Request

The procedures for instituting home/hospital instruction are as follows:

1. Parent/guardian submits a Request for Home/Hospital Instruction form with student information and with Section 1 completed by an approved medical practitioner.
2. The district office reviews the request to determine if it meets guidelines and lets the school principal, school nurse and teacher or other school contact (if known) the approved service dates or reason for denial.
3. Home/hospital instruction may begin when approval is emailed to the school principal.

Role of School

The school shall:

1. Identify students that may have an extended absence.
2. Provide parents/guardians with the Home/Hospital Instruction application form.
3. Understand the basics of the Home/Hospital Instruction program so that parent/guardian and student expectations do not exceed what can be provided.
4. Provide a school contact name & number for questions regarding serving the student.
5. Identify a teacher to work with the student. The teacher must be someone who is employed by SPS.
6. Assure that the teacher receives the start and end dates for Home/Hospital Instruction service as well as the other restrictions for providing services.

Role of Instructor

The instructor shall:              

1. Contact parents/guardians and arrange home/hospital instruction schedule.
2. Discuss with the parent/guardian any conditions surrounding the student’s disability or educational development which may have a bearing on the program.
3. Discuss the need for a supervising adult to be in the home during the teacher’s visit.
4. Discuss the need for an appropriate learning environment.
   1. Other young children and/or adults should remain out of the room while the lesson is in progress.
   2. The student should be awake, properly dressed and ready for lessons at the appropriate time.
   3. Adequate study time should be scheduled each day, taking into account the physical limitations of the student.
5. Evaluate the students’ work and make a report to the student’s home school.

Termination

Instruction may be terminated in the following manner:

1. The qualified medical practitioner determines the advisability of the student returning to school.
2. The end date of the authorized time for Home/Hospital instruction is reached. Home/hospital instructor contacts payroll office when student returns to school.
3. Extension of the original instruction period must be requested by the parent or guardian using another Request for Home/Hospital Instruction form with Section 1 again completed by the attending qualified medical practitioner. Extension must consecutively follow the ending date of the original request.

Procedures for Initiating Home/Hospital Instruction

The function of the home/hospital instructor is to provide instructional assistance and serve as a liaison between the student and the school in the following manner:

Elementary (emphasizes reading, math and language skills)

1. Contact school principal.
2. Contact classroom teacher initially and on a weekly basis.
3. Obtain current academic standing.
4. Obtain books, materials and assignments from the homeroom teacher.
5. Keep parents/guardians informed as to the progress of the student.
6. Provide a statement to the student’s home school for the cumulative record regarding the grades earned by the student while on home/ hospital instruction. Grading shall be the responsibility of the classroom teacher. This statement is due immediately upon termination of the home/hospital instruction.

Middle/Senior High (receives instruction in required subjects)

1. Contact school counselor and have counselor set up initial meeting with home/hospital instructor and classroom teacher.
2. Obtain current academic standing.
3. Contact each classroom teacher on a weekly basis and arrange for books, materials and assignments; also include a class schedule, class outlines, etc., of what the student needs to fulfill credit requirements for quarter, semester and year.
4. Provide a statement to the student’s home school for the cumulative record regarding the grades earned by the student while on home/ hospital instruction. Grading shall be the responsibility of the classroom teacher. This statement is due immediately upon termination of home/hospital instruction.

If the student is unable to complete regular classroom assignments, the home/ hospital instructor will work with the regular classroom teacher to modify or develop alternative classroom assignments to meet required course work.

Instructor Reimbursement Procedures

1. The teacher prepares extra time and mileage forms, signs, and gives to school principal to sign as supervisor/manager/department head, then sends to Student Health Services for review.
2. Student Health Services enters the information into a data program that checks for compliance with start/end dates, maximum number of hours weekly, and days school is in session. Compliant forms are coded and the program manager signs as funding authority. Forms are then sent to Payroll.

Policy Cross References

• 2165 – Home or Hospital Instruction

Adopted

• December 7, 2011