Physical Therapist (PT) - School-Based Pediatric, Dalton GA
Listed compensation
$72-$88/hr
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Position Overview
CLF Consultants LLC seeks a Georgia-licensed Physical Therapist (PT) with pediatric experience to deliver IEP-driven physical therapy to students ages 3 through 21 across Whitfield County School System sites in Dalton, Georgia. The role supports students with mobility, gross motor, postural, gait, and functional movement needs identified through Individualized Education Programs.
The PT joins a multi-discipline contracted team aligned with Whitfield County's Special Education department. Caseloads run approximately 55-65 students per direct-service discipline; assignment volumes vary by service model, campus distribution, and IEP changes across the school year.
CLFC works with the Whitfield County Special Education department to balance caseloads, cluster campuses to minimize drive time between schools, and rotate coverage as needed. The 8-hour billable workday is anchored to student school hours; service delivery is in-person preferred.
Whitfield County provides instructional materials, computers, printers, and evaluation toolkits, with district-level support for adaptive equipment coordination.
Key Responsibilities
Deliver physical therapy services in accordance with each student's IEP
Conduct evaluations, re-evaluations, and progress assessments tied to IEP goals - gait, balance, transfers, mobility, postural control, and access to the school environment
Develop and implement individualized intervention plans focused on functional school-based outcomes, with autonomy in clinical decision-making and treatment planning
Produce service-delivery logs matching each student's IEP service hours, in compliance with Medicaid billing documentation standards
Attend IEP meetings during the 8-hour school day as scheduled, contributing PT findings, treatment progress data, and goal recommendations to the IEP team
Recommend adaptive equipment, mobility devices, orthotics, and classroom accommodations, with district-level support for equipment coordination through CLFC and Whitfield County Special Education
Required Qualifications
- Active Georgia license for Physical Therapy in good standing
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) or Master's degree in Physical Therapy from a CAPTE-accredited program
- Current CPR / Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
- Demonstrated experience providing school-based or pediatric physical therapy to students ages 3-21
- Working knowledge of IEP development, IDEA compliance, and special education service delivery standards
- Successful completion of background check per Whitfield County School System and Georgia Department of Education requirements
- Reliable transportation to multiple school sites within Whitfield County
Strongly Preferred Qualifications
Pediatric Specialist Certification (PCS) through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) - eligible for the PCS specialty differential (see compensation details)
PCS-track clinicians actively pursuing ABPTS Pediatric Specialist Certification - eligible for development-tier engagement (see compensation details)
Three or more years of K-12 school-based or pediatric PT experience
Specialty training in neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT), pediatric mobility, adaptive seating/equipment, or orthotic/prosthetic management
Experience with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, autism spectrum, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and similar pediatric populations
Compensation
Hourly base range: $72.00 - $82.00 per hour for experienced school-based pediatric PTs (independent contractor / 1099)
PCS specialty differential: +$3.00 - $6.00 per hour for ABPTS Pediatric Specialist Certified clinicians, with combined ceiling up to $88.00 per hour
PCS-track development tier: PT clinicians actively pursuing PCS certification are eligible for a $2.00 - $4.00 per hour development differential during their certification track, recognizing their commitment to pediatric specialty advancement
- Bilingual differential (Spanish/English): +$2.00 - $4.00 per hour
- Bi-weekly pay frequency per CLFC standard contractor terms
Position Reference: 01CLFCS005 - Please use this reference in all correspondence and document submissions for this position.
About CLF Consultants LLC
CLF Consultants LLC (DBA: CLFC Healthcare and Communications) is a federal, state, and local government services prime contractor delivering healthcare staffing and language access services nationwide. Our network of 500+ healthcare professionals and 200+ interpreters supports federal, state, and local agencies. Equal Opportunity Employer.
Requirements
Candidates must hold an active Georgia Physical Therapy license and a DPT or Master's degree from a CAPTE-accredited program. Experience in pediatric or school-based physical therapy and current CPR/BLS certification are required.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Pediatrics — Physical Therapist Career Context
In Georgia, the Physical Therapist weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$89k (490 salary observations; 2,352 listings), vs ~$94k nationally (12,884 salary observations; 63,735 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Of the 50 active Physical Therapist listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 46% have no call, 60% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $150k–$183k | Physical Therapist median $66k (middle half $60k–$71k)12 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Georgia vs national | $89k median in Georgia | $94k nationally (−5%)490 state / 12,884 national salary observations |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$173k in purchasing power | Georgia index 96.3 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Physical Therapist listings in Georgia | 924 active | 22,909 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 2% remote · 46% no call · 60% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | Georgia Physical Therapist listings: 36% state a sign-on bonus (median $20k) · 30% offer loan repayment924 active listings, Oct 2026 |
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