title: Outcomes for Students Receiving School-Based Physical Therapy as Measured by the School Function Assessment.
abstract: To describe School Function Assessment (SFA) outcomes after 6 months of school-based physical therapy and the effects of age and gross motor function on outcomes.
  
  
  
  Within 28 states, 109 physical therapists and 296 of their students with disabilities, ages 5 to 12 years, participated. After training, therapists completed 10 SFA scales on students near the beginning and end of the school year.
  
  
  
  Criterion scores for many students remained stable (46%-59%) or improved (37%-51%) with the most students improving in Participation and Maintaining/Changing Positions. Students aged 5 to 7 years showed greater change than 8- to 12-year-olds on 5 scales. Students with higher gross motor function (Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I vs IV/V and II/III vs IV/V) showed greater change on 9 scales.
  
  
  
  Positive SFA change was recorded in students receiving school-based physical therapy; however, the SFA is less sensitive for older students and those with lower functional movement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (Dr Effgen), University of Kentucky, Lexington; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine (Dr Westcott McCoy), University of Washington, Seattle; Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences (Dr Chiarello), Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Department of Rehabilitation Sciences (Dr Jeffries), University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, Oklahoma City; Department of Biostatistics (Ms Starnes and Dr Bush), College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington.
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Effgen
authors.forename: Sarah Westcott
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Chiarello
authors.forename: Lynn M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Jeffries
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Starnes
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bush
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students; D016896:Treatment Outcome