Thera Peds logo
Thera Peds
Palo Alto, California

Physical Therapist

Physical TherapistContract

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 12m ago · Verified live

Job Description

About Us

TheraPeds Partners is a therapist-owned and operated organization. We partner with schools to provide Physical Therapy (PT) services to PreK–12 students nationwide. As a team of special education providers, we understand the education process, IDEA requirements, and the importance of collaboration within multidisciplinary teams. Our mission is to deliver high-quality Physical Therapy (PT) services while making meaningful connections in a collaborative learning environment.

Job Description and Responsibilities

This is a part-time, on-site role as an Physical Therapist (PT) serving a school located in Palo Alto, CA.

The Physical Therapist (PT) will be responsible for providing therapy services to students, conducting assessments, developing IEP plans, evaluating progress, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams (therapists, educators, parents). The role requires strong communication and interpersonal skills, as well as a passion for working with students with special needs.

Job Details

  • 2026-2027 School year, October - June.
  • Part-time (10-20 hours/week)
  • K – 12 grades
  • Job duties: direct therapy, consultation, evaluations, case management, supervision of a PTA
  • Guaranteed hours, including documentation, administrative, and planning time
  • In person
  • Dual support from the District and TheraPeds
  • Manageable caseloads

Rate

  • Qualifications
  • Master's or Doctorate in Physical Therapy from an accredited university
  • State License as Physical Therapist
  • National License: APTA (Preferred)
  • Licensing with the State Department of Education, where required

Experience Working with Children

Identify children with deviations in physical, developmental, gross/perceptual and functional motor areas that may affect their educational program and to provide direct service as appropriate.

Guide therapy in determining appropriate goals, selecting treatment methods, and measuring effectiveness of intervention.

  • Use observation, standardized and non-standardized techniques as tools
  • Strong foundation in planning and implementing treatment, exercises, manual therapy within developmental therapeutic models to support students within the school setting.
  • Organizational and time management skills
  • Proficient in use of technology

Fingerprint Background Clearance

Ability to collaborate with school staff and parents with a demonstrated ability to exercise a high level of tact and discretion in both internal and external communications

Physical Requirements

Working and playing with students requires that employees must be able to perform the necessary physical movement functions, as needed, such as lifting, sitting, walking, standing, crawling, and engaging with students in all physical locations and activities, while adhering to the duties outlined by the district.

  • Benefits (eligibility dependent on employment status)
  • Competitive compensation package with benefits including health, dental, and vision and 401K (W2)
  • Resources for health benefit enrollment and hourly rates which includes a stipend for health benefits and taxes (1099)
  • Opportunities for professional development and continuing education
  • Access to a supportive network within the TheraPeds community
  • Guaranteed hours
  • Bi-monthly salary deposits
  • This position will be a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor

Summary

TheraPeds Partners is seeking a part-time, on-site Physical Therapist (PT) for a school-based position in Palo Alto, CA. This role is ideal for candidates searching for school physical therapist jobs near me, California school PT positions, or part-time pediatric PT roles in schools with guaranteed hours.

Key Responsibilities

The Physical Therapist will provide direct therapy services, conduct assessments, and develop IEP plans for students in a school setting. They will also collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including educators and parents, to evaluate student progress and ensure effective intervention.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Pediatric physical therapyIEP developmentAssessmentInterdisciplinary collaborationTreatment planningTechnology proficiency

Physical Therapist Career Context

Of the 50 active Physical Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 46% have no call, 56% require no weekends.

In California, the Physical Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$116k (1,286 salary observations; 4,238 listings), vs ~$94k nationally (12,871 salary observations; 62,396 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

What does the Physical Therapy market look like in California?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedPhysical Therapy median $182k (middle half $56k–$182k)24 comparable listings, Nov 2026
California vs national$116k median in California$94k nationally (+24%)1,286 state / 12,871 national salary observations
Cost of livingCalifornia index 110.7US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Physical Therapy listings in California1,746 active21,851 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 4% remote · 46% no call · 56% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia Physical Therapist listings: 18% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 8% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Physical Therapy listings7,556 in the last 30 days4,853 the 30 days before (+56%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Physical Therapy pay trend+2.2% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 Physical Therapist Jobs

49 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

46 jobs · 36 employers
11
<$105k
8
$105k-130k
16
$130k-155k
9
$155k-180k
2
$180k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

40 jobs · 36 employers
401k / retirement match
93% this job
CME allowance
57% this job
Sign-on bonus
55%
Loan repayment
28%
Relocation assistance
15%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist II, Sunnyvale

Sutter Health · Sunnyvale, California

$133k-$186k
#2

Physical Therapist, Home Health

Sutter Health · Alameda, California

$64.42-$86.55/hr
#3

Home Health Physical Therapist - $5k Sign On Bonus!

$55.42-$86.03/hr
#4

Physical Therapist

$85/hr
+ 47 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 30% of Physical Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 21,724 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
Thera Peds logo

About Thera Peds

Hospitals and Health Care
Jupiter, Florida

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
401(k)
Professional Development
Continuing Education
Guaranteed Hours

Living in Palo Alto

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$3.28M
Typical market rent
$4,558/mo
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
110.4
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.