheduled, administered, documented, and later re-assessed.

Who is the music therapist? 

Music therapists are highly trained, board-certified practitioners who work with a wide variety of individuals to help manage pain, reduce stress, express emotion, enhance memory, improve communication, and promote physical rehabilitation. Their patients include those with developmental disorders, mental health disorders, neurological conditions, trauma, and other medical needs.(Berklee). Music therapists' objectives are to determine and utilize music therapy approaches that effectively aid in the restoration, maintenance, and improvement in mental and physical health. Music therapists believe in the dignity and worth of every person (AMTA).  The IEP Team may request a music therapy evaluation from their district’s established music therapist(s) OR if they do not already have a music therapist in place, they may interview an outside music therapist for hiring via independent contract to ensure that the requested evaluation is administered. 

What does the music therapy assessment process look like?

If the ARD committee requests music therapy, an assessment on the student will be done by a board-certified music therapist. The assessment consists of several stages, listed below. The Assessment Process:

1. The music therapist reviews the student's IEP (if the student is already receiving special education services) as well as assessments from other instructional and related services. The purpose of this review is to identify goals/objectives that can be addressed through music therapy strategies. The music therapist will also consider documentation from private therapy providers.
2. The music therapist may interview the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s), as well as school teacher(s) and caretakers. Questions regarding the student’s musical interests, involvement and influence, as well as parent/guardian, and teacher/caretaker goals may be discussed.
3. The music therapist observes the student working on the identified goals/objectives in a non-musical setting. One-two observation sessions may last approximately 30 minutes each. After the observation, the music therapist designs a series of music therapy interventions that focus on these same IEP goals.
4. The music therapist facilitates one or two individual or group music therapy sessions with the student. He/she then compares the student's responsiveness to music therapy interventions to the student's responsiveness to non-musical interventions on the same goals/objectives. If it appears that the student is significantly more responsive to music therapy interventions than to non-musical ones, then the therapist may conclude that music therapy services are necessary for the student to make progress on his/her instructional objectives.
5.  The music therapist reports the results of the assessment and makes a professional recommendation to the ARD committee. The ARD committee will make the decision whether or not to establish music therapy as a related service.
6.  Once the ARD committee establishes music therapy services, the music therapist reports to the committee via scheduled written progress reports and/or during the next annual ARD meeting.

Who pays for music therapy as a related service?

The school receives federal, state and local funding to cover the costs of these services so that the child may receive a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) as required by law. Therefore, school districts may not charge parents for the costs of related services that have been included in the child’s IEP.  If your child has Medicaid or private insurance, you may be asked for written consent allowing the school to bill Medicaid/private insurance for therapy services that the school provides. This consent is only required the first time the school accesses Medicaid or other insurance.Stay tuned for part three, where we will cover this information with the special education director in mind and why it is important for them to be acquiring music therapy for their students and schools! This will also be helpful information for you as a parent/guardian to know so that you may advocate for your child at every level. References:Evaluation. Texas Project First. (2024, February 12). https://texasprojectfirst.org/en/evaluation-3/ Music therapist. Berklee. (n.d.). https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/music-therapist  Music Therapy. Plano ISD. (n.d.) https://www.pisd.edu/Page/642.Jackson, P. (n.d.) Special Education Music Therapy 101: A beginner’s guide to music                                             therapy in schools. Music Therapy Joy. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GMHA1xf5xfDSeauXlfpEJSil7SqN909W/viewWho Are Music Therapists? American Music Therapy Association. (2024, February 15). https://www.musictherapy.org/about/therapists/