This agreement is between Clay County District Schools and Florida State College of Jacksonville for FSCJ students to participate in internships, practicums, and observations under the direction of a certified Occupational Therapist currently employed by the school district.  We have had this no cost agreement with FSCJ in place since 2020 and six (6) FSCJ students have utilized the agreement since its inception.

Without this agreement, interns and pre-interns cannot be placed in Clay County District Schools and would thereby prevent potential Occupational Therapy candidates from choosing Clay to begin their career.  We currently employ 17.6 OTs and 2 Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, with additional allocations already approved for the '23-'24 school year.  Ensuring that students have strong placement experiences helps us as a district when recruiting new candidates.

Clay County District Schools currently has agreements with 25 Colleges/Universities, and the current agreement with FSCJ is expiring.  This agreement is a renewal of the previous contract and there are no substantive changes.

Placement of interns provides Occupational Therapy candidates with real-world experiences that better prepare them for the rigors of school-based therapy.  FSCJ requests the placement of multiple Occupational Therapy candidates each year and our supervising Occupational Therapists have reported it is a positive experience.

Goal 5: Develop and support great educators, support personnel, and leaders.   

Strategy 5.1: Recruit, screen, hire, and retain top candidates that reflect the diversity of each school, our district, and community.

That the Clay County School Board approves the agreement between Clay County District Schools and FSCJ.